I'm sure most of the people on this site have heard it before. The proclamation that rings in the ears every collector out there. Uttered by every relative a few weeks before Christmas as they shrug their shoulders and admit defeat by begrudgingly buying you a gift certificate for your favourite restaurant, or the liquor store down the road. Everyone's heard it before, and no one can argue with it.

"You are the HARDEST person to buy Christmas gifts for!"

And true it is! Most of us don't get that one scarce embossing variation or go-with that we've wanted for years under the spruce at Christmas time. Instead, we're left to find it ourselves. Fine, fine this is, I don't mind. Lots of great gifts every year, and none of them insulators. And with each year I've heard that phrase exclaimed in early December, I've grown to accept it.

And then one day, while at work in mid November, a friend emails you a photo; one of a ratty old box, all tied up in even rattier old rope, and clearly labelled "INSULATORS" in huge black letters on top. A time capsule, unopened since a different decade altogether - when The Eagles were still releasing fresh material for radio play. He's just found it in a pile of junk hidden in someone's garage for decades.

Gets the blood flowing, for sure.

Sure is hard to wait to open something like that.

And then he tells you that you can't [id=425248850;open it] until Christmas.