It's the first year for Creative Room's annual Gingerbread Competition and Charity Auction, which means that not only can you admire these modernist takes on a holiday standby, you also can purchase them for eating or Godzilla-bashing at your discretion.

[Creative Room via Core 77]

Each Nixie Tube packs 100mg of caffeine, about 20% more than a cup of coffee, and comes in colors and flavors a million percent less natural. They come in your standard candy flavors, from the classic lemon/lime to blue raspberry, which never has, never will, and does not now exist in the real world. They're available only from ThinkGeek (thank god; we don't need these becoming the new Jolt Cola) and cost $9 for five tubes. [ThinkGeek via CrunchGear]

The machine hack is actually an art project designed and created by Ellie Harrison as part of her residency at the Plymouth College of Art. The little monitor you see at the right is actually tracking the BBC's RSS feed, and whenever the aforementioned doom and gloom comes over the wire, someone's getting something sugary.

The innards were programmed by Ben Dembroski using PureData and Python, while project2891 was implemented alongside i-DAT to activate messaging on the GreenScreen. In other words, free candy! And, this thing must get refilled, a lot. [Ellie Harrison via Make via noquedanblogs- Thanks, Sabino]

Expect 1-4GB USB drives modeled after your favorite Hershey treats along with digital cameras, earphones and speakers shaped like everything from Kisses to Jolly Ranchers. Prices are expected to range from $15 to $30—but there is no word yet on a release date. Needless to say, if you lack willpower, avoid these products at all costs. [Jazwares Gearlog

The Price: $3.39 for an 11 oz. package

The Verdict:

Since when did small equal fun? The way I see it, the more candy there is, the more fun you're having, so to call these things "fun sized" makes me think they're trying to fool their customers.

But beyond that, the smaller size screws with the whipped chocolate to outer chocolate ratio. If you get a regular, "non fun" 3 Musketeers bar, the outer chocolate seems thinner and there's a bit less of it. It's a better setup, in my opinion.

But really, when you're getting this stuff for free, you can't really complain.

[Make]

Product Page [CandyWarehouse, via Boing Boing]

Only about $15 in the UK. – John Biggs

Product Page [Gobaz via ShinyShiny]

It appears that men do not like to be seen eating elaborate cakes in public, so a confectioner set up what looks like a typical fast food outlet to sell what look like hamburgers and fries, but that are in fact cake.

Elaborate cakes in public? Japan, please: we can't help you if you don't help yourself. With your psychosexual comic books and strange, wandering RPGs filled with be-wedgied ladies, you're heading down a long, hard road full of furtive masturbation and bulimia. If anyone in Japan can explain this to us, we'd much appreciate it.

Trends in Japan: Sweets in Disguise [Treehugger via BoingBoing]

Sport Beans [Cool Hunting]

Prices for Jelly Belly Sport Beans [Amazon]

Why do they need to be bigger, you ask? Who the hell knows. Kids like stuff that's bigger, I guess.

Mega M&M's [StrangeNewProducts]