It's the time of year: Stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and you hope that the saint of all things high-tech soon will be there. After one too many eggnogs, you slip off for a fitful night's sleep. During the night, three spirits come calling. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows you the CD Walkman that is still bouncing around in the back of your car. Even the now-obsolete 2GB MP3 player the Ghost of Christmas Present (Presents?) brought to you last year hasn't been used in months. As Tiny Tim and you both know, what you really want is the good stuff from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come — gadgets from the future. Click Continue to follow us for the gifts and presents that have yet to be invented, although we want them right now.

Roomba Redux
For the homeowner who has everything, a new Roomba: that handy little robotic vacuum cleaner that runs around and sweeps up the dust bunnies while you sit leisurely on the couch drinking beer and munching on cocktail weenies. The Roomba of the future will not only pick up breadcrumbs, but it will also pick up the shoes by the front door, carry them to the closet and sort them. Alphabetically. While it's at it, the dream Roomba will also pick up the dirty socks lying on the floor and bring them to the laundry room and throw them in the wash. Of course, no household robotic device would be complete without the ability to mix and deliver the perfect martini.

Mood iPod
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come also has the perfect product for the music lover. While the Ghost of Christmas Past had bags full of Mood Rings leftover from the '70s, this futuristic ghost has the Mood iPod. Clever sensors in the earbuds detect endorphin levels and interpret your frame of mind to create the perfect playlist for your current disposition. Feeling blue? Cue up "Walking On Sunshine." Stress getting to you? Your Mood iPod fills your playlist with Yanni and Enya. Amorous thoughts on your mind? Who else but some Barry White to complete the evening? The Mood iPod knows what you want to listen to, even before you do.

Ebenezer 2020 Treadmill
While running around in the future with a ghost seems easy, proper training is required. Enter the self-adjusting treadmill. You know that you need at least 60 minutes a day for a proper workout, but it's just too easy to quit before your workout is complete. Not on the Ebenezer 2020 Treadmill. This treadmill from the future has handrails that lock in on all four sides. You're not done until the Ebenezer 2020 says you're done. With a built-in heart-rate monitor, you can't slack off. It knows your heart-rate training zones and self-adjusts to keep you on track. Don't worry — it won't ever let you go over your maximum heart rate, but it certainly won't let you stroll. If your heart rate drops too low, it simply speeds up until your heart's beating in the zone. MP3 sneakers included.

Self-Adjusting Tool Set
Another gift the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come has to offer is the self-adjusting tool set. A single tool that converts from a flathead to Philips screwdriver (or a Robertson model in the Canadian version). The opposing sides flip out to easily switch back and forth between the two. The same tool is also an expanding hex set. With laser technology, it will simply detect the proper size hex wrench you need, expand to the proper size, and lock in instantly. English or metric? Who cares! X-ray technology will be used to determine the strength of the component. A built-in torque wrench will adjust accordingly. (Come on, I can't be the only one who's over-tightened a part on a carbon-fiber bicycle, can I?)

Full-Service Coffee Machine
Finally, after a night of carousing about with a ghost, how about a nice cup of coffee? There are coffee makers that will automatically grind the beans just before brewing for the freshest cup of joe you can ask for. However, you still have to add your own cream and sugar. Mornings in the future will be brighter when the coffee machine also has a refrigerated section to keep the cream fresh, dispensing just the right amount into my morning mug. Of course, it will be self-cleaning as well. A sensor mat on the floor will dictate how much sugar (or substitute) to add based on my weight that day, and the strength of the brew is determined by a signal sent from the bedroom that tells it how well I slept. If you've ever spent the night traipsing around with a Christmas Ghost of any kind, you know you need a pretty strong jolt the next day.

When Scrooge woke up after spending his night looking at the past, present and future, he realized that he had to make the most of the gifts he had. After seeing the gifts delivered from the Ghost Of Christmas Yet to Come, Tiny Tim and I both proclaim, "God bless us, everyone of us, especially those that are working to make my dream gadgets a reality!"