Christmastime is here, and the eggnog floweth freely from yonder supermarket dairy section. In the midst of the season of giving and fellowship, off-roaders are hopefully enjoying some downtime with family and friends or planning their next great weekend getaway in the far reaches of the wilderness.

#1. Let It Snow (x3)

Snow! Even here in Southern California, it’s the first thing we think of when we think of wintertime. Maybe it’s instinctual or maybe it’s Bing Crosby, but snow is a major selling point of the season, and I wish for more of it.

It wasn’t so long ago that this wish was granted. I remember in December of 2014, a wild midnight snowstorm blew in through Riverside County and covered much of the Interstate 15. My two-wheel-drive 4Runner wasn’t the worst handling vehicle on the road, miraculously, and I could spot several cars on the shoulder with their hazard lights flashing. It was truly a sight to see.

Now that I have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, I desperately want to get some of that feeling back, and I’m sure many of the locals with 4x4s feel the same way. Otherwise, we’re looking at driving north to Big Bear Lake, which does sound pretty appealing right about now.

#2. Next-Gen Ford Ranger And Bronco Meet/Exceed Expectations

In 1996, Ford pulled the Bronco off of its production line, hoping that the Explorer would carry the torch. In 2010, the Ranger was the next to fall, as Ford shifted its focus toward half-ton and three-quarter-ton markets.

Well, now we know that Ford is bringing these two nameplates back. We don’t know all of the facts yet, but we can certainly make some quick requisites for the Blue Oval to achieve. Here they are:

• Let us turn Traction Control completely off.
• Give us a manual option.
• Give the Bronco the 5.0-liter V8 as an option.
• Give the Ranger a real off-road package, not just the FX4 “here you go, shocks and skidplates” treatment.
• Give us some fun colors to choose from (yellow, orange, or green)

If the Bronco comes back without a V8, we’ll be happy but sad at the same time. Photo: Bronco6g.com

#3. Ford Raptors Drop Dramatically In Price

It always goes that the masses want what they can’t have. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, we leave that to you to decide. But in the interest of a purely juvenile and non-economic point of view, a cheap Ford Raptor sounds like the greatest thing ever – keep in mind, this is just a wish, not a mandate.

Imagine rolling up to a Ford dealership, a litany of Raptors all pointing streetward and in their various colors. How awesome would it be to just say, “Ah, what the heck,” pull into the parking lot, walk up to a salesman, and sign off on a brand new Ford Raptor for $20,000 out the door?

It would be like the time when Oprah gave away new cars to all of her studio audience attendees – sheer, unadulterated joy. Only instead of a measly Pontiac G6, it’s now the hottest truck on the market with over 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. A man can dream, as they say.

#4. Environmentalists Don’t Shut Down Any More Lands

Teddy Roosevelt was a great president for many reasons – the Panama Canal, surviving an assassination attempt, busting up monopolies – but if he, a renowned naturalist and friend of Sierra Club founder John Muir, had lived long enough to see Jeeps come into the market, perhaps things would be different today.

Regardless, for better or worse, when we want to go off-roading these days, our adventures in the outdoors must first be checked with the authorities. And it seems like more and more, the environmentalist movement is getting the ear of the government.

Maybe someday we can stop the fight and all come to a binding agreement for the rest of time… wouldn’t that be something?

Fortunately, organizations are fighting back, and could always use our help in the effort. But wouldn’t it be great if we could just come to a compromise and stop having to worry about our favorite spots getting shut down?

#5. Jeep Wrangler JL Comes From The Factory With The Hellcat

The Jeep Wrangler JL is due to arrive in 2018, and from what we can tell, Jeep won’t be radically modifying the look of its flagship vehicle. But the internals is a whole other topic.

I humbly suggest that Jeep stops all this V6 nonsense and just give us the V8 we’ve always wanted – the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat already used in the Dodge Challenger and Charger, and the Grand Cherokee has it as well.

707 supercharged horses under the hood mean a lot more smiles per mile!

The aftermarket has adapted by offering customers conversion kits to mount 6.2-liter and 6.4-liter Hemi V8 motors. Heck, the more adventurous types have crafted their own kits and mounted the Dodge Viper’s V10. So, come on, Jeep, quit messing around and just give the Wrangler the Hellcat already!

What are some wishes you have this Christmas season? Let us know in the comments below.

Stay safe and have fun out there, folks. Merry Christmas and happy New Years!