Hitchcock's McGuffin story possibly derived from a story about an imaginary mongoose

[Garson O'Toole]

Jonathan Lighter wrote
> Surely "McGuffin" never really "meant" a "gift not to be opened till
> Christmas" to any statistically significant number of people.

The definition of McGuffin provided by Robert Haven Schauffler seems
odd to me. In my cultural experience as a child and as an adult gift
giver almost all gifts during the Christmas season were supposed to be
opened on Christmas day. Thus almost all gifts would be labeled
McGuffin's. Using a distinctive sounding appellation to designate a
gift opened according to a commonplace protocol might be an impediment
to adoption.

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