Holiday Linkage

I don't follow a lot of folks on Twitter, but apparently, I should follow the public feed to get the most entertainment value out of the site. These people don't have a clue.

These compilations from The Colbert Report are marvelous: Interviews. Things Under Stephen's Desk. Stephen's Nerdiest Moments. Stephen Cracks Up. (These were syndicated on their Facebook page, so I hope everyone can see them.) And the final, musical number.

Epic Christmas Caroling from Improv Everywhere is just the coolest thing for the holiday season.

And a lovely compilation of Darlene Love singing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on Late Show with David Letterman. A bit of a behind-scenes performance at Late Show, featuring Paul Shaffer.

And while I'm at it, there are very few Chanukah songs, but this one from the Maccabeats is just about perfect. I posted it last year, and here it is again: Candlelight.

Craig Ferguson might have ended his late late night show, but there's still time to meet the man behind Geoff Peterson, the gay robot skeleton sidekick: Josh Robert Thompson. Also, this clip from the penultimate episode.

This house brings collecting art to a whole different level.

That should be enough holiday cheer for now. :)


~~~o0o~~~

A Most Festive Time of Year

Spent Thursday, well into the night, walking around midtown Manhattan with a friend, taking pics of the holiday decorations. The city looked especially festive this year.

Lighted Reindeer

Then home for some hot chocolate. I tried one of the packets I got as a gift from a friend:

Hot Chocolate Truffle Double Chocolate

Hot Chocolate

It says Hot Chocolate Truffle/Double Chocolate. It was very chocolatey, very creamy, even a bit thicker than the usual powder mix. It was also very yummy.

Friday, another friend and I saw "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug." I never read the book, so I'm coming into these movies cold, but I enjoyed it a lot and can't wait for the final chapter. This one ended in a definite cliffhanger.


~~~o0o~~~

End of Year Festivities

Not much posting here because life has gotten a bit dull. There was a Chanukah dinner at my sister's with lots of food -- and she gave me some chocolate truffles as a gift!

Also, earlier this week, a friend and I braved the chill to take pics in midtown Manhattan of the holiday decorations. Here are a few of the shots I got.

Cartier

Rockefeller Center

Lord & Taylor Window

Bryant Park Tree Ornament

Giant Tree Lights on Sixth Avenue

Giant Red Ornaments on Sixth Avenue

Light Show and Angel at Rockefeller Center

Feeling: festive, still

~~~o0o~~~

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate!

Feeling: tired

~~~o0o~~~

Merry Christmas!

It's not my holiday and this isn't my home, but it is a nice display. Hubby drove me around to take pics of holiday lights/decorations.

I hope all of you who celebrate Christmas have a very merry one!

Feeling: jolly


~~~o0o~~~

Merry Christmas!

The Ugly Doll carolers and I wish everyone who celebrates it a very Merry Christmas!
Feeling: tired

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: Christmas

25 of My Favorite Christmas Songs

I'm not Christian, yet love Christmas music, just not the religious songs. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order. The numbers are there so I could keep count.

1. "Santa Got Run Over by My Chevy" (Manic Hispanic). Finding the lyrics or even a useful website for this isn't all that easy. I was happy to find the name credited with the recording.
   
2. "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms). Probably my all-time favorite.
   
3. "Run, Run, Rudolph" (Chuck Berry). Fun, fun, Rudolph.
   
4. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" (Nat "King" Cole). Simply the best.
5. "White Christmas" (most versions). Irving Berlin's classic. My favorite version is the one by The Drifters.
   
6. "Jingle Bells" (Singing Dogs). I love this; don't hate me. ;)
7. "Santa Baby" (Eartha Kitt). Sultry Christmas!
   
8. "Nuttin' for Christmas" (Stan Freberg). A humor classic, but I can't find the lyrics for Freberg's version, at least, not tonight. And the nicer Barry Gordon version. Freberg's version had a harder-edged ending.
   
9. "Christmas Dragnet" (Stan Freberg). No one did parodies like this better than Freberg.
   
10. "The Twelve Gifts of Christmas" (Allan Sherman). Sherman was right behind Freberg when it came to parodies.
    
11. "Christmas Wrapping" (The Waitresses). Fun fluff that can get stuck in your head.
12. "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (Darlene Love). Darlene Love performing this on the David Letterman show has become a holiday tradition I try to never miss.
13. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (Elmo and Patsy). I had to include it.
14. "Marshmallow World" (Darlene Love). Love's voice makes any song a classic.
    
15. "Christmas (Don't be Late)" (The Chipmunks). Another classic, a vital part of my childhood.
    
16. "Snoopy's Christmas" (The Royal Guardsmen). It's Snoopy! Nuff said!
17. "The Marvelous Toy" (Peter, Paul, and Mary). Probably not a Christmas song, per se, but it does get a fair amount of airplay this time of year.
18. "Rock and Roll Christmas" (George Thorogood). Can't beat the beat. Here's a video.
19. "Do They Know it's Christmas?" (Band Aid). A song in the true spirit of the season.
20. "Nut Rocker" (B Bumble and the Stingers). A wonderful instrumental, rock riff on The Nutcracker.
21. "Father Christmas" (The Kinks). Not your typical holiday fare.
22. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Brenda Lee). Infectious.
    
23. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (Bruce Springsteen). Sure, it's an oldie and overdone. We all probably learned it when we were kids, even we Jews. But Springsteen made it sound fresh.
24. "Christmas All Over Again" (Tom Petty). I've loved this song even before I knew it was Tom Petty's. I love Tom Petty's music.
25. And to wrap up the list, "Blue Christmas" 
26. by Elvis Presley has to be included. So poignant, and no one could ever sing it better than the King.

I keep thinking I'm missing some goodies. In fact, I know I am.

This novelty collection from Dr. Demento is wonderful.
Check out the background on some Christmas Novelty Songs.
And then, of course, for old-time rock 'n' rollers, there's the Phil Spector Christmas Album, a true classic, full of some of the best Christmas music you can find.

Now, if we could only get such a variety of Chanukah songs! :)

Feeling: festive

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: christmas