christmas decorations 2011 ideas and trends outdoors in the home xmas tree lights baubles

christmas decorations 2011 ideas and trends, want to have a look at some ideas for decorating at christmas time, what are the popular trends to use this year and that have been used in the past.

one of the biggest rituals to happen every year is the putting up of the christmas decorations, which some people do more so then others, we have all seen the houses that are covered in outdoor christmas decorations for example like the outdoor christmas decorations on the house below.



this house that is covered with outside christmas lights does not look real, but it is actually a real house covered in outdoor christmas decorations by night



it is just that there are so many christmas lights on this house it is making the camera blurry as it cannot take in the amount of decorations, what makes people put so many lights on there houses, and they must need to save up a lot of money to pay for the electric bill caused by having so many lights and christmas decorations on there home



just recently most major cities are putting up there xmas lights already, and this gives the shopping high street a really nice festive feel, here is a christmas picture of last years london christmas lights and what to expect when going into big cities now, especially with the evenings being darker the xmas lights are all being switched on.



this is a picture of the xmas lights in paris france last year, and what to expect if you go shopping to paris this year before christmas 2011.



a important question that will start to be getting asked by most around this time of year is?, what is the traditional time for the xmas decorations to go up inside the home?.

the decorations can go up really any time from the start of december 2011, most people will have there own favourite date in december, but usually early december is fine as a date to put up the xmas decorations in 2011.

next comes the problem for most of getting down the christmas decorations from up in the loft, where they have sat for a year gathering dust, this is of course if you reuse most of your decorations each year, and do not throw them out and buy new decorations each year, we always reused our old christmas decorations, while sometimes adding some new ones to the mix as well from time to time, like a new set of outdoor christmas lights, or a new style of christmas tree.

we had moved from a real tree to a artificial christmas tree just because of all the pine needles the traditional real christmas tree would drop everywhere.

then it is just down to how many decorations you put up and what style you are looking for in 2011, though really the style has not really changed much in 100 years, christmas decorations are still based around the tree as the centre point, the christmas lights, the room decorations, tree decorations, the christmas baubels, and those crazy foil decorations that stretch out to cover the room.

here is a look at the classic christmas decorations you can use in side the home this xmas 2011.

this is a white artificial christmas tree covered in decorations



here is a selection of various artificial christmas trees and how they can look with baubles and lights



this is a picture of a room massively decked out in christmas decorations with lights on the windows fake snow effects a real christmas tree covered in lights and christmas decorations, this would not necessarily be the extent you would want to go to yourself with xmas decorations in 2011, but just a idea on some of the themes for using christmas decorations this year

what are the best favourite christmas past times 2011?

what are the best and favourite christmas past times?.

was just thinking about this, a lot of them usually include the use of snow, though it does not always snow on christmas day, throwing snowballs is definitely something that happens around christmas time with a bit of snow fall.

sledging was another popular christmas past time as well.

watching christmas tv that is another one, watching tv on christmas day withthe family is a popular activity.

of course opening presents is a obvious one, but i will write them down anyway.

another obvious christmas past time is eating christmas dinner as well, a full on meal, usually the most or biggest meal you will eat compared to another time of the year.

some people also go out on christmas eve to the pub or out on the town.

another one just popped into my head is children singing christmas carols and knocking on house doors to offer to sing carols to them.

going to church was also a popular christmas past time as well.

there's a few anyway i am sure there is quite a few more as well, but that is all i can think of at the time being when it comes to those christmas past times.

will it be a white christmas day and snow 2011 uk weather

will it be a white christmas day and snow 2011 uk weather?, this is a big question every year will it snow on xmas day or not?, a lot of people put money on it snowing each year for xmas day, but what about this year?.

i would not try and predict it myself and would just see it as a fun guess when deciding and nothing too serious, but it definitely is a treat to have snow on a christmas day.

so far this year weather experts are saying it is a big possibility for snow on christmas day 2011.

weather experts believe that the warm weather in november will be replaced by polar cold front that will cause lots of snow and icy weather in december, with snow on christmas day 25th december 2011 looking possible.

so it looks like it could be a return to the freezing cold weather like last year when december rolls in a few weeks time.

weather experts are saying there is a good chance of a white christmas more so then usual.

so we will just have to wait and see though until sunday december the 25th and just what happens, but either way it sounds like december 2011 is going to be freezing as per usual.

bank holidays christmas 2011 new year 2012 in the uk england what dates?

is there any bank holidays around christmas 2011 uk england and for new years 2012?, if like me you are wondering if there is any bank holidays around this years christmas time or what the bank holidays are for this years xmas 2011 and into the start of the new year 2012.

the christmas bank holidays start with christmas day which is a bank holiday in the uk, so first christmas bank holiday is christmas day on the 25th december 2011.

the next is boxing day on the 26th december 2011 which is also a bank holiday in the uk.

following that is a bank holiday on the 27th of december 2011 as well, so that is basically 3 bank holidays in a row, from 25th, the 26th and the 27th december 2011.

the next bank holiday starts on january the 1st 2012 with new years day.

not too sure on the 2nd of january 2012 it is called on one calendar i am looking at "new years day holiday", so not sure if that is a bank holiday.

christmas pictures 2011 photos trees xmas themed images comparing the holy land bethlehem with western christmas climates

christmas pictures 2011 photos trees xmas themed images, here is a montage of some christmas landscapes, landscapes of snow and ice, which in the northern part of the world is what christmas is associated with due to the bitter cold weather, this is probably where the christmas tree is involved with christmas some what as well, due to its evergreen nature all year round even in the midst of winter time.

though some hot countries celebrate christmas also and so the snow and ice landscapes might not seem so christmassy to them, and also not forgetting christmas is linked to the middle east and the christian religion as well, places like bethlehem which is not a cold part of the world, and so there is a bit of contrast there really if i just put up cold snowy and icy christmas style images.

so probably a few christmas pictures in a desert style setting will also be applicable and look good, and also a show a contrast between the xmas celebrations in a cold country and december time and the xmas celebrations in more hotter warmer climates around christmas 2011 time.

starting off first with a lovely image of very snowy cold scene to bring in the northern style flavour of christmas time with this picture.



next up is a really nice background image of a cold winter scene with the sun low on the horizon just over the mountain top, this is a nice christmas picture that you could download to your desktop as a background image



this next one is a really nice image of what looks like a lighthouse on top of a hill, in a way catches the theme of christmas really well in this image.



now in contrast a look at bethlehem the birth place of jesus and how this is different to the more northern winter christmas style scenes, just mainly in some ways due to the temperature differences.

this also reflects in the architecture and design and look in there christmas styles and decorations as well, in eastern xmas celebrations there will be less emphasis on things like christmas trees covered in snow and the christmas tree, and more emphasis on different types of xmas decorations in there 2011 christmas celebrations.

though here is christmas style tree in the decorations of one of the temples, makes you wonder if you could decorate your christmas tree the same in 2011 without really putting too much decorations or lights or baubles etc on the tree, just try and create a new christmas tree style and trend for 2011 with a basic minimal looks to your christmas 2011 tree decorations.



this is a picture of how the temples look in the holy land and bethlehem basked in heat and warmth which is contrast to how christmas is in other colder parts of the world, so this gives a totally different style and culture to there xmas celebrations.

this is image below would probably make quite a unique christmas card image in 2011.



here again a picture of a christmas tree, this is just a tree growing without any decorations on it etc, but also compared to the more western climate growing in a hot sunny environment, whereas we tend to just picture in our minds our christmas trees out in the snow or covered in christmas decorations.









these next ones are pictures of how christmas is celebrated in the middle east in places like bethlehem, and what kind of christmas decorations they use.



these kind of decorations and what they are wearing on the mules or donkeys and the christmas scene portrayed will have been simply made and are the kind of christmas decorations you can make at home with kids, for example the riders on the donkeys are just wearing old clothes that have been fashioned to have a christmas biblical look to them, so these kind of decorations and christmas themes are fun and quite easy to make at home.

Paul Ryan's musical limitations

Last night I happened to hear part of Paul Ryan's speech at the RNC on the radio. Toward the end he made a little joke about the music that Mitt Romney preferred was the sort he tended to hear in elevators, and then he distinguished his tastes by noting his iPod "starts with AC/DC and ends with Zeppelin."

And my brain, being the way it is, thought, His collection doesn't have any artists alphabetically after L?

I have several albums of "Zeppelin" in my library, but when sorted by artist iTunes puts them under "Led Zeppelin"; perhaps Paul Ryan knows of some secret sorting option that goes by euphemisms (Rolling Stones under S, Beatles under F, etc.). Of course, if that's the case, he may want to keep that level of technical savvy under wraps; it's not that the GOP doesn't appreciate smarts but they don't appear to be allowed to acknowledge it publically.

Yes, clearly he was going for a nice A to Z rhetorical balance. While I concede starting with Abba wouldn't fit in with the image he wished to project (although you know he has "Money, Money, Money" on some other playlist), are we to conclude they've never heard of ZZ Top in Wisconsin? Unlike the referenced bands in the line, they are American, and unlike the alpha in Ryan's line they have a song explicitly mentioning Jesus; AC/DC, of course, tends to be a bit heavier on allusions to hell (in a non-condemning way), which would seem to be less than advisable with the evangelical part of the Republican base.

(Granted, given the assertions he made in other parts of the speech, perhaps we should think of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.")

The other aspect of this that came to mind: Ryan is two years younger than I am, and I recall what were the popular songs of the day out here in California back when I was in high school in the mid-'80s, and they didn't include AC/DC or Led Zeppelin. I guess the '70s didn't make it to that part of the country until deep in the '80s.

Reading that much Ayn Rand, he wouldn't have gotten into the Violent Femmes, despite that group being from his home state.

They do have more songs about Jesus than AC/DC.

The night my wife told Rhett Miller about our first date

Last night after work my wife and I headed to the mid-city part of town; the Old 97's were playing a show at the El Rey Theater, and we had tickets for the show. We got there well before the doors even opened so after we parked we went across the street to the Five Guys Burgers for dinner. After we ordered she went to the restroom on the way and from across the dining area she started gesturing toward the corner. It wasn't   an open table, but the band's front man Rhett Miller and a friend eating there. No one else in the place seemed to recognize him, but such is the thing about the band's popularity is such that only fans would spot them off-stage.

I used to see Rhett perform solo acoustic shows with some regularity years ago when he lived in L.A., and talked to him on occasion afterward. He's almost ridiculously friendly, and happy to talk with fans. Still, I wasn't going to bother him while he was eating, and I figured my wife would be too nervous sitting near him. (She can get a little... how to put it?... awkward around celebrities she likes.) However, when she emerged from the ladies' room she motioned for us to sit at the open table right next to where Rhett was sitting.

Before we even got our food, she simply could not control herself and politely interrupted Rhett, because she had to tell him the story of the role he played in how we are married today.

There was a moment on our first date, many years ago, when I made clear my intentions by quoting a line from a song Rhett wrote titled "Designs On You". That line, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't have designs on you." And to this day she still notes that as the seminal moment in our entire romantic relationship.

(Eventually I did admit I didn't come up with it, but by then she already liked me.)

The thing is: After hearing his, Rhett was totally cool with my quasi-plagiarism.

As my wife geeked out Rhett asked if we had a camera on a phone for a photo and my wife fumbled to get hers handed to Rhett's friend (Kevin McAlester, director of some of their videos). We then posed between the tables right there in the restaurant, but the first two attempts didn't turn out well. Not wanting to hold them up, my wife said it was fine, but Rhett said there was no rush, and Kevin then pulled out his own phone and took two shots, the better of which is below.

Five Guys should pay us for this sort of promotion.

While he then got my wife's number to text the pictures to her phone, a white-haired elderly woman who was sitting at the table behind where we'd just been posing and noticed the photography took the opportunity to talk to Rhett. However, it had nothing to do with the reason why we had talked to him.

She couldn't figure out how to use the camera on her phone (an older flip phone), and having seen our group using phone cameras she was hoping he might be able to show her how, as she was interested in getting a shot of last night's blue moon. And being the ridiculously nice person he is, Rhett proceeded to do his best to help her figure out.

Before they left, Rhett mentioned how he hadn't finished the set list for the show, and although he wasn't promising anything he said he'd consider putting "Designs" in there in honor of our story. I noted that we'd be up near the front (it was a general admission show). We shook their hands and they headed out.

My wife then went up to the counter to discover our food had been ready for a while. However, she was so elated still that she could barely eat it.

Fast forward a few hours, to the encore portion of the concert. It had already been a phenomenal night, but as they started the next to last song they played we heard the familiar riff from "Designs" and got excited. However, before the vocal part began, Rhett looked clearly right at us in an undeniable manner, in an obvious nod to our earlier interaction.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't better than all the other times we'd heard the band perform that song.

~

After the show we happened to pass by the tour bus parked outside as we walked to the car, and Rhett was by the door, and we thanked him.

Hope and sleep

Sometimes I think the reason we humans require sleep is not so much that we need rest but because that delineates time into distinct parts (i.e., days). Why does that matter? It facilitates the delusion necessary for existence: that tomorrow could be better than today.

Experience instructs us that some tomorrows will be better (even if only by relative standards) and many will not, but we require that period of unconsciousness to give us the opportunity to awaken and feel like there's some greater chance for change than there was at the end of the day before. Also, going to sleep provides that conclusion to a day that, whether it was good or not-so-good day, needs to conclude; any good day that drags on longer than it should turns, and any bad day isn't worth staying awake to wait for it to improve.

Maybe tomorrow we'll get up and break our procrastination (but we probably won't), the world's problem will start to be resolved (but they probably won't), and that which keeps us up at night will allow us to get a decent night's sleep will cease to plague our days (eh, anything's possible). But without that need to lie down and lapse from consciousness (even it not well) there'd be no waking up to something that we can believe is new.

Whether the day proves better than the last or not, we require something that means of breaking it from the last; without that, everything would drag on and on, and even at our most optimistic it's tricky to maintain that without a break.

And it gives us a chance to hit the snooze button, and feel like we're getting eight extra minutes of sleep.

There is that, too.

Mix discs and milking that Rhett Miller story a bit more

I've already written about my wife and I running into Old 97's front man Rhett Miller at a burger place before the band's recent L.A. date. The part I didn't mention in the post was a moment between Rhett and me as my wife fumbled to get her phone to Rhett's friend for a photo. Rhett asked if we lived in L.A., and I responded that we did, throwing in how I used to see him in his solo shows at Largo. In that moment I recalled that over a decade ago at one such show I gave him a copy of a mix CD I'd made, and I mentioned that.

Now, I'll interject a brief elaboration about that.

Back in the early part of last decade I got my first computer with CD-burning capabilities—yes, that was a big deal at the time, kids—and as I'd been one who'd made more than a few mix tapes in the pre-computer days I figured I'd get into the same thing with discs. Arguably it seemed it would be easier to assemble the songs on the computer than it had been with CD players and a tape deck (I would record straight through, doing crossfades with two CD players attached to a small mixer; if I screwed up, I had to completely start over that side). And after a somewhat messy breakup I was inspired to make my first mix disc, doing that same crossfading with some multi-track software I got (and actually paid for—yes, kids, there was a time we did that). The song selection was only somewhat about the breakup; I knew from years of mix tapes that sticking with a single heavy-handed theme makes for a less listenable collection.

Anyway, I completed the disc and made a cover for it (printed on a color inkjet—which was something of a big deal at the time), and burned copies (something that definitely was much faster than duping copies of cassettes was) to give to friends, co-workers, and of course, the people I'd met by attending Rhett's shows.

Yes, this was a time when I still operated under the delusion that anyone else gave a shit about anyone else's musical tastes.

Prior to the show in question I grabbed a handful of the discs in the slim cases I'd put them in, and at the venue I handed them out to my table mates. I ended up with a couple extras, which sat on the table next to me during the show. Afterward, as we sometimes did, we hung out waiting for Rhett to come out to the bar (as he typically did). A number of others had the same idea, so to get a moment to talk with him involved milling around the bar for a few minutes in an implicit queue. When our "turn" came the few of us stood next to him as he sipped a drink, chatting about the show or whatever. As the discs were too big to fit in a pocket of my jeans I simply held them in my hand at my side, not thinking about them. Then at some point during our conversation with Rhett, he pointed to the discs in my hand and asked if he could have one. It honestly had not occurred to me to even offer him one—not to be rude but it didn't seem appropriate to force it on him; with these people with whom I was better acquainted I had no such qualms, but apparently he was outside of that. I don't know why. However, I was willing to give it to anyone who wanted it, so of course I handed him one. He thanked me and looked at the song list on the cover, and recognized the Wedding Present track I'd selected (even singing the chorus). He saw a Del Amitri song and commented on how they'd played a show with that Scottish band. And shortly after that we made way for some others to have their moment with Rhett.

Anyway, back in that Friday evening moment of talking with him about the Largo shows I thought of that time as the only interaction I had with him that there might be the slightest noteworthy aspect. The thing was: When he asked me what was on the disc, I mostly remembered it had a blue cover; the only band that I recalled in that moment was the Wedding Present, and that undoubtedly was because somewhere I had stored that bit about Rhett knowing that one. The reality was even I hadn't listened to that mix disc in probably close to a decade; remembering anything about its selections wasn't as clear as the fact I'd given Rhett a copy.

Anyway, with me clearly fumbling to list anything more from it Rhett was nice enough to take the lead and mention how it probably was in his car, as he noted he'd put a bunch of mix discs he'd gotten on the road as his listening material. I don't imagine he still has it, but it's pleasant to imagine he still may stick it in his car's disc player.

That's more than I could do.

The next day at home I did some looking around and could not find a copy of the disc in question. I suspect there's one in a box of CDs I have in our storage unit. If I don't find it next time I'm there I may have to hope we run into Rhett during his next tour so I can ask him to burn me a copy of it.

Nice as he is, he probably would.

IKEA's alarming prophecy

IKEA has this commercial wherein a child ("Leo") is placed on "time-out" by a mother who then disappears from the room, and the boy then proceeds to crash himself into the kitchen cabinets repeatedly. The tag line offered in voiceover at the end: "Some things won't last 25 years. Some things will."
While I presume the implication of that statement is touting the durability of the cabinetry offered by the Swedish-based furniture store, I cannot help but think the flip side is suggesting this sort of absentee parenting will prevent the child from reaching his 25th birthday. Although I don't necessarily disagree, based on what we see in the ad, it does seem a rather morbid take on trying to sell affordable home products.

It even backfires on that. Heck, in that scenario there's no point in saving for college, so you may as well go buy better cabinets than would be offered at IKEA. 

This shows why watching DVR'ed shows and fast-forwarding through the commercials is actually better for advertisers; there's nothing to over-analyze at double-speed.

Coverage of Victoria's Secret fashion show

You may be asking yourself why John the Revelator is posting a blog about a fashion show. The connection may seem tenuous, but consider this. Fashions shows, like karaoke, are all about people getting up on stage and making a fools of themselves to music. The only real difference that I can see is that fashion models don't have to be drunk.

I hope these photos that I purloined from Fox News will give you a taste of what the tasty and tasteful ladies will be wearing to the bedroom this coming year. I know I am looking forward to my wife, the Gypsy Songstress modelling these for me!

Starting off the show, we see this refined assemblage of bewitching underthings coupled with an understated Bozo wig. Turquoise and coral with cyan have always been my favorite set of clashing colors.
Next on the runway, we see an equally appealing collage of discordant colors in this combination super-hero costume and para-sailing outfit. Holey Underwear, Batman! If you are like me (and let's face it, who isn't?) you probably have a thing for fairies. I mean the kind that run around the woods at night, half nekkid, of course. Wait a sec... I have seen both kinda of fairies doing that. If that's your thing, then you will be glad I included a picture of this enchanting outfit.And what lingerie ensemble is complete without dual shoulder-mounted parasols to protect those delicate dual shoulder-mounted shoulders from the scorching sun while she walks her dog through the boudoir.I am proud to say that the dog she is walking is actually our very own shitsu-bichon mix, Truffle. He enjoyed the dog walk on the cat walk so much that he didn't mind having to swallow that pesky umbrella that is poking out of his tummy.Next up is Stella, looking like a stellated icosahedron in heels. And feathers. Yes. Feathers are always a nice touch.We have here a darling lady who decided to embroider her Mousketeer ears, and add ribbons. Annette Funicello, eat your heart out.The outfit below won the hard-fought contest for the most daring use of colors that really don't go together. Ever. This coveted prize was presented by Stevie Wonder.As I said, these photos are provided by the largess of Fox News. And speaking of largess, I would like to end this charming exhibitionist exhibition with the largess-est of all. What woman would not love to accentuate her caboose with this outfit that is just too-too much. This will definitely be in the package arriving at my doorstop. I cannot wait.

Karen Valentines' Day

I woke up this morning thinking about Karen Valentine. Not really sure why. Maybe I should ask my wife if today is some special day today that would remind me of Karen? Or maybe I won't ask her.
Karen Valentine, of course, played a teacher in the early 1970's sitcom Room 222. Now I'll tell you everything I can remember about the TV show. It was a sitcom about a teacher who taught in room 222 in a school somewhere. There were students, I think. And some other teachers, maybe. And some contrived, but mildly funny stuff happened. And there was the aptly named Karen Valentine. She was so uber-cute. Her face was indelibly etched into my pre-pubescent and partly pubescent mind. I swear, I could recognize a jpeg image of her with just three pixels.

Why was she so memorable, and the show not so much? You could take a few guesses. Either 1) the show was just plain stupid, like any other early 70's sitcom, 2) my memory from those years was destroyed by trying to keep up with Andre the Giant in drinking beer, or 3) I watched the show with my pre-pubescent mind, and she was uber-cute. Any or all of these guesses may be true.
Andre the Giant and Robin Wright in Princess Bride Speaking of Andre, I just read an interesting factoid about him. Wikipedia (which is the authoritative source for all celebrity gossip) states that on at least three occasions, he drank in excess of 100 beers in one sitting. This has been an inspiration for me. I have been trying to bulk up so that I (like he) can become a pro wrestler. But, since I lack the necessary culture and refinement for pro wrestling, I may have to settle for being an opera singer. At any rate, I know I need to find a fall back career. My days as an applied mathematician are numbered, since nearly every number has already been computed.

Anyway, back to Karen Valentine. As I lay in bed this morning, thinking of her, naturally I started pondering about whether she had sung karaoke. Gosh, wouldn't it be neat if she was discovered when she was singing karaoke? As my faithful reader(s) will know, my search for a singer who was discovered through karaoke has been tireless. I have researched Mary J. Blige and Koko Lee, Tommy DeCarlo of Boston, Garrett Hedlund, who appeared with Gwenyth Paltrow in the movie "Country Strong", Arnel Pineda of Journey, Taylor Swift, the group Steel Magnolias, and most recently James Garner.
Discovered by singing karaoke?Although my search has been valiant and tireless, it has also been fruitless. Could Karen Valentine be my first fruit?

I grabbed my brand new Kindle Fire and looked her up on Wiki. Gosh darn it, was I in luck! Ed Sullivan saw Karen lip-syncing to the song Blame it on the Bossa Nova, and said he wanted her on his show. Not only that, but she was caught a second time lip-syncing and got the job on Room 222 when she was seen lip-syncing.

Now, I realize that lip-syncing is not as respected as karaoke. I would argue, however, that lip-syncing feeds the same neurological dysfunction as karaoke. Both serve to lead you to believe, if only for the moment, that you too are famous. I would say that lip-syncing is the moral equivalent of karaoke.
Milli Vanilli
Ok, so you are not convinced that Karen Valentine's lip-syncing is the same as being discovered singing karaoke? Yeah. Me neither. But... another thing to consider is that karaoke wasn't around in 1969 when Karen was on her way to becoming every pre-pubescent boy's Valentine. Karaoke didn't get its start until 1971. Furthermore, although it was invented in 1971, karaoke had no purpose until Don't Stop Believin' was released in 1981. There just wasn't a need for it.

I know some of my readers may deprecate lip-syncing, or may even express strong disapproval of it. Before you cast judgment, I implore you to watch this entire lip-sync video.

Enjoy!

Look, Ma... I'm an A&R guy!

Some of you may recall that last year FESTIVE! showcased a Christmas original ("It Never Snows") by Seattle locals Exohxo, featuring my friend Michele K on vocals. This year she was invited to record another Yuletide selection with them, and turned to me for ideas. I recommended a few tunes I thought would suit her jazzy intonation—Jimmy Webb's "Whatever Happened To Christmas," Julie London's "I'd Like You For Christmas"—and she ultimately went with one of those suggestions: "Snow" by Randy Newman. You can check it out below, and download the new EP Exohxmas III: The Wreath of Khan here.

The Bandana Splits' "Wonderful Christmas Time"

Despite my love of all things girl group-related, and a perverse affection for the white bread pop music of the 1940s and '50s, I've not completely embraced the Bandana Splits. Why the reluctance? For one thing, I hate their punning band name.* And the concept isn't quite working for me either. What, exactly, are they offering that hasn't been done better by the Pipettes and/or the Puppini Sisters?

Well, here's something they've done quite nicely: updating Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time." I've never been a big fan of the original, though with the passing of years I've softened a wee bit. The ladies had the good sense to ditch the annoying synthesizer that dates McCartney's version, and abbreviate the song significantly, so its scant charms don't wear thin. If you enjoy the video below, you can download the track here for a short time.



* Besides, Bananarama already nicked their moniker from the Banana Splits, and they're the zenith of modern girl groups, so as far as I'm concerned, the topic has been exhausted.

Mary Gauthier's "Christmas In Paradise"

I've been a fan of Mary Gauthier since she released Mercy Now in 2005, and charmed the heck out of me during our interview for The Advocate (which can read here). Mary's former label, Lost Highway, put out a little holiday promo back then that included "Thanksgiving at the Prison" and "Christmas In Paradise" (the latter was originally included on her 2002 indie release Filth & Fire). This year, Mary is making the song available as a free download, and has also posted a video of a live performance from earlier this year.

Shelby Earl's "This Christmas Is For Us"

Shelby Earl's full-length debut, Burn the Boats, was one of my favorite local albums of 2011, and she's also a delight to follow on Twitter. Her ascent in my pantheon continues with the release of "This Christmas Is For Us," an original song now available on her Soundcloud page and from better online music retailers. We asked Shelby to tell us a little more about this tune, and here's what she had to say.

First let me start by saying, I LOVE CHRISTMAS. The holiday was a huge deal in my family when I was young, and has remained so my entire life. To this day, no matter where my extended family members reside in the world, they will drop what they're doing, put work on hold, and travel to a chosen location (usually in Cali) to spend Christmas week together. It's SUCH an epic deal to me that in this, my 35th year, I've never missed a Christmas with my mom - not one. UNTIL NOW! It's been a wildly exciting year of music-making in Earl-land and in crafting my plans for end-of-year shows, tour, recording, etc. I realized that a week-long trip to California wasn't going to be viable (the list of reasons is long). Delivering the news to my family was tough, but everyone understood.

Then jump ahead to me sitting in my living room just a few short weeks ago, when first snowflakes were hitting the ground in Seattle. I was sipping a cup of tea, pondering how much I love my cozy apartment, how deeply I love and appreciate my community in Seattle, and it hit me: I AM ALREADY HOME. My parents and siblings might be in California for the week, but my PEOPLE are right here! I picked up my guitar and this song poured out of me. I'm not always lucky enough to write that way - other songs take a LOT longer to come around - but this one just flowed. It's because it came out of a genuine excitement to be with my Seattle friends and loved ones this year for Christmas. I wanted to tell them as much.

My bandmates were awesome about quickly rallying to learn and record the tune so we could get to sharing it. Then last weekend (the 2nd week of Dec.) a crew including: Barb Hunter (cello), Faustine Hudson (drums), Anna-Lisa Notter (vocals), Mike Notter (guitar), Ben Obee (bass), Fidelia Schoolcraft (vocals) and myself all got together for a few hours in Gabriel Mintz' living room to lay it down. We knew it would be a wee bit lo-fi, but it ended up having the EXACT right spirit about it. Gabe did a spectacular job recording and mixing it - and it gave him a giggle to be the "bad jew" who spent hours working on a Christmas tune. I told him he was lucky it wasn't all about wise men and angels and infant kings. :)

So here it is, my offering of love to my Seattle people this Christmas. It's my "thank you" for the AMAZING year you've given me.

KEXP's Christmas Song of the Day

My colleagues at the KEXP blog always do an excellent job curating the Song of the Day podcast, bringing fresh new music to listeners' in boxes five days a week. But they outdid themselves this past week, offering five brand new Christmas recordings by up-and-coming artists. I was especially excited to see Black Keys associate Jessica Lee Mayfield putting her own stamp on Glen Campbell's "Little Toy Trains." You can download each of them—and learn more about the recording artists—by clicking on the links below. (And while you're at it, please consider making a year-end gift of support to KEXP.)

Diamond Rugs - Christmas In A Chinese Restaurant
The Barr Brothers - Dear Mrs. Claus
Breathe Owl Breathe - Snow Blow
Jessica Lea Mayfield - Little Toy Trains
Brite Futures - Last Christmas

KEXP blog master Jim Beckman also compiled a comprehensive list of recent seasonal favorites by KEXP anchor artists like Damien Jurado, Fitz and the Tantrums, the Raveonettes, and more, under the banner "A Sleighfull of Holiday Songs." Don't miss local heroes STAG tearing it up on the Kinks' "Father Christmas."

Speaking of KEXP, I'll be broadcasting my annual Christmas music spectacular live on-air from 9PM to noon Pacific Time tomorrow. You can tune in via 90.3 FM Seattle or on the Internet at kexp.org.