Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra "Marshmallow World"

I don't know what it is about these two singing a silly Christmas-time song, but it puts a smile on my face. You just know once the song was over, they were gonna have a swell time, amply aided by a fully stocked bar and some swingin' chicks.

A Very Plaxico Christmas

Sunday is the day of the Lord. And Football.

What better way to warm the cockles of one's heart during the Christmas season than to watch large men chasing after other large men, one of whom happens to have a ball in his hands, and then the large men all try to cripple each other.

The only thing imbued with more Christmas spirit than the American love of football is the American love of the firearm.

Put those two things together, football and firearms (plus a little alcohol for good measure), and what do you get? A Very Plaxico Christmas.



Poor Plaxico. The guy shoots himself in the leg and he gets more time than some people who actually shot someone other than themselves. Such are the vagaries of American jurisprudence, that those who hurt themselves spend a longer time in prison than those who hurt others, particularly if there's a prosecutor with designs on higher office involved.

Try to have a merry Christmas anyhow, Plaxico.

"Santa's Workshop"

Today is the birthday of one Walt Disney. He was born on this day in 1901 in the fine city of Chicago. Disney began making animated short films, and from a small mouse enormous things came. From shorts to full length features to small amusement parks to giant theme parks to an entertainment empire, that's Disney.

In many Disney films, somebody or something has got to die. There will be grief. But in "Santa's Workshop," made in 1932 and re-colored in 2006, there is nothing but joy and happiness and one really, really jolly freakin' Santa. This is one happy dude. And how could he not be, surrounded as he is by elves and toys and the coming of Christmas Eve when he can spread joy to the world.

The Who "Christmas" and "The Acid Queen"

Ok, so this video is not really a "Christmas" video, despite the name of the song. But still, you're getting classic Who from the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, and that's a pretty good Christmas gift, isn't it? Not a whole lot of better live bands than the Who in their prime.

Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas"

This is a guilty pleasure. Rock stars, or what passed for them in 1984, getting together to help starving Africans was a noble concept, but let's face facts, these celebrity relief efforts can turn out to be kind of lame. Strangely though, this song has held it's own, and still sounds good 25 Christmases later.

Origin of the word "Christmas"

This woman has so much to teach the world. Truly a great educator.

But seriously folks, how American is this? A Russian philologist (her website says she has two degrees in philology, so who am I to argue?) with a penchant for silicone (I'm only speculating here) and a sense of humor comes to the land of capitalism and makes a killing teaching what I assume is a mostly male audience the origin of English words.

You have to love this country. God bless us, everyone.

Perry Como "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"

Holy mackerel, it's December 1st! How did this happen?!? Where did the year go? It was summer just yesterday, I swear it.

It's time to start thinking about Christmas. Actually, I have been already. I've been playing Christmas music at home since the end of September. I find it comforting. It's been a troubled year and I'm a trouble man with a troubled mind.

Still, even though I've been listening to Christmas carols and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" for a few months now, December snuck up on me. I have a feeling Christmas Eve will be here sooner than I'll be ready for.

That's ok. I'll enjoy the holiday season anyway. And even though it's sunny and 50 degrees out, it is beginning to look a lot like...the same Perry Como video that I've played on December 1st for the last few years.