Tag Archives: holiday

Christmas Playlists

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Despite Halloween and Thanksgiving being more my favorite… I do enjoy Christmas & Christmas music, both traditional and decidedly not-so.

I resisted streaming for a long time, in favor of just popping mp3’s on to a thumb drive & listening in the car/truck. I’m still in a lot of remote areas, and I think I clung to a desktop setup for a while longer than the rest of the world.

Someday, someday, I will rip all my CD’s, corral all of my purchased mp3’s or FLAC files, & pop the stuff on some kind of server so I can call it up at will.

I use Spotify occasionally. I would use it more, but I refuse to pay for a premium account, and sometimes I swear songs vs. commercials are 1:1 if not 1:3. I refuse to pay for Spotify premium account because we have whatever all-encompassing Amazon plan gives you Prime and Amazon Music.

I’m still building my Amazon playlists… I may pay for one to move to Spotify lists over. Maybe. I’d rather just by records, CD’s, & downloads directly from artists.

I haven’t dipped into YouTube Music yet. I think I have 2 or 3 Pandora accounts, but they’re just frustrating these days when you can actively pick a song with other services.

I just reached out on a couple of FB forums asking for suggestions, and I’m still pouring through, but these are my playlists across different platforms…

I ‘m still adding/shuffling on the Amazon lists and they’re good for all-day playing. I might have to make one narrowed-down with my absolute favorites.

So, what’s on your Christmas playlist? Any glaring omissions? Any you love or hate with a passion? Tell me about your holiday music in the comments. Am I missing any good Festivus or Hanukkah songs?

AI Generated punk rock Christmas art.

Christmas Playlist 2020

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I posted not too long ago about Christmas playlists on various platforms. Ultimately most of them are frustrating because you can’t just pick a song order without signing up for a “premium” account. I’m already subscribed to enough stuff.

I have other YouTube lists (Naughty & Nice), but I decided to pull some of my favorites and put them all on one:

Christmas 2020 πŸŽΆπŸ€˜πŸŽ…πŸŽΈπŸŽ„πŸŽ΅

What great ones am I missing? Drop them in the comments below!

While you’re on my YouTube Channel, don’t forget to watch, give a like, and drop a comment for “Jingle Bells” by the Christmas Carrolls! We have over 400 views already, it would be cool to hit 500 by Christmas! Please share it on your social media platform of choice.

Christmas Playlists and Streaming Services

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I am signed up for too many free streaming accounts. I like raucous punk and metal Christmas music in addition to some of the more straightforward poppy and traditional stuff. I wish that all of these songs were available across all platforms. I have some stuff from the wild west days of mp3 downloading that I can’t seem to find on any platforms.

Christmas Playlists | Spotify β€’ Amazon Music β€’ Pandora β€’ YouTube
Christmas Playlists | Spotify β€’ Amazon Music β€’ Pandora β€’ YouTube

I do need to work on refining the lists I have. The YouTubes ones are all over the place. I hardly use Pandora enough to thumbs up or down to get it where every song is a smash. Spotify and Amazon are the ones that are easy to use… but I wish I could add more content.

I do have the free accounts for all mentioned. I don’t feel like playing for a streaming service unless it can be complete. I heard Google Music was pretty awesome, until it just became the YouTube Music thing. I need to get my personal stuff all digitized someday too. Man, I miss just running WinAmp on a giant desktop.

What do you use to listen to Christmas music? What are your favorite songs, traditional, wild, overplayed, or obscure?

Here are mine:

Spotify | Christmas πŸ€˜πŸŽΈπŸŽ„

Amazon Music | Christmas

https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/ad1c16cc6e094ec8b47e5d54d8bc8e80sune?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US

(WordPress doesn’t seem to want to embed the Amazon playlist.)

Pandora | Holiday Rock N’ Roll β˜ƒ

https://www.pandora.com/station/1758025359576278863

(WordPress won’t embed Pandora I guess, either.)

YouTube | Christmas Playlist – Nice

YouTube | Christmas Playlist – Nice

YouTube | β˜ƒ ♩♫♬β™ͺ Christmas Songs ♩♫♬β™ͺ β˜ƒ

The Family Decorating Game

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For years, I have teased my wife about a habit I have noticed when we are setting out seasonal decorations. It happened at the apartment where we first cohabitated, it happens at our house now. It happened long before our children were in the picture. She cannot leave anything that I put in place stay where I put it. I put it on the left of a shelf, she moves it to the right. I put it on the wall-shelf, she puts it on the Victrola.

I had to go out for work in the afternoon today, but I set the kids on a path of chaos this morning before I left. My daughter was excited to put out fall decorations. I told her to watch because Mommy moves every decoration that I set out. Then a light bulb went off in my head.

I told her to get a white board for herself, and a white board for her brother, and mark down a point every time they set out a decoration and mommy moves it.

The winner gets to move one of the decorations that Mommy places!

Apparently shenanigans ensued while I was at work. I think it will be a new holiday/seasonal event.

Do you have someone in the house that moves decorations?

Do you have any fun decorating traditions?

Let us know in the comments.

Christmas YouTube Playlists – Naughty or Nice?

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I have two playlists.

Which is better?

What would you add?

What am I missing?

Posting #25XmasSongs – Part 2 πŸŽ…

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Did you see part 1?Β  I quickly realized I like a vast odd selection of Christmas music.Β  There are so many I dig that didn’t make the cut, and I’m sure ones I forgot.Β  Throw me your favorites in the comments!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posting #25XmasSongs – Part 1 πŸŽ„

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I have been trying to post a Christmas song per day since the beginning of December.Β  I think I make a new YouTube playlist every year.Β  (I must have set YouTube to tweet when I add videos to playlists way back… because it seems to be doing that with the stuff I’m adding.)

I enjoy some Christmas albums, but seem to have found a bunch of random songs that I like over the years.Β  Some traditional, some quite the opposite.Β  Here’s the first batch.Β  There is no rhyme or reason or favorite order or anything.

Post some of your favorite Winter Holiday songs in the comments.Β  Links to videos, album names, artists, etc.Β  Show me what you dig!

1. No Doubt – “Oi To the World”Β  (Vandals cover!)

2. MxPx – “Xmas Night of the Living Dead”

3. Willie Nelson – “Silent Night”

4. Run DMC – “Christmas in Hollis” (The A.K.A.’s do a neat cover too.)

5. Johnny Cash – “What Child Is This?”

6. RAMONES – “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)”

7. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – “This Time of Year”

8. Bing Crosby & David Bowie – “Little Drummer Boy”

9. D.I. – “Mr. Grinch”

10. Laurie Berkner – “Santa’s Coming to My House Tonight”

Are You Serving #Cookies or #Dookies? Click to not break your guests’ hearts.

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Nothing kills holidayΒ cheerΒ faster than when someone offers you Christmas cookies; you gleefully accept and are presented withΒ a tray covered in little jelly-filled things, lemon bars, and crap with nuts or coconuts all over it.

“Cookies” implies deliciousness, like chocolate chip, Hershey’s Kiss or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup cookies, peanut butter cookies (fork-pressed cross-hatches with no chunks of nuts), Rice Krispies treats (in any iteration including chocolate and peanut butter shenanigans), Christmas wreaths, or even lady-locks or lady-fingers (or whatever you call them). Β I’ll even give you buckeyes.

“Cookies” does not include anything with jelly in the middle, anything with nuts on or in it, lemon squares, Fig Newtons, anything with coconut shavings or flavoring. Β These are (in a term coinedΒ by my friend Saurav I believe) in fact “Dookies.”

Cookies vs. Dookies

Sugar cookies and shortbread are barely passable as cookies.Β (Sorry, Eat n’ Park.)

Pizelles can be tricky. Β Some of them are delicious, and some taste like what I imagine licking the inside of a dumpster in August would be like. Β If you use a spice called annis that sounds almost like anus, you get what you deserve.

Chocolate covered pretzels, Oreos, peanut butter crackers, etc. are acceptable.

Red licorice is OK, black licorice is not.

Thumbprints can be tricky too. Β If they have chocolate icing, usually only the icing is edible. Β The rest is tasteless powder formed into a cup of lies.

Do we need someone to make a flow chart? Β Are you getting this? Β Don’t ruin someone’s Christmas by offering cookies when you’re presenting dookies.

Please, sort it out in the comments.

Merry Christmas 2013!

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So, I haven’t blogged much over the last year or so.Β  The new job has me out & around… not near a desk with time on my hands to save a draft & come back to it later.Β  I also have less time to monkey around on the internet as it’s mostly taken up by our sweet little girl once I am home.Β  Speaking of home, that’s new too.Β  We finally bought a house and are no longer renters!

Check out our little sweet pea in an album on Facebook if you’re interested.Β  This was the day after moving, and 2 days after Molly turned six months old.Β  Photos by Kristina Serafini.Β  This was the one we chose for the Christmas card this year:

Stationery Card
View the entire collection of cards.

Hopefully I can adapt how I blog, maybe use the android app… to get my thoughts out there. Maybe it’ll be shorter less link-filled stuff. Maybe not. Maybe I can do drafts with the phone and edit/post/link/add media later.

The house is taking some time to get set up, but eventually I’ll have all my toys in a room that will make blogging and computer time easier.Β  I also have a nice workbench now so I should be able to monkey with my guitars more often.Β  I have some ideas to put into play.

This has been a crazy year.Β  New job, new baby, new house.Β  What’s next?

How have things been for everyone out there in WordPress land?

In the spirit of Christmas, check out this post, and join in:

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Horrible Christmas Presents…

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So if you’re looking for a Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa or Festivus gift… You may not want to go with these, unless you’re trying to give some kind of hint that you don’t like the recipient. I’ve heard them advertised on the radio lately, and they’re both just ridiculous.

Go nuts over Fresh Balls!

Go nuts over Fresh Balls!

Fresh Balls – “So Fresh. So Dry.” | It is what it sounds like. Some kind of deodorant, lotion, or talc for application to your apparently sweaty coin purse.Β  Maybe I’m not active or sweaty enough, but I’ve never considered this a real problem.Β  They advertise buying it for someone as a gift.Β  Who’s damp smelly package are you close to on a regular basis?Β  I have some good friends, and I’ve thankfully never smelled their family jewels.Β  If I ever do smell someone’s nether-regions, I’ll be sure to tell them about Fresh Balls.

βœ” Badass colors βœ” Badass patterns βœ” Badass warranty

βœ” Badass colors βœ” Badass patterns βœ” Badass warranty

Seats of Anarchy – “Custom toilet seats for hard asses.” | I love some good terrible wordplay, but the name is almost as atrocious as the idea. I’ve never watched Sons of Anarchy, but do they poop a lot?Β  If they did, I could see the point to this then.Β  If your man cave is your bathroom… maybe this would be appropriate?Β  Someone better get their Copyright and/or Trademark lawyers on this pretty quickly.Β  Nothing says badass like a camouflage toilet seat, or one with barbed wire.Β  Guarantee that all your guests will hover!Β  “Designer” toilet seats for manly men and bikers…Β  It sounds like a crappy idea.Β  Get it?Β  Crappy?Β  Toilet seat?Β  Ugh.

So, what have you seen lately what would make a horrible holiday present?Β  Anything as bad as (or worse than) these?

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