One Christmas Carol, Six Ways

Maybe people turn into Grinches during the holiday season because they are forced to listen not just to Christmas music all the time, but the same Christmas music all the time. It's one thing to hear "Chestnuts Roasting On A Open Fire," but even Nat King Cole's version starts to lose its luster after the 300th listen.

Thanks to wonder that is Spotify, music nerds like myself can indulge for hours in troves of Christmas music that won't be piped into the local mall. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" is my favorite Christmas song. These are six interpretations that likely aren't on a standard compilation.

Classic Ella, my personal Allah	Dramatic, with excellent French horns

A jazzy medley in four part harmony. One of many arrangements that pairs "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with "Carol of the Bells"	What is Christmas without a little punk?

Live from midnight mass	You can actually dance to this version

And So This Is Christmas

It's not really Christmas unless you are wearing a paper crown.


With La Madre.


Christmas bling. Rose gold is totally having a moment.


Pastries from Friday night. (They didn't last long.)


Not far from my house: Bryant Park

Source: google.com via Pauline on Pinterest

A Bit Of Holiday Whimsy

Christmas Penguins Circa 1960

Source: flickr.com via Callie on Pinterest

Mid Century Christmas

Source: Uploaded by user via Pauline on Pinterest

I just found a whole bunch of these of Pinterest. Prepare to see more in the days ahead.

Source: facebook.com via ༺♥༻Karen on Pinterest

People Who Send Me Christmas Cards Know Who's In Charge Around Here

Already?

Abandoned Christmas trees on 34th and Park.

Could Everyone Get Around The Tree?

Another Saturday night, another holiday party. This one found Erin C. and I in Tribeca, in a room lit by an enormous white Christmas tree -- on a table.

Life is all about experimenting with available light.


Arty or just blurry? Hipster album cover?


Erin with the hostess, Roseanne. She put together a great spread -- with tons of Prosecco. Bonus points.


I tried some new things, hair wise. This one is actually inspired by Rhoda on the Mary Tyler Moore show, in an episode where she wins a local beauty pagaent. Long story.


Future versions will be more curly and romantic, and less Jersey prom.

Woth Checking Out: Michael Buble, "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

This afternoon while lurking around the Discount Cosmetic Market on 37th and Madison, Michael Buble's version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" came on over the store stereo system.

I was immediately struck by the lovely arrangement -- he slowed an uppity pop song down to a ballad, and it works.

I came home and started Googling it (as well as adding it to my Spotify) and was thrilled to find this video explain the method to the madness. My background in singing and performing in New York City pre-dates this blog. Nevertheless, nothing gets my inner music nerd going more than listening to how a piece of music came to be.

P.S. His whole Christmas album is just as wonderful. It's musically complex and works as an entire album, not just a bunch of standards thrown together. Someone really put thought into it. His Feliz Navidad duet with Thalia is worth the price of admission.


Here's the song:

'Tis The Season...

For Mariah Carey's Christmas album!!

Since 1997 I have owned three copies of this album, and just bought my fourth on iTunes (only $7.99!)

It's Mariah Carey doing her finest vocal gymnastics, and, production wise, it honestly could be one of the best albums ever made. For serious. You can't listen to her version of "Joy To The World" and not be happy.

In case it isn't obvious already, I love Christmas and all the schlock that comes with it -- Christmas albums, Rockefeller Center and especially Christmas cards. This weekend I sent out my first batch of them. If you're on the A-list, yours is en route. ;-)

...and to all a good night.

A Very Merry Christmas Was Had!

It's Christmas night and for the past two days I've been in super Christmasy mode. On Christmas Eve we headed out to Connecticut for dinner and gifts with the Millards. On Christmas Day I pried La Madre from the house in Connecticut and into Manhattan, where I took her to lunch and a movie. She was starting to collect dust hanging around the house all day long.

If you have any sense at all, go see Sherlock Holmes! It's a wonderful, fun film. The stars are kind of handsome as well.

Here's an attractive little family on the Metro-North.


Papa bear and his cub


Lotsa prezzies


Dinner cam


I brought the petits-fours, naturally. It's just not a meal without them.


La Madre and Milton have a complicated relationship


But they make nice for the camera


Andrew and Kristin


Jayne et Frank


Andre et La Madre


Part of Andrew's gift from La Madre was a collection of school papers from when he was in the fourth grade. His report card indicated he had trouble taking direction. Ha! Nothing's changed.


Andre in his awesome panda hat.


TR's a big guy.


Andre considers his three blonde fans.


Christmas morning, opening Andre's prezzies.

Beware Of The Doghouse

Last Christmas J.C. Penney had a genius marketing campaign called "Beware of the Doghouse" which was a video about men sent to a kind of purgatory for buying their wives and girlfriends bad Christmas gifts. The key to get out was to buy them jewelry. The have a sequel this year, which is just as funny.

Maybe it's because I was raised right, but I was always under the impression that jewelry was the only gift option for women during the holidays. I remember often going with my dad to pick out something in amethyst for La Madre, (she was born in February) and one year going to Tiffany's for an anniversary band.

That said, if you're a guy and you've never bought your woman jewelry, what on earth have you been thinking? If you're shopping for me and need ideas, may I suggest a bauble from Baccarat?

Here is last year's video. Genius.

It's Tree-Trimming Season!

It's tree-trimming and party time. This afternoon I went to a sweet little party out in Cobble Hill to trim a tree. Yes, it was freezing outside. It was a strange trip there and back, as the trains were full of very smelly homeless people, trying to stay warm on the subways. Also, and perhaps this is a sign of the recession, a cellist played on the F train to Cobble Hill. Does a bad economy mean that we'll have more live classical music on the trains? If so, let the market crash!

Oh, and my contribution to the tree? A light up Santa, Frosty and penguin. Klassy!

TR et moi. TR was the tall guy at the party who put everything on top of the tree.


Trying different settings on the camera, between gorging on hot chocolate and cheeseball.


My little light up Santa.

I Guess Christmas Really Is Over...

I found this Christmas tree in a trash can in the East Village this afternoon.

It came with a poem:


The ornaments were, essentially, also trash.

It's Christmas With The Millards!!

If you thought Thanksgiving was fun, then you should have stopped by for Christmas!