Tis the Season

Well, now that we've digested the copious amounts of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pie, etc., the holiday season is now ramping up to full speed and I'm often left wondering where my already depleted time went.

I've been knitting like a fiend since September and am proud to say that I only have four projects left on the "To Knit" list (81% Complete! Yeah!) but I am looking forward to picking up Kinsale again and doing some truly selfish knitting after the holiday crunch.

Speaking of lists, why do they seem to breed like rabbits during the holidays? Maybe it's just me but my single To-Do list morphs into a ginormous pile....card mailing lists, decorating lists, shopping lists, cookie lists, wrapping lists, and the aforementioned knitting list among others. Ah well, it wouldn't be the holidays without all that.

Our season officially kicks off this weekend with my birthday which coincides with the earliest possible day I will agree to have Chirstmas decorations up in the house since I really hate the fact that Christmas now begins before Halloween. Nothing like pushing consumption, eh?

We'll make a batch of Alton Brown's White Trash, mull some cider, and put up our tree, lights, wreath, and all the things that are essential to our family's Christmas. And in the spirit of my manic list making and to rev everyone up with some tunes, I'm offering up my top six favorite CDs for the season.

White Christmas (Bing Crosby)
Enough said


Barenaked for the Holidays (Barenaked Ladies)
Updated carols, some unique songs, and a version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas' that is way better than what Band-Aid did.






A Christmas Album (Michael Crawford)
Full of really pretty versions of those non-traditional carols you typically hear in Church






The Nutcracker Suite (Tchaikovsky by Narada)
A stylish, new agey version of the classic that is just a joy to listen to




Dr. Demento Presents: Greatest Christmas Novelty CD (Various)
Fun, childish, and totally worth it for 'The Chipmunk Christmas', 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer', and 'The Canadian Twelve Days of Christmas'










Mr. Hanky's Christmas Classics (South Park)
Oftentimes crude and in poor taste but is hilarious! This is what Chad and I listen to AFTER Nathan goes to bed. We'd scar the poor kid otherwise.




So there you have it. My odd list of Christmas favorites--classic, new, and childish. But isn't Christmas supposed to bring out the kid in all of us?