NOW It’s the Holidays

~ Jenny

As an American, I feel strongly that it’s not the [Put-However-You-Celebrate-the-Winter-Solstice-here] season until I’m eating leftover turkey. This insane rush to start hauling out the holly before we’ve finished the pumpkin pie is just wrong. Which is why I could not post this traditional Argh Christmas video until today. (I know we put it up every year. It’s TRADITION. Also I love it.) Happy holidays, whatever holiday you’re celebrating, because the Drifters are Men for All Seasons.

31 thoughts on “NOW It’s the Holidays”

  1. Bummer…because of licensing reasons, I cannot see it here in Germany. Sigh.

    We have been having “Christmas” here now for weeks. Because there is only a very teeny-tiny Halloween blip (really only started to pick up in the last, oh, ten years) and because there is no Thanksgiving once it starts heading toward cold weather, the stores start hauling out Christmas cookies and Christmas baking gifts and toys, etc. By the time Christmas actually does arrive you are sick of Lebkuchen, marzipan logs, Dominosteine (cookies), Stollen and other goodies (smile).

    Of course, this Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, so the Advent wreaths have been on sale for a while. Also Dec 6th is St. Nicholas, where the kids get a shoe filled with goodies (takes the place of stockings on the mantelpiece at Christmas). So there are some minor blimps. Also a few (minor) holidays like St. Martin’s, Totensonntag (“Sunday of the dead”, a sort of remembrance day), but they are not big commercial things.

    However, as of yet I haven’t started hearing any Christmas carols — but probably after this coming weekend we will get some of that too…

  4. OK, I surrender. I don’t usually contemplate Christmas until 1 December, but you got me with the video. I’ve just done the umpteenth rejig of the new furniture in the living room, because Mum wants to fit a chest-of-drawers in there temporarily; and I was feeling a bit sad that the Christmas tree is going to have to be in the attached patio/conservatory, and not in the room (it’s such a magical presence; like a charismatic embodiment of Christmas). But I’m feeling soothed now.

  5. The best part of the season, for me, if on December 1st I can start wearing the insanely gauche applique sweaters gifted to me by my mom and grandma. The sweaters are covered with puffy Santa and Elves and and dangling snowflake charms and (in one instant) the Holy Nativity in sequins on the back of it. I love those things. I also love people trying not to stare.

    1. Above mention of Christmas sweaters made me think of earlier post I Want To Be What She’s Wearing. Someone mentioned wanting a number of Phryne Fisher’s outfits and sounded as if she had seen them(though I may have misunderstood) rather than read their descriptions in the books. Is there a Phryne Fisher series of which I am unaware? If so, can someone enlighten me?

      1. The Australian Broadcasting company has produced 2 seasons of Phryne Fisher mysteries. They are available via Acorn and are on my Christmas list. It is my understanding that while the plots are not duplicated Phryne’s outfits are.

      2. Season 1 of the Phryne Fisher series is available on Netflix, where I recently discovered it. Fabulous clothes!

      3. Oh my god. I told you I’d forgotten EVERYTHING when asked about it. Phryne Fisher is my hero. I want to be her, only problem -> I definately wouldn’t look like her in those clothes! But one can dream.

  6. The Xmas spirit won’t hit me until I can get my hands on those white glazed pepper cookies from Big Lots. Wish I had some now.

    1. Pfefferneuse? We get them from Trader Joe’s. However, TJ’s are covered with a thin crust and powdered sugar, rather than that all white glaze I’ve seen others have.

      1. Oh man they’re so much better if you make your own, The spices can really shine then. As an added bonus then you can control the glaze texture. Although I like to leave mine naked.

        1. Do you have a recipe you’d like to share? I’d love to make my own. They’re my favorite cookie with hot tea at the end of the day.

          1. From the cookie advent calendar (http://www.saveur.com/cookie-advent-calendar-2013?cmpid=teaser&dom=SAV&loc=slider&lnk=1):
            http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/German-Spice-Cookies
            There’s about twice as many ingredients in there as I can handle in baking, though, so I’ll be going for my traditional snickerdoodles (favorite recipe is mother-in-law’s, favorite online is http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/09/snickerdoodles/) and maybe try peanut butter cookies for the gluten-free crowd.

      2. Oh, that reminds me, TJ’s is owned by Aldi’s so maybe I can get them there. I live in the middle of nowhere so visiting a TJ’s is just a dream.

  7. All righty then! I 100% agree with not pulling out any holiday items until at least the 1st of December…. BUT- today we started swapping the Thanksgiving/ Fall decor for holiday decor. It’s annoying but necessary because, my husband leaves for training next week, and will be gone until right before x-mas, and our housing community had decided to rip out the palm trees in front of the house so we have to plan around that. And also we are still dealing with the aftermath of my car accident. It’s all ok though because it could be worse, and my daughter and I will relax and enjoy the season while we wait for our person to return. Anyhow, back to the garland! Happy Festivis!!!! (Can I spell that?!)

  9. You can never, ever go wrong with the Drifters. My ringtone is the Drifters singing “Up on the Roof” because…well, because it’s the Drifters and it makes me happy every time it rings. Thanks, Jenny!

  11. THE BEST….My First Time seeing it…xxx Susan VT Thank You…A Huge Fan of Yours & Lucy March…

  12. This is wonderful! Thank you. Nano finishes tomorrow and then I will think more about the season. Right now I am going to stop and to a Charlie Brown Christmas jigsaw puzzle while Miracle on 34th Street.plays on the TV.
    Here’s one for you from The Claymation Christmas Special. A walrus/hippopotamus ballet with a chorus of penguins to Angels We Have Heard on High.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MeiBjkILCM

  13. I love this video! If I miss it on this site, I have to search for it, if I remember it at all. So I am very glad you posted it for us. As soon as I stop listening to The Piano Guys on iTunes (I highly recommend at least watching them on YouTube because they are amazing), I will watch the video.

    I’m fine with starting the “however you celebrate the Winter Solstice” season the day after Thanksgiving. On my way home from my “family” folks last night, I noticed a number of houses with lights newly put up; apparently some people spend their post-feast comas climbing onto tall ladders and roofs to put up lights.

    Tomorrow I’m digging out my xmas earrings (wish I could find my little gnome Santas, sigh, and the great sparkly jeweled tree pin) to begin wearing. I can get away with those all month. But I have to wear my brass bells bracelet with discretion and self-control because that one is a love it or hate it piece, and the hate-it folks can get downright violent (like, perhaps, my female housemate …).

    I’ll be happy to decorate the small tree she bought me in my bedroom and keep persuading both housemates to put up their tree so we can decorate it!

  14. Thank you, great christmas video. I always forgot how much I like the Drifters, till I hear them and remember I love them

  16. (-: So much fun! I think the absolutely best part of the entire season is the whole range of glorious music available to sing and to listen to.

    Festivus is coming here, too! I cleaned the foyer, and we have the tree up and waiting for decorations today! And I found at least five Christmas CDs, so my morning drive may be a little less silent (-:.

  17. I hadn’t seen this before. Loved it. I get an early start on Christmas because it makes me happy. Happy is good. Although I didn’t get the early start I normally do, I still have my tree up now and the mantle is decorated. I just brought in some holiday delights to put on my desk at work and I always start wearing my Christmas earrings and socks on December 1st. YAY!

  18. PG, thank you for the recipe. I have all those spices and have been wanted to do something with the cardamon so I’ll be glad to use them up in the recipe you posted. 🙂

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