Yep, it's that time of year again, or rather, it's already been that time for the Yuletide spirit the second Halloween was over. Or, depending on which retail shops you frequent, it started before the friggin' summer was over! And whether or not you do celebrate Christmas (or some form of), there are probably songs, movies, TV specials, etc. that seem to get you in the mood, good or bad. What's your favorite Xmas tune? Or hell, which one do you absolutely fucking hate? What pop cultural event or icon just makes you want to punch the first Salvation Army Santa you see? What do you consider essential listening or viewing to make it feel like Christmas to you? I'm curious to see what's traditional for you Hideout members...Is it overindulging on repeat viewings of "A Christmas Story" while concocting drinking games involving that spiked egg nog? Or is it rushing out to your local music store with a hammer and destroying every copy of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"? To me, there's nothing that makes me want to sit by the woodstove, sipping seasonal ale and getting ready for the big night than this classic from the late, great Bob Clark (yes, the same filmmaker that gave you "A Christmas Story), "Black Christmas":

And if I've gotta have some Christmas songs playing, this album is as good as any to get started on:

So, let's see what you guys love OR hate!

Will definately check it out! And yes, consuming some "spiked" eggnog while listening is a must!

Polyvinyl Craftsmen said:

Come and have a listen to Thee Polyvinyl Craftsmen Xmas Party, plenty of tunes festive and otherwise for you to knock back an eggnog or two to.

http://polyvinylcraftsmen.blogspot.com/2011/12/polyvinyl-craftsmen-...

Happy Christmas one and all from Thee Polyvinyl Craftsmen.

Come and have a listen to Thee Polyvinyl Craftsmen Xmas Party, plenty of tunes festive and otherwise for you to knock back an eggnog or two to.

http://polyvinylcraftsmen.blogspot.com/2011/12/polyvinyl-craftsmen-transmission-34.html

Happy Christmas one and all from Thee Polyvinyl Craftsmen.

^Holy crap! I want that guy for my Xmas party! I really miss the Daily Show, don't get that in Japan.

^^at first I thought you were talking about Benny Hinn

I actually have Ben Hinds' Christmas gem on a pristine 45rpm record and will be making good use of it at the SWANK Rock'n Yule record hop in Tokyo later this week! But thanks for the tip cause I'm always looking for more trash to add to my dustbin!

I really wish I could find something on that viking Santa splatter B-movie cause from what I remember of the preview it was pretty wild!

joey fuckup said:

Not sure if this would interest you, Marty, but over on the "Podunk Holler" group on here, Mr. A the Barber who hosts the "You Got Good Taste" podcast has a link to download a nifty comp called "Country Trash". And, lo and behold, that little dittie is on there. (Just in case you don't have it, and would like it.)

Marty Shane, Pacifiction Records said:

Lyrically it's great! I can totally picture this country yokel pining for a chic 60's go go girl from the big city. I just wish it had some Xmassy embellishments!

joey fuckup said:

I've got that Ben Hinds song in my itunes, love it!

Not sure if this would interest you, Marty, but over on the "Podunk Holler" group on here, Mr. A the Barber who hosts the "You Got Good Taste" podcast has a link to download a nifty comp called "Country Trash". And, lo and behold, that little dittie is on there. (Just in case you don't have it, and would like it.)

Marty Shane, Pacifiction Records said:

Lyrically it's great! I can totally picture this country yokel pining for a chic 60's go go girl from the big city. I just wish it had some Xmassy embellishments!

joey fuckup said:

I've got that Ben Hinds song in my itunes, love it!

Yeah, Marty, there's been quite a few "splatter Santa" movies made, but I can't remember the name to any of them. "Silent Night Deadly Night" could be one? And wasn't there a "Tales From the Crypt" movie back in '74 that had a homicidal Santa in one of the segments with Joan Collins? If I'm not mistaken, that was redone for the HBO series years later.

Marty Shane, Pacifiction Records said:

I love Alexie Sayle from his Young Ones appearances! Just looked up that Xmas bit, is it the Polar Czar one you mean? Hysterical!

When I first came to Japan I remember seeing a preview on some movie I rented for a demented Santa Claus B-movie where some family wishes on Santa to come but they call up some evil marauding viking version instead and he goes on a rampage. I tried desperately to find more about it on the web but can find anything at all.

Chris Henniker said:

Charles E. Cullen was signed to Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, up in Yorkshire. He did songs like "Young Gay Monkey on Roller Skates", which I heard on their radio programme.

I've always thought Father Christmas was somewhat sinister. He breaks into your house and leaves stuff in your living room, for fuck sake. Go on Youtube and look up Alexei Sayle's Father Christmas sketch.

joey fuckup said:

For those of you that like your Santa to be a homicidal maniac (as has been done before), a local indie filmmaker/musician/public access TV personality here in my hometown has put together this low-budget bloodfest "Slaughter Claus":

 

I love Alexie Sayle from his Young Ones appearances! Just looked up that Xmas bit, is it the Polar Czar one you mean? Hysterical!

When I first came to Japan I remember seeing a preview on some movie I rented for a demented Santa Claus B-movie where some family wishes on Santa to come but they call up some evil marauding viking version instead and he goes on a rampage. I tried desperately to find more about it on the web but can find anything at all.

Chris Henniker said:

Charles E. Cullen was signed to Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, up in Yorkshire. He did songs like "Young Gay Monkey on Roller Skates", which I heard on their radio programme.

I've always thought Father Christmas was somewhat sinister. He breaks into your house and leaves stuff in your living room, for fuck sake. Go on Youtube and look up Alexei Sayle's Father Christmas sketch.

joey fuckup said:

For those of you that like your Santa to be a homicidal maniac (as has been done before), a local indie filmmaker/musician/public access TV personality here in my hometown has put together this low-budget bloodfest "Slaughter Claus":

 

Lyrically it's great! I can totally picture this country yokel pining for a chic 60's go go girl from the big city. I just wish it had some Xmassy embellishments!

joey fuckup said:

I've got that Ben Hinds song in my itunes, love it!

That's impressive for a hometown boy! My grandmother was good friends with his parents, and when he outgrew his monster models, jarred dead animals, and other kooky items, I was given them. Of course, I don't have them now. "Young Gay Monkey On Roller Skates" appears on the album "Grandaddy Bought Me A Copperhead" which I have. I've played numerous songs of his on my old podcast "Whiskey 'N' Waterbeds" and my "Hayride To Hell". He's had several different public access TV shows involving music, crossdressing, prank calls, puppets, and barnyard animal info. He's done scores of ultra low-budget films which he's filmed in and around here in Roanoke, VA. I'm not sure how many albums he's recorded, but they're all intentionally supposed to be "bad, demented country". I emailed him a couple of times about being a guest on my shows, but he never answered back. From what I've heard, he's a total dick that thinks he's hot Hollywood shit now. He did turn MTV down who had offered to give him his own show, but he didn't want to forfeit total artistic control over what he did. I know the magazine "Alternative Cinema" did an article on him, and his shows are being shown in different markets all over the country and even in Hawaii.

Chris Henniker said:

Charles E. Cullen was signed to Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, up in Yorkshire. He did songs like "Young Gay Monkey on Roller Skates", which I heard on their radio programme.

I've always thought Father Christmas was somewhat sinister. He breaks into your house and leaves stuff in your living room, for fuck sake. Go on Youtube and look up Alexei Sayle's Father Christmas sketch.

joey fuckup said:

For those of you that like your Santa to be a homicidal maniac (as has been done before), a local indie filmmaker/musician/public access TV personality here in my hometown has put together this low-budget bloodfest "Slaughter Claus":

 

Charles E. Cullen was signed to Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, up in Yorkshire. He did songs like "Young Gay Monkey on Roller Skates", which I heard on their radio programme.

I've always thought Father Christmas was somewhat sinister. He breaks into your house and leaves stuff in your living room, for fuck sake. Go on Youtube and look up Alexei Sayle's Father Christmas sketch.

joey fuckup said:

For those of you that like your Santa to be a homicidal maniac (as has been done before), a local indie filmmaker/musician/public access TV personality here in my hometown has put together this low-budget bloodfest "Slaughter Claus":

 

For those of you that like your Santa to be a homicidal maniac (as has been done before), a local indie filmmaker/musician/public access TV personality here in my hometown has put together this low-budget bloodfest "Slaughter Claus":

I've got that Ben Hinds song in my itunes, love it!

Marty Shane, Pacifiction Records said:

Jeez, I was stuck in a fastfood jont in Tokyo the other day where I guess they had a comp of this kinda junk on repeat.

On a similar note, a pet peeve of my is Xmas songs that don't have any Christmassy dressings. For example, the Shonen Knife "Space Christmas" song is fun but it sounds just like any other random Shonen Knife song (that's a live vid, so I really need to hear the studio track to judge). But when someone cuts a Xmas song I wanna hear some jingle bells, ho ho hos, horse clops, whatever, just not singing a chorus with the word Christmas in it. There are a number of songs I actually like that have this fault like a country gogo rarity I found by Ben Hinds titled "All I Want For Christmas is a Go Go Girl" (wish I could find a vid for sharing!) or even one of my favorites, Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas":

I posted this one before, but I found a different vid that's XMASmerizing and has all of the proper trimmings!

trashman said:

Dear Music Performer, particularly you the country performer,

     All of the xmas classics have been written and performed.  You will not create the next "must have" xmas song.  No matter how hard you try Ms. Faith Hill, Mr. Kenny Chesney, Mr Alan "Honky Tonk Christmas" Jackson your xmas music will dissapear into obscurity.  So please save the environment and stop printing your CDs with plastic covers, wasting gasoline to ship them to Wal Marts, and paper for the receipts customers receive when buying your useless xmas album.  Same goes for you Maria Carey and Vibeke Sausage (or whatever your name is); I don't need to have a jinglejangle christmas, I already have Bing Crosby.

Jeez, I was stuck in a fastfood jont in Tokyo the other day where I guess they had a comp of this kinda junk on repeat.

On a similar note, a pet peeve of my is Xmas songs that don't have any Christmassy dressings. For example, the Shonen Knife "Space Christmas" song is fun but it sounds just like any other random Shonen Knife song (that's a live vid, so I really need to hear the studio track to judge). But when someone cuts a Xmas song I wanna hear some jingle bells, ho ho hos, horse clops, whatever, just not singing a chorus with the word Christmas in it. There are a number of songs I actually like that have this fault like a country gogo rarity I found by Ben Hinds titled "All I Want For Christmas is a Go Go Girl" (wish I could find a vid for sharing!) or even one of my favorites, Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas":

I posted this one before, but I found a different vid that's XMASmerizing and has all of the proper trimmings!

trashman said:

Dear Music Performer, particularly you the country performer,

     All of the xmas classics have been written and performed.  You will not create the next "must have" xmas song.  No matter how hard you try Ms. Faith Hill, Mr. Kenny Chesney, Mr Alan "Honky Tonk Christmas" Jackson your xmas music will dissapear into obscurity.  So please save the environment and stop printing your CDs with plastic covers, wasting gasoline to ship them to Wal Marts, and paper for the receipts customers receive when buying your useless xmas album.  Same goes for you Maria Carey and Vibeke Sausage (or whatever your name is); I don't need to have a jinglejangle christmas, I already have Bing Crosby.

i teach at a college that is still on the quarter system--for some reason. i admit, our holiday/xmas break is long. i admit to getting cadin fever.

Here, kids get two weeks at Christmas and Easter, six weeks in the summer (July until early September) and half terms of a week long.

joey fuckup said:

Yeah, usually around 2 weeks for Christmas, but Easter, no. Easter is celebrated here on the Sunday that's designated it. Which, with all the commercialism and religious beliefs (depending on the person), it's almost like Christmas. As you know, kids having their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, baskets chopped full of candy and toys, going to church (again, depending on the persons' religion, if any), a big meal with the family, etc. Now, school kids do get out for a week for Spring break, but that has nothing to do with Easter at all.

Chris Henniker said:

I thought it would be fairly standardised. Here, it varies from borough, district or county council (I've studied local government for England and Wales and the LEA is the same as the county, district or borough council, but are legally separate entities. It's a dog's dinner), but it's normally two weeks for Christmas and Easter.

joey fuckup said:

Well, can't speak for all the other cities/towns/counties in the US, but my son is in a county high school and he gets out this Friday and won't go back until Jan. 2. My daughter goes to a city elementary school and she won't get out until Dec. 21, but won't return until after New Year's as well.

Chris Henniker said:

How long do the school holidays in America last? Here, it's currently the last Monday of Advent to the first Monday after New Years day (unless that's a bank holiday, so the little shits go back on tuesday).  Christmas and New Years week (19/12/11-3/1/12).

Shake Revard said:

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

 

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

 

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

 

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

Yeah, usually around 2 weeks for Christmas, but Easter, no. Easter is celebrated here on the Sunday that's designated it. Which, with all the commercialism and religious beliefs (depending on the person), it's almost like Christmas. As you know, kids having their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, baskets chopped full of candy and toys, going to church (again, depending on the persons' religion, if any), a big meal with the family, etc. Now, school kids do get out for a week for Spring break, but that has nothing to do with Easter at all.

Chris Henniker said:

I thought it would be fairly standardised. Here, it varies from borough, district or county council (I've studied local government for England and Wales and the LEA is the same as the county, district or borough council, but are legally separate entities. It's a dog's dinner), but it's normally two weeks for Christmas and Easter.

joey fuckup said:

Well, can't speak for all the other cities/towns/counties in the US, but my son is in a county high school and he gets out this Friday and won't go back until Jan. 2. My daughter goes to a city elementary school and she won't get out until Dec. 21, but won't return until after New Year's as well.

Chris Henniker said:

How long do the school holidays in America last? Here, it's currently the last Monday of Advent to the first Monday after New Years day (unless that's a bank holiday, so the little shits go back on tuesday).  Christmas and New Years week (19/12/11-3/1/12).

Shake Revard said:

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

 

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

 

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

 

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

I thought it would be fairly standardised. Here, it varies from borough, district or county council (I've studied local government for England and Wales and the LEA is the same as the county, district or borough council, but are legally separate entities. It's a dog's dinner), but it's normally two weeks for Christmas and Easter.

joey fuckup said:

Well, can't speak for all the other cities/towns/counties in the US, but my son is in a county high school and he gets out this Friday and won't go back until Jan. 2. My daughter goes to a city elementary school and she won't get out until Dec. 21, but won't return until after New Year's as well.

Chris Henniker said:

How long do the school holidays in America last? Here, it's currently the last Monday of Advent to the first Monday after New Years day (unless that's a bank holiday, so the little shits go back on tuesday).  Christmas and New Years week (19/12/11-3/1/12).

Shake Revard said:

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

 

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

 

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

 

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

Well, can't speak for all the other cities/towns/counties in the US, but my son is in a county high school and he gets out this Friday and won't go back until Jan. 2. My daughter goes to a city elementary school and she won't get out until Dec. 21, but won't return until after New Year's as well.

Chris Henniker said:

How long do the school holidays in America last? Here, it's currently the last Monday of Advent to the first Monday after New Years day (unless that's a bank holiday, so the little shits go back on tuesday).  Christmas and New Years week (19/12/11-3/1/12).

Shake Revard said:

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

 

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

 

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

 

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

How long do the school holidays in America last? Here, it's currently the last Monday of Advent to the first Monday after New Years day (unless that's a bank holiday, so the little shits go back on tuesday).  Christmas and New Years week (19/12/11-3/1/12).

Shake Revard said:

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

 

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

 

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

 

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

black christmas--and olivia hussy--can't be beat.

and los straitjackets do my fave version of "feliz navidad."

also, not having to teach/work from thanksgiving until jan 3rd or so is rad.

other than that, i don't really get into the spirit. i'm an atheist as well (enough about that; no soapbox needed here). i do wonder how i will handle the holiday thing when/if i ever have kids. kopper's xmas traditions sound like a good model.

^My sister learned it from somewhere more recently so have only been doing it for about 7 years.

Never heard of that before. Is this something you guys created for yourselves, or is it an obscure custom? Unique!

trashman said:

we have the pickle in the tree.  We all travel back to my parents house for xmas.  My sister hides a plastic pickle in the tree and the finder gets the pickle gift.  Sounds easy but each year we forget to look until the day after xmas and the person who finds it is usually the only person that remembers.  My sister held her guns, one year no one remembered so the pickle gift travelled back home with her family until next year.

we have the pickle in the tree.  We all travel back to my parents house for xmas.  My sister hides a plastic pickle in the tree and the finder gets the pickle gift.  Sounds easy but each year we forget to look until the day after xmas and the person who finds it is usually the only person that remembers.  My sister held her guns, one year no one remembered so the pickle gift travelled back home with her family until next year.