This week has been all wonky, and man, I miss you guys! I have been runnin’ on nine fingers due to a disagreement between me and my building’s 100+ year old elevator doors, and have been having a half hilarious, half ridiculous time trying to use speech-to-text to dictate all of my posts, tweets, and FB updates only to immediately delete them because apparently “super sale” sounds a little too much like “scooter bales” and that just doesn’t get my point across in the way I need it to.
A while ago, my day was made by a reader named Joni when she asked if I would make a Holiday Playlist because she’d liked Octoberist so much! My ego subsequently inflated, I started up Spotify, got a fresh cup of coffee & my favorite headphones, and began a new, empty playlist called…
Called… um…
…
Well… It would have had a name, but, um. I ran into a problem. Well, it’s not really a new problem or anything, it’s just that…
I don’t like Christmas Music.
In fact, I don’t just dislike it – I hate it. I have the most Grinch-y-Scrooge outlook on traditional holiday music, and I have seen this personality flaw turn a smile to a frown more times than I could possibly count. I don’t know what it is, but the slow, soft, family-oriented, squishy, warm, comforting, soothing, fuzzy crooners and Glee kids singing that damn Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum song (UGH MY LEAST FAVORITE GROSS) makes me want to burn things.
So, I was sitting at my computer, staring at Jingletime Holiday Record #1, wondering if I could do this or not. I didn’t want to disappoint Joni, and I’ve already made this into a dramatic, coming-of-age post having nothing to do with style… I’d come this far, how was I supposed to go back? After taking a few deep breaths and taking half of my coffee like a double-shot of Jameson – I decided to face my fears. After all, the holiday season is supposed to be magical, right? I mean, we all saw what happened to [main antagonist] in [every holiday movie ever]…
It was time to make a holiday playlist I could be proud of.
This one’s for you, Joni. You changed my life, girl. My family, and everyone else whose stereos I have lit on fire thank you.
Winter Holidaze
In order to acclimate myself to the holiday music, I mainly focus on using my favorite songs to listen to when it’s snowing (“Takk…” by Sigur Ros – that entire album is perfect for snowy scenes!), songs that make me feel warm and cozy (“Lady On The Water” by Blitzen Trapper makes me feel like I’m in a cabin in the mountains), and then some actual holiday music from people who can actually sing (The Civil Wars, Jeff Buckley & Eartha Kitt)!
Then a little gift from Cee-Lo to honor my roots… and some saucy stuff, too, because I can’t help myself.