Offbeat Christmas Songs

This year is the first in a long time with a break in full time Christmas music.

Most years, every station I listen to regularly goes all Christmas music 24/7 from Thanksgiving on. One year they started on Nov. 1, and went the (almost) full two months until Christmas Day.

Now, I'm not anti-Christmas music. Still, think of it. No music but the same few Christmas songs, because they don't want to offend anyone and play only variations on the same few classic songs. Over and over, the same few.

In fact, this year, only one station has done this, and their playlist is shorter than ever. Except for "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," they aren't playing any of the "fun" stuff.

Now, what do I mean by fun stuff?

The Christmas songs I tend to sing.

Today is the anniversary of Spike Jones birth. You remember him and his City Slickers, right? Originators of "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" and other great fun and funny songs? He and Weird Al are my kind of nuts.

To give you an idea of how much I love the fun and offbeat Christmas songs, I will let you in on a little story. When my #1 Son was 6, the rest of the congregation was singing "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." The poor kid was singing along with "Oh Little Town of Destrehan" (an area right outside of New Orleans), thinking those were the right words! I am such a bad mommy. I had taught him that, and "Rusty Chevrolet" to the tune of "Jingle Bells," among others.

During this time of year, I am likely to be caught singing the crazy songs to myself. Weird Al's Christmas songs. Stuff by Benny Grunch and the Bunch. Singing about the 12 Yats of Christmas. Or the 12 Pains of Christmas. Or how "The Hat I Got For Christmas is Too Big."

I can recite whole lines from "Dragnet Christmas," or tell you about how when I caught mommy kissing Ole Te Clause next to the Frigidaire, I took pictures!

I guess I shouldn't be allowed loose around small, impressionable children this time of year. I still think "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" is a hoot, and love to do the Elf Rap.

So, in honor of the memory of Spike Jones, go find a crazy song to sing or play.

It will lift your mood, no matter what you think about the season.


Today is:

Halcyon Days begin (a time of calm and tranquility beginning seven days before the winter solstice, lasting until December 28, seven days after the solstice; named for an ancient fabled kingfisher bird -- or halcyon -- which hatches and raise her young during this time)


National Bouillabaisse Day

St. Spyridon's Day

Unreturned Library Book Sale, by the Imps -- Fairy Calendar



Anniversaries Today:

Alabama becomes the 22nd US State, 1819


Birthdays Today:

Paul "Beakman" Zaloom, 1951
Patty Duke, 1946
Lee Remick, 1935
Charlie Rich, 1932
Don Hewitt, 1922
Shirley Jackson, 1919
Morey Amsterdam, 1914
Spike Jones, 1911


Today in History:

Osman ibn Affan is appointed the third kalief of Islam, 644
The Zuider Zee seawall collapses, 50,000 lives are lost in the floods that follow, 1287
The first artificial pearls, made of gypsum pellets covered with fish scales, are manufactured by M Jacquin in Paris, 1656
David Wilkinson of Rhode Island patents a machine that cuts nuts and bolts, 1798
The American Academy of Political and Social Science is organized in Philadelphia, 1889
Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first to reach the South Pole, 1911