Thursday , March 28 2024

Blogcritics On the Holiday Season ’05

In the broadest terms, the winter holiday season begins Thanksgiving week and extends through New Year’s Day or so, incorporating Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, New Year’s Eve and Day, and a gauntlet of festive gatherings in between. And since holidays require a lot of planning, we are well into the holiday mode mentally, if not yet physically.

We are covering the holiday season — movies, music, books, TV, entertaining, traditions, social commentary — like a windless midnight snow:

Meri bhi Christmas
Secularism gone too far?
Posted to Culture by Aaman Lamba on December 25, 2005

Christmas Eve Dinner
It never occurred to me before, but there are some people who do not celebrate Christmas Eve. For some people…
Posted to Culture by Murphy Horner on December 25, 2005

The Not-Quite-Sunday Funnies: Christmas Edition!
Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah, from the cartoonists at TNQSF!
Posted to Culture by Annie on December 25, 2005

DJRadiohead Podcast Experience – CHRISTMAS STYLE!
One post to rule them all. One post to find them. And then the f***s descend.
Posted to Culture by DJRadiohead on December 24, 2005

Christmas Alight
Of flames, a furnace, and the warmth of love.
Posted to Culture by diana hartman on December 24, 2005

Isn’t There Anyone Who Knows What Christmas Is All About?
The show is about a little boy trying to find the meaning of Christmas, and in the end it actually helps other little boys…
Posted to Video by Victor Lana on December 24, 2005

A Windham Hill Christmas – The Night Before Christmas
For years, Windham Hill has been redefining instrumental music and providing a distinct sound that is a wonderful respite from much of what is presented
Posted to Music by Daddypundit on December 24, 2005

Media Christmas Presents
I have been watching, and making a list, of who in the news media has been naughty and who has been nice.
Posted to Politics by Scott Butki on December 24, 2005

DJRadiohead Video Podcast Experience – War on Christmas?
DJRadiohead returns to video to wish everyone a… something.
Posted to Culture by DJRadiohead on December 23, 2005

A Gene Autry Christmas
I love Gene Autry. “The Singing Cowboy”–I sometimes think how the world would be different if America had chosen to…
Posted to Music by Murphy Horner on December 23, 2005

A Very Child of Television Christmas
As a child I always looked forward to all the holiday specials. These shows were all mandatory family viewing in our house.
Posted to Video by Tony Figueroa on December 22, 2005

Celebrity Playlist: Santa Claus
We finally got through to Santa and he has provided us with a list of the tunes in his iPod this year!
Posted to Music by Robert Burke on December 22, 2005

Internet Movie Review: Vendetta – A Christmas Story
For me, the holidays are about one thing and only one thing: I like to see Santa kick some serious ass.
Posted to SciTech by Modern Pea Pod on December 22, 2005

The Deck Was Stacked: Why George Bailey Doesn’t Have a Prayer in It’s a Wonderful Life
Because of the deck stacked against him, even when George is completely free in this alternate life, he cannot escape.
Posted to Video by Victor Lana on December 21, 2005

A Very Child Of Television Christmas
As a child I always looked forward to all the Holiday Specials like…
Posted to Video by Tony Figueroa on December 21, 2005

What to Watch This Christmas
Which films should help decorate your mantel, and which motion-pictures should be buried beneath the North Pole?
Posted to Video by Brandon Valentine on December 21, 2005

CD Review: 40 Years – A Charlie Brown Christmas
One of the most beloved (and my personal favorite of all the animated Christmas Specials) celebrates it’s 40th anniversary this year – A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Posted to Music by Daddypundit on December 21, 2005

The Bad Night Before Christmas
I ran to the window and what do I find? Carolers, singing the bells, and one … getting high?
Posted to Culture by ApathyOnline on December 21, 2005

Ho, Ho, Hand Over Your Taxes
Some musings on Santa and his personifications as we near Dec. 25.
Posted to Culture by Kay Bell on December 21, 2005

Eight Great Uses of Holiday Music in (mostly) Holiday Movies
Slice for slice, here’s this Season’s “Great 8”.
Posted to Video by Tiffany Leigh on December 20, 2005

Food for Thought: Cookies and Calm
Part 2: Rushed? Still have gifts to buy? Save time, money and hassle – bake presents this year.
Posted to Culture by Natalie Davis on December 20, 2005

Modern Pea Pod’s Holiday 2005 Mixtape
Happy Holidays, Oppressed Peoples: The Modern Pea Pod’s December 2005 Mixtape
Posted to Music by Modern Pea Pod on December 19, 2005

Book Review: Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us
As Festivus approaches (Dec. 23), today is also the anniversary of the December 18, 1997, airing of the Seinfeld episode that gave the “holiday” its current renown in popular culture. In honor of that anniversary, I am going…
Posted to Books by Tim Gebhart on December 18, 2005 10:59 AM

True Diversity Should Include Other Holidays
Someone who celebrates Hanukkah does not use a Christmas tree. If these stores really didn’t want to offend, they would also sell Menorahs.
Posted to Culture by Kansasman on December 18, 2005 08:05 AM

DVD Review: The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
It was only a matter of time before they remade Frosty. And as I sit here watching the original on TV, after having watched the new version, I’m not sure it was necessary. The new Frosty changes the legend considerably….
Posted to Video by Warren Kelly on December 17, 2005 08:55 PM

Joyous Yule My Pagan Brothers
Christmas is a juggernaut you cannot stop. Everyone wants it in some form or another and they’re not picky. They’re willing to put up with everyone’s goofy traditions so long as everyone else puts up with theirs.
Posted to Culture by Dave Nalle on December 17, 2005 02:49 PM

The Not-Quite-Sunday Funnies: This Week: Mistletoe toToe, Christmas Shopping, and That Darn Cat!
The Funnies for December 17,05
Posted to Culture by Annie on December 17, 2005 01:07 PM

CD Review: A John Waters Christmas
A sweet and winsome collection of Christmas novelties from Baltimore’s king of kitsch.
Posted to Music by John Owen on December 17, 2005 12:23 PM

If the Fates Allow
An American stuck in Singapore on Christmas longs for home.
Posted to Culture by Victor Lana on December 17, 2005 09:52 AM

Winning the War Against Christmas
Christians remain a persecuted majority in America unable to enjoy the simple freedom of ignoring the sensibilities of members of other faiths.
Posted to Politics by Chancelucky on December 17, 2005 03:03 AM

Christmas: The Pope is right
There isn’t much spirit to be had during this season of hyperconsumerism. It’s time to bring back a little traditional Christmas festivity to this all-too-secular holiday.
Posted to Culture by Mark Edward Manning on December 16, 2005 12:45 PM

Friday Femmes Fatales No 36 (Women Bloggers)
From Bombay to Tokyo, from dealing with Christmas to God’s choice of publishing method …
Posted to Culture by Natalie Bennett on December 16, 2005 12:15 PM

CD Review: Kenny Ellis – Hanukkah Swings
Multi-faceted musical performer and cantor makes Hanukkah hip with his Favored Nations debut.
Posted to Music by George Dionne on December 15, 2005 09:49 PM

Christmas from October to January: Bah! Humbug!
Yeah, I know, it sucks – yet another Christmas season being crammed down our throats from October to January. Ferrett has a few things on the burner regarding the “Merry Christmas” / “Happy Holidays” thing, so I’m not going…
Posted to Culture by Will Kessel on December 15, 2005 07:26 AM

Magic Junk Radio 4: Holiday Complex
Outside of the obvious monotony of the season, I have my reasons to hate the holidays. I call it the curse of being born on the day after Christmas. Thus, celebrating my introduction to the world was always overshadowed by…
Posted to Music by Mark Sahm on December 14, 2005 10:03 AM

TV Review: House, M.D. – “Deception”
Trust House to have a holiday-themed episode called “Deception” with the moral that people don’t change their self-destructive ways.
Posted to Video by deekay on December 14, 2005 02:09 AM

Winter Solstice Evergreens and The History of the Christmas Tree
Long before the advent of Christianity, peoples of many ancient civilizations decorated their homes with pine, spruce, and fir trees.
Posted to Culture by Margaret Romao Toigo on December 13, 2005 12:22 PM

Uncle Stevie’s Stocking Stuffers
Spice up your holiday mix with a few seasonal chestnuts that you won’t find on your average Christmas album…
Posted to Music by Stephen V Funk on December 13, 2005 08:05 AM

CD Review: Through The Many Winters
Traditional, Celtic, Jazz, Blues, and Cajun – spice up your Christmas with Michael McDonald.
Posted to Music by Susan Reno Gilliland on December 13, 2005 07:50 AM

Press Release #8: Smells Like Holiday Spirit at Online Magazine Blogcritics.org
Blanket coverage of the holidays is how award-winning online magazine Blogcritics.org fights the cold and brings on the cheer. It’s also the place where a community of 50,000 daily visitors gathers round the warmly-lit digital fireplace to discuss music, politics,…
Posted to Culture by Eric Berlin on December 12, 2005 01:09 PM

The War on Christmas at Retail Price
Just what are the Christian Crusaders fighting for, anyway? Notes on the dark past and retail goals of America’s most ridiculous war.
Posted to Culture by Pete Blackwell on December 12, 2005 10:16 AM

Shrapnel In My Stocking
It’s a bit of a stretch to attempt a connection between celebrating Christmas and being American, but some of our fellow Americans see Christmas ribbon as the tie that binds and that there is an enemy…
Posted to Culture by diana hartman on December 12, 2005 06:58 AM

Living Near Hollywood – It’s a Wonderful Life
One of the wonderful things about living near Hollywood is that you get a better crop of actors available for faithful favorites.
Posted to Culture by Purple Tigress on December 12, 2005 02:26 AM

Why Happy Holidays Is a More Respectful Greeting
There was a time when I used to look forward to Christmas. This year I dreaded it. One of my co-workers and I are on thin ice during this season. She’s Christian, the kind that goes to church every week,…
Posted to Culture by Purple Tigress on December 11, 2005 11:01 PM

The Not-Quite-Sunday Funnies: This Week: Trimming the Tree, Reindeer Games, and Christmas Cheers!
A little something special from Sue Houston for…
Posted to Culture by Annie on December 11, 2005 02:05 PM

Christmas wrapped up
The wrapper says: Fun! Joy! Warmth, love and happiness! Good times to be had. Put your feet up for the holidays! Be kind to random strangers. Be even kinder to your friends and family. Get in the loving spirit! Celebrate! The…
Posted to Culture by Nukapai on December 10, 2005 08:30 PM

Santa Claus to Lay Off Elves in Favor of Misfits!
North Pole: Santa Claus warned the children of the world today that Christmas may have to be cancelled due to economic hardship. “Christmas spirit sales are way down this year,” warned the jolly…
Posted to Culture by John Bill on December 9, 2005 09:25 PM

Dismantling Christmas
People are out to dismantle Christmas as we know it! You’ve got film director and evangenical atheist Brian Flemming declaring “war on Christianity” as part of a marketing campaign for his The God Who Wasn’t There film. “No Christmas pageant…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on December 9, 2005 03:12 PM

Peace on Earth
Recently in an article Happy 40th Anniversary Charlie Brown. I quoted Linus Van Pelt reading from Luke 2:8-14 in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie Brown: (shouting in desperation) Isn’t there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas…
Posted to Video by Tony Figueroa on December 9, 2005 01:02 PM

Pop Culture Update 12/9/2005
– Walters’ “Ten Most Intriguing People-2005”. A list of mine own as rebuttal. Elton’s “wedding”; the Prince’s Christmas card.
Posted to Culture by Patfish on December 9, 2005 07:13 AM

The 10 Best Christmas Albums (Of All Time…?)
Making A List, Checking It Twice …
Posted to Music by Stephen V Funk on December 9, 2005 06:30 AM

Christmas and False Expectations
Everyone sitting in some Norman Rockwell painting: the myth of the family holiday.
Posted to Culture by gypsyman on December 9, 2005 05:30 AM

Movie Review: Surviving Christmas
Surviving Christmas represents a sterling example of a Christmas-season eyesore.
Posted to Video by Brandon Valentine on December 8, 2005 03:18 PM

Family, Friends, and It’s a Wonderful Life Top Holiday Poll
In Harris Interactive poll results announced this week, a vast majority (70%) of U.S. adults say they most look forward to spending time with their family and friends when thinking about the upcoming holidays. Trailing far behind in most…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on December 8, 2005 10:41 AM

Willow Creek Church Will Close Doors On Christmas Sunday
At Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago, Sunday morning generally features eight worship services at four locations with 15,000 people attending. On Christmas Sunday this year, their doors…
Posted to Culture by Bird of Paradise on December 8, 2005 05:08 AM

Brian Flemming’s Lonely Christmas
Blogcritics alumni Brian Flemming is out of his tree- specifically, he’s out of his Christmas tree. Independent film producer Flemming and his promotional company Beyond Belief Media have officially “declared war on Christmas.” From his PRNewswire…
Posted to Culture by Al Barger on December 8, 2005 04:26 AM

December in the City of David
When you’re not part of the club and everyone around you is and is having a grand time, it is a royal pain in the neck. For me that was what Christmas was like in Minnesota. If…
Posted to Culture by Ruvy in Jerusalem on December 7, 2005 11:59 AM

President Bush Chooses Sides in the “War on Christmas”
And here, all this time, I thought that the “War on Christmas” that so many members of the Religious Right warned about was just knee-jerk paranoia. Well, I’m convinced today, with the Washington Post’s report that George W. Bush and family…
Posted to Politics by Michael J. West on December 7, 2005 11:02 AM

Video Killed the Podcast Star
The VIDEO The RSS Feed Christmas has come early, kids. The potty-mouthed patron saint of the yuletide, Santa DJ, has a little Christmas gift for you. For those of you who have ever been curious as to the…
Posted to Culture by DJRadiohead on December 7, 2005 12:34 AM

The Five Worst Christmas Holiday Songs You’ll be Hearing Again and Again and Again
This year the holiday season (we aren’t allowed to use the X-mas word anymore, right?) started earlier than ever, at least as far as piped in music in the mall and elevators and waiting rooms is concerned. For…
Posted to Music by Dave Nalle on December 6, 2005 07:45 PM

TV Preview: A Charlie Brown Christmas – Glad Tidings of Great Joy
Tonight is the night for the digitally remastered, gala 40th anniversary presentation of the Charles M. Schulz “Peanuts” classic that the original network, CBS, thought too slow and religious, which was kind of the point. A Charlie Brown Christmas will…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on December 6, 2005 07:00 PM

Theater Review: The Super Slash Naughty XXXmas Story at Wilton’s Music Hall
The account of the awful family Christmas has become a cultural staple – to be heard in every office, school and cafe in the land – so to really make an impact you either have to tell it really well,…
Posted to Culture by Natalie Bennett on December 6, 2005 06:25 AM

CD Review: Merry Mixmas & Christmas Remixed 2
With the glut of remix albums flooding the market these days, it should come as no surprise that there are a slew of them showing up in the Holiday music bins. Two of the more promising new ones (despite the…
Posted to Music by Stephen V Funk on December 5, 2005 09:48 PM

ASCAP’s 25 Most-Performed Holiday Songs for 2000-05
December is here and seasonal music fills the air with almost disconcerting ubiquity. So, with songwriters happily napping with visions of royalty checks dancing in their heads, last week performing rights organization ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and…
Posted to Music by Eric Olsen on December 5, 2005 07:01 PM

On the Advent of this Holiday Formerly Known as Christmas
Last month I had been considering the possibility of moving out of my two-bedroom apartment to a one-bedroom that had become available over at the next building of the complex I live in. The rent would’ve been sixty dollars less…
Posted to Culture by S L Cunningham on December 5, 2005 06:37 PM

“Holiday Wars” Highlight Need for School Choice
While the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause forbids government from promoting religion, that same amendment’s Free Exercise Clause protects its open practice. The tension between these clauses is most evident during the “holiday season.” How government resolves that tension…
Posted to Culture by Thomas M. Sipos on December 5, 2005 04:40 PM

CD Reviews: Diana Krall, Jane Monheit – Battle of the Christmas Jazz Divas
Who emerges victorious in this holiday battle of the “it girls” of vocal jazz… Diana Krall or Jane Monheit?
Posted to Music by Stephen V Funk on December 5, 2005 04:16 PM

Christmas, Christians, and the State
I had an interesting exchange on a blog by Semper Fi the other day. He was upset because Christmas, the word, had disappeared from most holiday advertising. He saw it as just another assault on Christianity by…
Posted to Culture by Mark Schannon on December 4, 2005 04:23 PM

“Elite Affluent” Doing Their Part to Keep Holiday Shopping Humming
It’s all relative isn’t it? To the world’s poorest citizens living lives on the bleakest edge of subsistence, the lives of America’s most disaffected homeless might seem regal; and the ladder rises to the working poor, middle class, upper middle…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on December 5, 2005 04:03 PM

Holiday TV Schedule: Dec 3-11
Winter Holiday/Christmas programming has become a month-long proposition, kicking in right after Thanksgiving. ABC Family (“25 Days of Christmas”), Lifetime, Hallmark, TV Land (see Sunday, the 11th) and Cartoon Network are especially milking the season…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on December 4, 2005 02:55 PM

CD Review: Steve Lukather & Friends – SantaMental
Originally released back in 2003, Steve Lukather’s Christmas album has been reissued on Steve Vai’s Favored Nations label. This former Toto guitarist has brought together some top shelf talent to appear on this collection of Christmas tunes. I am not familiar…
Posted to Music by Chris Beaumont on December 4, 2005 11:57 AM

Santa Gets Mad
Dear World, This is Santa Claus. You may have heard of me or my work. You know, those presents under your tree each year? Last February I grew tired of seeing ads at stores for Valentines Day specials. …
Posted to Culture by Scott Butki on December 4, 2005 02:07 AM

CD Review: This Christmas Morning – Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito
Acoustic folk for Christmas. A pleasant change of pace.
Posted to Music by Warren Kelly on December 3, 2005 08:55 PM

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
Battle troops are massing in the War on Christmas and what you say could get you in loads of trouble.
Posted to Culture by Pete Blackwell on December 2, 2005 03:03 PM

Happy 40th Anniversary Charlie Brown
This Tuesday, December 6th ABC will air A Charlie Brown Christmas marking its 40th anniversary on television. I don’t think that we children of television fully appreciate the influence this holiday classic (I don’t use the word classic lightly)…
Posted to Video by Tony Figueroa on December 2, 2005 12:26 PM

CD Review: Martin Sexton: Camp Holiday
most Christmas albums don’t offer much…they ruin it…I found this CD to be one of the best Christmas albums ever
Posted to Music by Kansasman on December 1, 2005 07:50 AM

DVD Review: Search for Santa
In 1897, eight year old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to The New York Sun newspaper asking an age old question…”Is there a Santa Claus?” In short measure, an editorial piece, written by veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church, was published…
Posted to Video by Annie on November 30, 2005 02:07 PM

Holiday Decorating Safety: The General and the Specific
With Thanksgiving gone it’s the holiday decorating season again, although in our neighborhood some houses have had the industrial-strength lighting and filigree up since the weekend before Thanksgiving – freaks! We were out of town for the Thanksgiving weekend so…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on November 30, 2005 09:16 AM

Black Friday?
Black Friday? Let’s gather round the trash cans children, while I tell you the story about our early Thanksgiving celebrations. A long time ago, Thanksgiving used to be a day where we tried like heck to be with our families or…
Posted to Culture by Mary K. Williams on November 30, 2005 08:55 AM

Black Friday Revs Holiday eShopping Season
Last week I heard prognosticators opine that the opening blast of the holiday shopping season has shifted from the traditional brick-and-mortar Black Friday to Cyber Monday for online retailers, because so many online shoppers, who tend to be younger, use…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on November 29, 2005 07:08 PM

Merry Christmas (Please Don’t be Mad at Me)
Within the next week or so, I will send my stepson to the attic — I am such a wicked stepmother — so that he can haul down our considerably large collection of Christmas decorations. Then he, my husband and…
Posted to Culture by Margaret Romao Toigo on November 29, 2005 02:40 PM

Food for Thought: Celebrate It All!
It can be easy to miss the spirit of goodwill that is supposed to accompany the winter holidays, what with all the…
Posted to Culture by Natalie Davis on November 29, 2005 12:25 PM

‘Tis the Season for the War on Christmas
Now that Thanksgiving is over, ’tis the season for insufferable bitching and moaning. Yes, conservatives and assorted wackos everywhere are stocking up on green and red ammo and manning the trenches in defense of the Savior in this, the annual…
Posted to Culture by Pete Blackwell on November 28, 2005 02:24 AM

Review: Startling Joy
It’s so cold outside that the bus windows are sealed in frost, and I don’t see this monstrosity of a bus driver until the very second the doors swish open and she yelps at me to watch my step on…
Posted to Books by Rick Stilwell on November 27, 2005 06:56 PM

Boston’s ‘Holiday Tree’ Captures the True Spirit of Secularism
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has declared that he will keep calling the city’s 48′ Nova Scotia spruce a “Christmas tree” regardless of the fact that the city is officially calling it a “Holiday Tree” this year.
Posted to Culture by Bird of Paradise on November 26, 2005 09:15 PM

The Not-Quite-Sunday Funnies Thanksgiving: Turkey Stuffing, Tryptophan, and Spot the Turkey!
Happy Thanksgiving! The Not-Quite-Sunday…
Posted to Culture by Annie on November 26, 2005 11:37 AM

CD Review: “A Windham Hill Christmas: The Night Before Christmas”
I love Christmas music. Even when I worked retail, and the Christmas music started playing before Halloween, I loved Christmas music. Growing up, we always knew that it was really Christmas time because Dad pulled out the Christmas…
Posted to Music by Warren Kelly on November 25, 2005 09:41 PM

How Bush Spent His Thanksgiving Holiday
On Nov. 22, the president gave his yearly official pardon to the National Thanksgiving Turkey. This year, the public was able to vote on the names for the…
Posted to Politics by Sam Jack on November 25, 2005 12:56 PM

Happy Buy Nothing Day!
Tired of being in debt? Tired of hearing people say “money talks” when all yours ever says is goodbye? Tired of feeling dissatisfied because of some little thing you wish you had, and then feeling disappointed after you have it?…
Posted to Culture by Victor Plenty on November 25, 2005 08:57 AM

Thanksgiving Traditions
Some traditions sneak up on you
Posted to Culture by Justene Adamec on November 24, 2005 10:30 PM

Origins of Thanksgiving
“Tradition is the illusion of permanence.” – Woody Allen We have all heard about the tales of Pilgrims being greeted by the Indians and both enjoying a bountiful feast in 1621. While the story may be true, its relation to the…
Posted to Culture by Gaurav sood on November 24, 2005 06:37 PM

Being Thankful In Hawaii
Today is Thanksgiving and the Honolulu Advertiser published two pages of letters to the editor from local people telling what they are thankful for. The names of the letter-writers have their own stories to tell. Their names represent the story of Hawaii. Indeed, theyare Hawaii.
Posted to Culture by Bird of Paradise on November 24, 2005 06:05 PM

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone
I wanted to write something thoughtful to mark this day…
Posted to Culture by Scott Butki on November 24, 2005 01:38 PM

Mind Tricks – Astrology in Real Life: Thanksgiving, The Air Signs and Food
One year, we had an all-girl Thanksgiving. My double Aquarius friend Kay hosted the event. Her double Gemini friend, and my daughter (a baby at the time) attended and we had a blast. We…
Posted to Culture by Elsa on November 24, 2005 08:56 AM

My Favorite Things, Thanksgiving 2005
I was treated to my 21 month old godson singing Monty Python, “Always look on the bright side of life.”
Posted to Culture by Al Barger on November 24, 2005 05:49 AM

Thanksgiving – Don’t Let The Turkeys Get You Down
Thanksgiving is the season for stuffing turkey bones and lobster down the drain. Don’t invite Roto Rooter to your house!
Posted to Culture by Trish Wilson on November 23, 2005 11:30 AM

Avoiding Unexpected Holiday Traffic Snarls
Most dwellers of our larger metro areas are used to dealing with traffic congestion during morning and afternoon “drive time” and have learned to accomodate it one way or another. But one of the many frustrations of the holiday season…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on November 23, 2005 10:25 AM

No Misgivings About Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving. It is one of the few holidays that hasn’t been over-commercialized and over-politicized.
Posted to Culture by Margaret Romao Toigo on November 23, 2005 02:36 AM

Eugene Edwards Sends Holiday Wishes Via Song
Eugene Edwards offers a free Christmas treat to fans.
Posted to Music by Connie Phillips on November 21, 2005 08:56 PM

Modern Pea Pod’s November 2005 Mixtape
Hand-picked personal favorites by the Modern Pea Pod staff, just in time for the holiday season.
Posted to Music by Modern Pea Pod on November 21, 2005 01:41 PM

Thanksgiving Travel Up Slightly This Year
For the first time in years, my parent’s house in Northeast Ohio will not be the fulcrum of extended Olsen family Thanksgiving activity because we are all gathering at an undisclosed arid locale in December for a Christmas hoohaw in…
Posted to Culture by Eric Olsen on November 20, 2005 10:57 AM

Memories of Thanksgivings Past
Since I was a little boy, nothing excited me more than the week prior to Thanksgiving.
Posted to Culture by Victor Lana on November 20, 2005 08:55 AM

Ridonkulous DVD’s Of The Week
Ridonkulous DVD Picks of the Week from a lowly video store employee Every week our UPS man, like a scheisser (or “scat”) porn-loving Santa Claus, delivers us a bundle of joy. No, not a baby, that only happened once…
Posted to Video by Jordan Clifford on November 19, 2005 01:35 PM

Food for Thought: Turkey Time
Our weekly food column takes on Thanksgiving dinner and the noble fowl — and presents a couple of dandy side-dish recipes too.
Posted to Culture by Natalie Davis on November 18, 2005 11:18 PM

A New Conservative Christmas Tradition
While waiting for the Wednesday morning traffic report on the way to work I had to endure the sound of Jim Gearhart playing Dr. Moreau to a livelier-than-usual mob of New Jersey 101.5 FM mouth-breathers. Gearhart’s listeners were all whipped…
Posted to Politics by Steven Hart on November 18, 2005 10:22 AM

A little Dickens…
A Christmas comic strip
Posted to Culture by James O’Neil on November 16, 2005 07:11 AM

Holiday Season Programming From PBS and Nickelodeon
Still buried in the first half of November — heck, I was out mowing the lawn and blowing leaves in a t-shirt and 65-degree breezes Saturday, in Northeast Ohio! — PBS and Nickelodeon have both announced their December holiday programming….
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on November 14, 2005 04:13 PM

CD Review: Steve Lukather & Friends – SantaMental
Disturbingly, I suspect that I’ve heard these arrangements before during holiday travel reports on the Weather Channel.
Posted to Music by Modern Pea Pod on November 12, 2005 06:29 PM

Hanukkah – Judaism’s Most Important Holiday
The holiday is not about a miracle of light or cruse of oil – it is about a civil war.
Posted to Politics by Ruvy in Jerusalem on November 10, 2005 08:07 AM

CD review: Race against Time – It’s Mellow But Not Quiet
His Christmas song ‘Happy Christmas Mr Blair’ is a protest song that is both funny and effective;
Posted to Music by Marty Dodge on November 8, 2005 09:08 AM

DVD Reviews: A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life
I know I’m as early as a Wal-Mart, but I want to be among the first to check in with my obvious picks for The Two Greatest Christmas Movies: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) and A Christmas Story (1983). Let me…
Posted to Video by Paul J. Marasa on November 7, 2005 03:21 PM

Liberals and the ‘War on Christmas’
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas—and the liberals want to kill Jesus all over again.
Posted to Culture by Pete Blackwell on November 7, 2005 09:17 AM

Movie Review: Christmas with the Kranks
This lump of coal of a picture mainly accounts for stale scorn and ridiculously retarded attempts for laughs.
Posted to Video by Brandon Valentine on November 6, 2005 10:46 AM

Happy Holidays You Bah-Hum-Buggin’ Vamps
Do you hear what I hear? It’s almost that magical time of year when people from around the world reach out to each other from the dark and cold days of mid-winter to celebrate love, birth, sharing, and good will…
Posted to Culture by diana hartman on November 4, 2005 10:20 PM

About Eric Olsen

Career media professional and serial entrepreneur Eric Olsen flung himself into the paranormal world in 2012, creating the America's Most Haunted brand and co-authoring the award-winning America's Most Haunted book, published by Berkley/Penguin in Sept, 2014. Olsen is co-host of the nationally syndicated broadcast and Internet radio talk show After Hours AM; his entertaining and informative America's Most Haunted website and social media outlets are must-reads: Twitter@amhaunted, Facebook.com/amhaunted, Pinterest America's Most Haunted. Olsen is also guitarist/singer for popular and wildly eclectic Cleveland cover band The Props.

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