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
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Nice way to get into the spirit, Eric. Though I really think that the "spirit" is arriving earlier each year.
When I went to get some Halloween decorations in mid-October, Christmas decorations were stacked right next to Halloween items. Besides the orange and black not mixing with the red, green, and gold, there is an almost perverse twist to the season like this.
And what about Thanksgiving? It seems forgotten or just sandwiched in there now. I have been seeing houses lit for Christmas for the last few weeks. Used to be lights were lit on Thanksgiving night, and even back then people felt that was too early.
Oh, well, my daughter has been talking about Christmas since Labor Day, so I best be getting with the program.
2 - Natalie Davis
The book says "Seasons' Greetings?" It's Merry Christmas, dammit!
3 - Eric Olsen
I think Thanksgiving gets short shrift as well, perhaps because it's such a "private," family-oriented holiday, and becasue there isn't a lot of obvious retail tie-in other than the chow
Nat, I went with the generic Season's Greetings for the lead book since we're starting so early, but I know you jest as well
4 - Natalie Davis
Yes, I am indeed making fun. "Seasons' Greetings" is A-OK with me, and I bet the baby Jesus and Hanukkah Harry would agree.
5 - Natalie Davis
Wait, Eric -- you haven't heard about the new T-Day tradition (and I'm not talking about my annual tradition of working at soup kitchens, about which an essay is forthcoming): shopping at the Thanksgiving Day Get a Jump on Black Friday sales? Forget Cowboys vs. Lions and turkey kills, shopping is the new Thanksgiving Day bloodsport.
6 - Mary K. Williams
Victor says,
"When I went to get some Halloween decorations in mid-October, Christmas decorations were stacked right next to Halloween items. Besides the orange and black not mixing with the red, green, and gold, there is an almost perverse twist to the season like this."
I Know!!! Soo aggrevates me.
"And what about Thanksgiving? It seems forgotten or just sandwiched in there now. I have been seeing houses lit for Christmas for the last few weeks. Used to be lights were lit on Thanksgiving night, and even back then people felt that was too early"
Again, it just sets my teeth on edge - or something like that. : ). Pretty much what my Black Friday post was about..grrr.
but I DO like Christmas, and I think the next post will be more cheerful : )
7 - Eric Olsen
Thanksgiving is a brief rest stop on the highway from Halloween to Christmas - a brief change in color motif