In the Shire the year is winding down. Today, December 18th, begins the Yule Days, the six-day celebration of the end of the year. Tolkien writes little of the Yule Days, except to call them one of the chief holidays and a time of great feasting. One imagines that pipeweed was smoked, ale was quaffedContinue reading “On the Yule Days”
Tag Archives: Christmas
On Wrong Christmas Music
John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” Done as a Gregorian chant. That’s just… wrong.
On an Irn Bru Christmas
Irn Bru. Until Wednesday I’d never heard of it. Then, on a few blogs I read I saw a link to a Christmas commercial they did last year that had been posted to YouTube. Sadly, the YouTube version of the commercial wasn’t especially good. Mainly, it was pixelated. I found a link to the RealContinue reading “On an Irn Bru Christmas”
On Shrek the Halls
ABC repeated their new holiday special, Shrek the Halls this evening. I hadn’t watched it on its original broadcast. Several friends of mine, all of whom whose opinions I respect, admire, and often agree with, described Shrek the Halls variously as “a train wreck,” “this generation’s Star Wars Holiday Special,” among other descriptions. Since itContinue reading “On Shrek the Halls”
On Winter Festivals
Christopher Hitchens confuses me. Don’t misunderstand. I enjoy reading Hitchens. I don’t exactly agree with Hitchens. He reminds me of something Stephen Fry wrote recently, on the subject of dinner arguments: I was warned many, many years ago by the great Jonathan Lynn, co-creator of Yes Minister and director of the comic masterpiece My CousinContinue reading “On Winter Festivals”
On Christmas Music
It surprises people, when they know my lack of religious inclinations, that I enjoy listening to Christmas music. Indeed, I listen to Christmas music pretty much year ’round. And it’s not even purely secular Christmas music I listen to. Yes, I have Fleming & John’s “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” done in theContinue reading “On Christmas Music”
On Christmas — Led Zeppelin Style
I wrote about this, about a year ago, but with Christmas on the horizon I thought I’d mention it again for new readers in the audience. 🙂 There’s a musicial duo — Fleming & John — that does a version of the classic song, “Winter Wonderland,” in the style of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop.”Continue reading “On Christmas — Led Zeppelin Style”
On “Real Love” and JC Penney
A long time reader wrote in recently. “Considering your recent ‘Beatles kick,’ I’m surprised you haven’t blasted JC Penney for their commercial that uses John’s ‘Real Love.’ I don’t know about you, but I’m angry about it.” Well, to be honest, I hadn’t seen it. And what I’d heard about the commercial — a ChristmasContinue reading “On “Real Love” and JC Penney”
On More Writing Insights
I was at the local Hallmark store today. I walked past it, on my way to the grocery store on my lunch break, and something in the window must’ve caught my eye. And so, I found myself looking at Christmas ornaments and Barry Manilow CDs. I didn’t buy anything. I saw a half dozen ornamentsContinue reading “On More Writing Insights”
On Beating the Heat
The temperature hit triple digits today. Triple digits! So I’m listening to Christmas music. I’m thinking snow. I’m thinking winter. Like yesterday. Not quite triple digits. And I wrote an advertising piece on Greatfather Winter and the Feast of Winter Veil. Thinking winter, it made me feel cooler. Nothing says cool temperatures like Fleming &Continue reading “On Beating the Heat”