The Ghosts of Motley Hall S02E01-The Christmas Spirit
The Ghosts of Motley Hall Xmas Special-Phantomime
Monday, October 31, 2011
Christmas Album of the Day - The Nightmare Before Christmas
Christmas Album of the Day
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Listen @ Spotify
Preview / Buy The Nightmare Before Christmas Special Edition at Amazon.com
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Christmas Album of the Day - Mannheim Steamroller : Christmas Symphony
Christmas Album of the Day
Mannheim Steamroller : Christmas Symphony
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony at Amazon.com
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Holiday Album of the Day - Charlie Brown Holiday Hits by the Vince Guaraldi Trio
Holiday Album of the Day
Charlie Brown Holiday Hits by the Vince Guaraldi Trio
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
Preview / Buy Charlie Brown Holiday Hits at Amazon.com
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Christmas update for 10.29.11
Christmas @ Kickstarter
- Filmmakers and Actors Discuss Their Holiday Favorites @ NYT
- 77 Santas Kick Off Christmas Mix @ Talus or Scree (77 Santas' new home)
- A pair of festive mixes from gr8dane74: You Are A Gift and Sugar Rum Cherry
Friday, October 28, 2011
Christmas Album of the Day: Michael Bublé's Christmas
Christmas Album of the Day
Michael Bublé : Christmas
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
Preview / Buy Christmas at Amazon.com
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Holiday Update for 10.28.11
- 24 Festive Fall Mantels! @ New Home Ec
- Thanksgiving 2011 Trends in Food Magazines: Pies, Pecans, Ginger and Green Beans @ The Bitten Word
- Handprint Turkey Cookies @ Somewhat Simple
- Free Thanksgiving Paper Doll Printable @ Tip Junkie
***
- Toro Y Moi, Dan Deacon, Memory Tapes, More on Free Carpark Holiday Album + Free Class Actress MP3 @ Pitchfork
- Jack Johnson's new Christmas song 'In the Morning' @ EW
- Bieber Christmas Leak! @ Popdust
- Baked Bean Tin Christmas Cake – pt 1 @ Butcher Baker
- Vintage Clip Art - Lovely Deer - Christmas @ The Graphics Fairy
- Free eBook 23 Gingerbread House Designs and Recipes @ Favecrafts
- Toys ‘R’ Us Gets Nostalgic for Christmas @ NYT
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Overnight Christmas Quickie
- Two free Christmas MP3s from Norwegian indie Christmas super group Sunturns @ It's A Trap
- Make a Christmas Garland with Fancy House Road
- Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas Holiday Open House
Visit Santas Working Overtime's Twitter | tumblr | Pintrist | RSS | Shop
Christmas Update for 10.27.11
Christmas @ Kickstarter
- Parrothead Christmas @ Stubby's House of Christmas
- Kiss Justin Under the Mistletoe Facebook App
- Christmas Music at McDonald's Already: Are You Lovin' It? @ AOL Finance
- Hallmark Channel Launches a New Holiday Tradition: A Christmas TV Ratings System for All Original Programs in the Network's Annual "Countdown to Christmas" Campaign @ Press Release / TheFutonCritic.com
- Classic OTR: Jump Jump and the Ice Queen @ Internet Archive
- Vintage Umbrella's Thrifty Thursday... Christmas decorations
Christmas Album of the Day
Little Altar Boy & Other Christmas Songs by Vic Dana
Follow Santas Working Overtime on Twitter, tumblr and Pintrist...
Just wanted to take a sec to remind everyone about other places you can find Santas Working Overtime plus some other bits and pieces...
Sometimes I don't have enough content to justify a new post but I have some breaking news or a cool link I really want to share asap. That's what Twitter's for. Follow SantasWorkingOT on Twitter or check out my recent tweets with the widget in the upper right corner of this page. Some of the stuff I tweet (and retweet) will end up posted here but a lot of it will only be on Twitter.
You can follow all my blog posts by subscribing to Santas Working Overtime in your newsreader.
I post holiday related pix and tunes over at tumblr plus more pix at Pintrist.
Have a cool link you think my readers would like to check out? Drop me a line at santasworkingovertime@gmail.com
If you appreciate what I do here and you'd like to help me pay some bills simply do your Amazon.com shopping through one of my many links. Check out the constantly updated Santas Working Overtime Amazon Christmas Store.
And, most of all, thanks for stopping by!
YouTube Christmas TV Grab Bag (Bob Hope, Kimagure Orange Road, New West Magazine)
Bob Hope Christmas Special 1985
Kimagure Orange Road - Episode 38
1991 - New West Magazine - Christmas Special
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Holiday Update - Late Night Edition
- Baked Apples with Savory Stuffing @ Shutterbean
- Candy Corn Macarons @ Annie's Eats
- The autumn light and colors of Vermont @ cannelle et vanille
- The Fun of Fall at the Disneyland Resort @ Babes in Disneyland
- Eddie Money Celebrates The Season With Lou Gramm and Mickey Thomas @ MNN
- Kaela Kimura’s “A Winter Fairy is Melting a Snowman” and Melting Your BRAIN @ The Christmas Club
- Rufus Wainwright Announces Return of McGarrigle/Wainwright Christmas Concert @ Exclaim
Holiday Update for 10.26.11
- Calorie Count: What the Thanksgiving Cook Nibbled @ Delish
- a big slice of autumn: apple & cheddar quick bread @ Everybody Likes Sandwiches
- 31 Days of Autumn Recipes {Day 25}: Tortellini Soup, {Day 26}: Pumpkin Spice Latte @ Texas Cottage
- 50 Thanksgiving Day Activities @ Tip Junkie
*****
- Ken Kessler (of Sounds of Christmas fame) stopped by The Spirit of Christmas blog to run down this season's new Christmas music releases.Plus The Reindeer Keeper reviewed.
- Halloween is Grinch Night @ Christmas TV History
- Batman Noel interview @ CBR
Christmas Album of the Day
Christmas Is Coming: A Tribute to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by The Lori Mechem Quartet
Christmas Is Coming: A Tribute To ''A Charlie Brown Christmas'' [+Digital Booklet] @ Amazon.com
Kringle's Capsule Reviews presents Kringle's Choice: Best of this week's new releases
Kringle's Choice: Best of this week's new releases
Highly Recommended
Michael Bublé : Christmas
I thought this might only be my second or third favorite release of the week but it's the album I keep coming back to, a really solid effort that gets better with each listen.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
*
Matt Wertz : Snowglobe
Just barely edged out by Bublé comes this fantastic holiday effort from Nashville based singer songwriter Matt Wertz. No Spotify or MOG links as of yet but trust me this is a great album. You can preview and buy Snowglobe at Amazon or iTunes but if you head over to Matt's site you can grab gift packs that include CD's, download gift cards and exclusive letterpress greeting cards.
*
A Very She & Him Christmas
I loved the idea of this album when it was announced. I loved the advance single "The Christmas Waltz". I loved it as it played in the background while I blogged. Then I loved it a little bit less the more I listened. It's actually a bit of a downer after awhile and not the adorkable romp you might expect.While it's not as amazing as I'd hoped it would be (a victim of my unrealistically high expectations I suppose) it's still destined to become a staple on the holiday hi-fi all season long.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
A Very She & Him Christmas at Amazon.com
*
Chanticleer : Our Favorite Carols
Seeing Chanticleer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the musical highlight of my holiday season each year so any seasonal offering from them is going straight into heavy rotation. So good...
Our Favorite Carols at Amazon.com
*
Tommy Emmanuel : All I Want For Christmas
Absolutly the best instrumental album I've heard so far this year...
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
All I Want For Christmas at Amazon.com
*****
Recommended
Mannheim Steamroller : Christmas Symphony
The Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Express keeps on chugging with this fairly nice collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. If your a MS hater this won't change your mind but fans will want to give it a listen.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony at Amazon.com
*
Season's Greetings: A Jersey Boys Christmas
Pretty much as good as it gets in the Four Seasons cover band Christmas compilation album genre.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
Seasons Greetings: A Jersey Boys Christmas at Amazon.com
*****
Other releases of note
Deana Martin: White Christmas
Fairly unremarkable collection of holiday standards from Dino's daughter. I so wanted to like this. A duet with yule crooner extraordinaire Andy Williams fails to enliven the proceedings.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
*
Randi Fay : Noel
Workmanlike collection of Christmas standards both classic and contemporary.
*
Scott Weiland : The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
I applaud Weiland for taking a risk and cutting a holiday themed platter but as I listened to The Most Wonderful Time of the Year I started to wonder if I'd gotten an album by the wrong Scott since Weilland seemed to be channeling Walker. Except a Scott Walker Christmas album would probably be a whole lot more interesting. And listenable. (Actually the arrangements aren't half bad, so there's that)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
YouTube Christmas Music Grab Bag for 10.25.11
"Deck The Halls" by Tony Craddock, Jr
Despina Vandi - Jingle Bells (Kalanta English Version)
Mia Rose: What would Christmas be like
Serenades-Come home
Holiday Update for 10.25.11
- We Are Not Martha are back from Butterball University
- Stubby's House of Christmas checks out the singles scene
- RadioJonD at The Fa' found this amazing collection of Christmas OTR from Radio Out of the Past
- Free Kindle eBook : A Wee Christmas Homicide (Liss MacCrimmon Mystery)
- Make a Paper Christmas banner @ Vintage Umbrella
Christmas Single of the Day
There's Still Christmas by Clarence Clemons
Chistmas Album of the Day
All I Want For Christmas by Tommy Emmanuel
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
All I Want For Christmas at Amazon.com
YouTube Christmas TV Grab Bag for 10.25.11
Date With the Angels
Pee-Wee's Christmas Special
BJ & The Bear-Silent Night Unholy Night
Arnie with Herschel Bernardi 1971
Monday, October 24, 2011
YouTube Christmas Grab Bag for 10.24.11 (The Christmas Card, Beverly Hillbillies, Hollywood Christmas Parade)
The Christmas Card : A Short Film by Mark Randall Berry
The Beverly Hillbillies
Hollywood Christmas Parade 1960
Holiday Update for 10.24.11
By stevetoearth
- Burton Builds Balloon For Macy’s Parade @ Famous Monsters
- Lots of great music news plus Mike Conley @ Stubby's House of Christmas
- The season's first all Christmas radio station Easy931
- Merry Halloween! Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? @ Christmas TV History
- Vintage Clip Art - Romantic Frames - Christmas Colors @ The Graphics Fairy
- Super WHY!: Twas the Night Before Christmas & Other Stories @ Netflix Streaming
- Organized Christmas Christmas Countdown Day 1: Get Organized! | Day 2: Make A Christmas Planner!
Christmas Album of the Day: A Very She & Him Christmas
Christmas Album of the Day
A Very She & Him Christmas
(...already jumped to the top of my favorite new Christmas music list...)
(...already jumped to the top of my favorite new Christmas music list...)
1003 posts and counting...
I've been under the weather lately, so much so that I totally missed the fact that I'd reached, and now exceeded by three, the thousandth post mark here at this incarnation of my Christmas blog. The actual number of holiday related posts I've blogged is substntially higher when you figure in the years I ran the original Senses Working Overtime (and not even counting my years as an online columnist, DVD reviewer or freelance copywriter).
You can find all 1002 previous posts in our archives, and there's a lot of really neat stuff there, I was surprised, during a recent perusal, at just how many links from the past are still active. You'll find the archive links towards the bottom of the page on the right sidebar. You can also find old posts using the blogger search box in the upper left corner or any of our tags,though to be candid, tagging isn't my strong suit.
I'd also like to take a moment to thank all the writers, artists, musicians, collectors, and other holiday content providers who have made this blog possible. Santas Working Overtime was born of my own obsession with tracking down all the amazing goodies that are shared on the web each festive season and my assumption that if I was interested in this stuff there must be at least a few other like minded folk who would appreciate a bit of help tracking down all those holiday treats. Hopefully this site has helped readers to find lots of holiday fun and good cheer, but in the end it's the people I link to who deserve all the credit and make all our seasons a little bit brighter. Thanks!
If you really want to did deep in the archives check out some Christmas posts from my old blog Senses Working Overtime
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Christmas Albums of the Day : String Quartets Edition
Christmas Albums of the Day : String Quartets Edition
Vitamin String Quartet – The VSQ Christmas Album
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
The VSQ Christmas Album @ Amazon.com
Manor House String Quartet - I Saw Three Ships...and Other Carols
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
I Saw Three Ships..... and Other Carols @ Amazon.com
Lumiere String Quartet - Classical Christmas
Listen on Spotify | Listen on MOG
Classical Christmas @ Amazon.com
YouTube Christmas Music Update for 10.22.11
Factory Star : Lucybel
Rock n Rolling Snowman - Plastic Snow
Melanie Wehbe : Mistletoe (cover)
It's Christmas by ultimate ovation
Friday, October 21, 2011
Holiday Update for 10.21.11
- Serious Entertaining: Autumnal Dinner Party and Pumpkin And Apple Cider Cocktail @ Serious Eats
- Vegan Butternut Squash-Chestnut Soup with Caramelized Pears @ Blistree
- 10 Squash Recipes @ Texas Cottage
- Autumn Flavors of Japan Papercraft @ Yamaha
- Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar @ Tip Junkie
- Shauna Burns' "A Winter Gathering" @ Stubby's House of Christmas
- Community - Season 3 - Musical Christmas episode coming @ Spoiler TV
- Beeswax Tree Ornaments @ Craft
- Pantone Ornaments Will Make You Wish It Was Christmas All Year @ Gizmodo
- Santa Claus Art Card Garland @ Fancy House Road
Christmas Album of the Day
Christmas is Swingtime by Harry Allen
YouTube Christmas Music Grab Bag for 10.21.11
Leon Russell
Dallas Frazier and Joe "Fingers" Carr.
Roger Hoard
Charlotte Church
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Christmas Update for 10.20.11
- Films I Love #55: The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940) @ Only the Cinema
- Merry Halloween! the Boogeyman @ Christmas TV History
- Stephen Sondheim, Angela Lansbury, Mary Martin Feature in Latest Masterworks Line-Up (Mrs. Santa Claus) @ The Second Disc
- A Christmas Carol @ Netflix Streaming (2008 NR 47 minutes) - Ebenezer Scrooge discovers the true meaning of Christmas in this classic Charles Dickens tale. Retold in stunning CGI animation, this all-animal version is bound to be a perennial family favorite.
Christmas Album of the Day
Christmas Song by Manheim Steamroller
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
YouTube Christmas Grab Bag for 10.18.11
Back In Theaters Xmas 2011! SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS
IL VOLO: Detroit Concert Oct. 16, 2011
Spice Girls with Zig and Zag Christmas 1996
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Christmas Cracker
Kringle's Capsule Reviews Quickie
**** Ultimate Christmas : Dave Koz
Generous compilation of Koz's popular smooth holiday sound. Two new tracks give obsessive compulsive fans an excuse for adding Ultimate to thier collection.
Recommended
***
*** A Little River Band Christmas
Possibly expanded re-issue of LRB's "We Call It Christmas" of a few years back. The original CD, as per Amazon, featured 11 tracks, this digital version found on Spotify and MOG adds two more.
While none of the songs reaches the hieghts of LRB in thier prime, this collection still delivers a solid MOR rock holiday experience.
Recommended
***
** Oh Holy Night : Ronny Matthes
Pleasant enough when in sparsely accompanied piano mode but dodgier when attempting the full Mannheim Steamroller.
***
** Quiet Time - Peace on Earth : Eric Nordhoff
Innocuous, low key piano arrangements with minimal, reletivly tasteful accompaniment.
***
** Christmas with Amber Red Guitar : Martin Nockalls & Steve Merrett
Another harmless but entirely superfluous guitar centered instrumental collection.
***
*1/2 Christmas in Scotland
Unispired collection of generic renditions of traditional Christmas and Scots-related tunes in a variety of styles. While not every track here is a clunker the poor decent to dross ratio makes Christmas in Scotland impossible to listen to without frequent visits to the FFW button.
Not recommended
***
* The Great Wee Christmas Album
From the same people wwo foisted Christmas in Scotland on an unsuspecting public, is another collection of generic meh, this time abusing favorite holiday hits and carols.
Not recommended
***
*1/5 A Moose in a Maple Tree (Single)
Bob and Doug McKenzie this ain't. Lame Canadian-centric cod ska version of 12 Days of Christmas. Why?
Not recommended
Holiday Update for 10.18.11
- Pumpkin Soup with Apple & Spices @ Brown Eyed Baker
- Using Apple Butter in the Kitchen: 10 Recipes and Cooking with Fall Fruit: 5 Essential Spices @ the kitchn
- One Pretty Thing's Fall Roundup
- Fall Goodies Roundup @ 1st Lady of the House
- 10 Fall Felt Wreaths @ The New Home Ec
- Stubby's getting a little bit excited over at his House of Christmas
- Justin Bieber's Voice Changes Just In Time For Christmas Album @ Houston Press
- I discovered today's Christmas Album of the Day thanks to a post over at The Fa' by "mr.christmas". Visit his post for more info and links...
Christmas Album of the Day
Winter Wonderland by Mandy Barnett
Monday, October 17, 2011
Ask Billboard: What Are The Best-Selling Holiday Albums? (with playlists)
Ask Billboard: What Are The Best-Selling Holiday Albums?
Check out Billboard's article on the all time top selling holiday albums (and this year's contenders to join the list) then come back and listen to the top ten album by album or in one great big playlist.
Top Ten Bestselling Holiday Albums Spotify Playlist (138 Tracks)
Individual Albums on Spotify
1, "Miracles - the Holiday Album," Kenny G
2, "Noel," Josh Groban
3, "These Are Special Times," Celine Dion
4, "Merry Christmas," Mariah Carey
5, "Christmas in the Aire," Mannheim Steamroller
6, "A Fresh Aire Christmas," Mannheim Steamroller
7, "Christmas," Mannheim Steamroller
8, "Now That's What I Call Christmas!," various artists
9, "Christmas Eve and Other Stories," Trans-Siberian Orchestra
10, "When My Heart Finds Christmas," Harry Connick, Jr.
YouTube Christmas Crafts Roundup for 10.17.11
How To Make Easy Paper Cone Christmas Ornaments
Time Capsule Christmas Ornaments Tutorial
Stampin' On Friday (10/14/11) Christmas Tag
How to make a Winter Wreath Part 1
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Holiday Update for 10.16.11
Christmas @ Kickstarter
Visit Monster Rally : our spooky Halloween Blog
- 50 Pumpkin Recipes for Fall @ Under the Table and Dreaming
- Sweet Pumpkin Seeds @ The Ghoulie Guide
- How To: Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake @ Craft
- Kristine Mirelle @ Stubby's House of Christmas
Christmas Album of the Day
Celtic Christmas Spirit by Caroline Peyton
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Holiday Update for 10.15.11
Christmas @ Kickstarter
- Pie You Can Drink: Maine Root Pumpkin Pie Soda @ Serious Eats
- Papermoon - Merry Christmas Everyone @ Stubby's House of Christmas
- Christmas Turkey Soaked in Brine?@ Nigella Lawson
Christmas Song of the Day
Autumn Album of the Day
Autumn by George Winston
Preview / Buy Autumn (Windham Hill 20th Anniversary Edition)
Christmas Album of the Day
Season's Finest - Timeless Christmas Classics and Holiday Favorites from Film and Television
featuring Dominik Hauser and Kate Campbell
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)