White Elephant Card Game @ Kickstarter

Help get this holiday themed card game published by becoming a backer at Kickstarter.

From the Project Home Page:

Some may know the classic White Elephant gift exchange game as Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, Thieving Secret Santa, or Parcel Pass. The retro-style White Elephant Card Game simulates this classic holiday game. It's a jolly good time for three to six players aged eight and up and plays in about 15-20 minutes. It’s perfect for families and anyone in the Holiday spirit all year ‘round!

In the White Elephant Card Game you play the part of a no-good cheapskate, unwilling to spend a measly dime on the people on your gift list (hey, just like real life!) However, you will be attending several White Elephant parties. You can take some junk from your attic and exchange it for treasures to give as gifts. If you “play your cards right” you could fill your gift list for free and no one will be the wiser!

New ! Santas Working Overtime's Amazon Store

Just in time for summer it's Santas Working Overtime's Amazon Store!

Check out our hand picked selection of Christmas Music, Books, DVDs, and more, and remember that every time your make a purchase from our store (or any of the Amazon links you may find scattered about the place)  your also helping to keep this blog running.

Thanks!

New Release: Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In

Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In

Notes: Warner Bros. Christmas Compilation. Sequel to last years Gift Wrapped: 20 Songs That Keep On Giving

Review: Fairly solid collection of tunes, most new to the comp, a few rarities that have been floating around for a while.

Most of the tracks are, on first listen, perfectly fine without being instantly memorable or detestable. The tunes that tend toward the novelty end of the spectrum fare the worst. I'm heartbroken by Tegan and Sara's boring take on The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) and unimpressed with Devo's minuscule slice of holiday de-cheer. I appreciate Foxy Shazam's choice of Heaven on Their Mind (From Jesus Christ Superstar) though I doubt I'll be adding ot to this years Christmas mix.

Top Tracks:
Home For Christmas (Cavo), Merry Christmas Everybody (Oasis), Better Days (Acoustic Version) (Goo Goo Dolls), Baby Come Find Me At Christmas (Rachael Yamagata), Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (The Dirt Drifters), O Come, O Come Emmanuel (House Of Heroes)

3.25 dirty snowflakes out of 5

  

New Release: A Christmas Cornucopia - Annie Lennox

A Christmas Cornucopia
Annie Lennox

Notes: Occasionally challenging often quite beautiful holiday effort. Lennox's vocals sometimes dominate the skillful arrangements and my favorite moments are those where she takes a more restrained approach.

Favorite Tracks (so far):See Amid The Winter's Snow, Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant, The Holly And The Ivy, In The Bleak Midwinter, Silent Night

3.75 Christmas Stars out of 5

New Release: Joy to the World - Pink Martini

Joy to the World - Pink Martini
Notes: Top shelf modern multi-cultural exotica. Fits right in with the best Holiday albums of years past. Best of the season so far...
My Top Tracks: Schedryk, Santa Baby, Do You Hear What I Hear? We Three Kings, A Snow Globe Christmas, Silent Night, Auld Lang Syne
4.25 festive rum drinks out of 5

New Releases : Glee and Jackie Evancho

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album

Notes: It's a very Gleeky Christmas
My Picks: Merry Christmas Darling, Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree, You're a Mean One Mister Grinch
2 bored marketing executives out of 5

O Holy Night - Jackie Evancho 
Notes: Americas'(Got Talent) little sweetheart's lovely 4 track EP
(CD comes with bonus video.)
My Picks: All four songs
3.5 angelic voices out of five

Evening Update (11/01)

by lastminutesave

Thanksgiving

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Official Site features a Parade Community social network sort of thingy

NBC Kicks Off the Holiday Season With "The 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade press release @ The Futon Critic


How to Choose Wine for Thanksgiving @ Serious Eats


T minus 24: A laid-back guide to Thanksgiving @ eatocracy


Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Thanksgiving

Bon Appetit's Thanksgiving Checklist @ Shine


Thanksgiving Crafts with Kendra: Corn Table Crafts @ Holidash


Record Store Day meets Black Friday this November @ Consequence of Sound

Christmas

TV Press releases via The Futon Critic:

• Town'Tis The Season for "The Fabulous Beekman Boys Holiday Special" Coming This December on Planet Green 
•  Mariah Carey Comes to ABC With Her Very Own Holiday Television Special, "Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You," Monday, December 13
• Some Desperate Housewives, Some of America's Funniest Families and Charlie Brown All Celebrate Thanksgiving on ABC
• NBC to Air Three Special Holiday-Themed Episodes of "Minute to Win It"
• Hallmark Channels: The Biggest Holiday Destination in Television

Star 93.9  FM is streaming Christmas music

How Long Will You Wait To Do Your Holiday Shopping? @ The Consumerist

Afternoon Update (10/31)

vintage santa 1901-2 by ronijj

Thanksgiving

Tipnut's Thanksgiving Helpers

Christmas

Free Amazon Download VeggieTales The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree


Christmas Radio News

• Listen to Christmas Across the Lands 12 hour Christmas show from 2009
• 2009's 100 Most Played Holiday Songs at Radio-Info.com
• 106.7 Lite fm has four Christmas streams Hits, Variety, R&B and Country
• 100.3 WNIC is streaming Christmas tunes

Welcome Yule - An English Christmas Revels (New Christmas Music)

Welcome Yule - An English Christmas Revels - The Christmas Revels

New collection of performances, many recorded live, from the long running series of seasonal period entertainments offered each year by John Langstaff's Christmas Revels, in this case the Cambridge, Mass incarnation of the group. Olde English carols, dances and hymns, most, but not all, seasonal in nature, transport the listener back in time to a very different Christmas celebration than we're used to in these days of frantic shopping, overloaded schedules and holiday tidings poisoned by cynicism and irony.

Nothing can match actually attending one of these remarkable performances but there is a wonderful energy that more than makes up for the lack of visuals (and the occaionally shambolic production on a few of the live recordings), and while there is an occasional whiff of the amatauer theatrical, the obvious affection the performers feel for the material shines through.

Other Christmas Revels recordings include 2000's A Victorian Christmas Revels, 1995's Sing We Now Of Christmas, 1987's Christmas Day In The Morning: A Revels Celebration Of The Winter Solstice, 1982's Wassail! Wassail! Early American Christmas Music and The Christmas Revels: In Celebration Of The Winter Solstice from 1978.

Preview  / Buy CD at Amazon
Preview /  Buy MP3 Album at Amazon

Napster Users Listen
MOG Users Listen

Wilson Phillips - Christmas in Harmony (New Christmas Music)

Wilson Phillips - Christmas in Harmony

The new holiday offering from pop harmony trio Wilson Philiips starts off with a less than inspiring version of one of my all time favorite Christmas tunes, I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday (the Roy Wood/Wizzard original itself partially influenced by the Wison girls Beach Boy father Brian). The album improves from there but seldom reaches beyond the realm of well produced mall music. As is often the case with middling holiday tunes your feelling for this collection will likely be tied directly to your affection for the artists involved.

Polished pop, well performed (the harmonies are stunning, as you'd expect) but only a few tracks rise above the ordinary thanks mostly to the bland arrangements and pedestrian song selection.

My early picks for top tracks are Joy, Warm Lovin' Christmas, and Santa Claus is Coming To Town.

2.75 snow angels out 5

Buy CD at Amazon
Buy MP3 Album w/ Digital Booklet at Amazon

Napster Users Listen
MOG Users Listen

The Isaacs - Christmas (New Christmas Music)

The Isaacs - Christmas

Very nice, if not exceptional, bluegrass tinged offering from the inspirationally inclined group following up their previous holiday release,  2000's Christmas Spirit. Obviously, if you're a fan of the band or their earlier holiday effort you know to expect tasteful and heartfelt renditions of many of your favorite holiday standards. New listeners enjoyment may depend on thier affection for country/bluegrass.

3 out of 5 Snowflakes

• Buy the CD at Amazon
• Buy the MP3 Album on Amazon

• Napster Users Listen
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Free Christmas Music: The Very Merry Christmas Sugo Holiday Sampler

 Amazon has The Very Merry Christmas Sugo Holiday Sampler as a free MP3 download. The Holiday Sampler includes two tracks from Stevan Pasero as well as single tracks from Anna Maria Mendieta, Nina Postolovskaya and Indigo.

Christmas Eve Already!

"He Has Come: Christmas Music from the Jesus Movement" @ bongobells

"The Jesus Movement (late 1960s and early 1970s) was a time
when many bare-footed hippies where coming to Christ.
These young Christians were called "Jesus People"
and they began creating a new form of worship and evangelical music.
Here they sing about Christmas and the Birth of their King."

Snowball OST @ Eric Hester

"Christmas Is" with Benji and Waldo. @ Twelve Months of Christmas

Happy Holidays From Salad Days Music

AZLTRON Holiday Mix

Umphrey's McGee: free Christmas EP

happy chrismas to ya list'nas @ snuhthing/anything

Have Yourself A Magical Little Christmas @ She'll Grow Back

It All Started With Carbon Monoxide's Obligatory Christmas Mix #4

Sebastian's Zither - Christmas Dreams @ A Christmas Yuleblog

The Venture Brothers:"Henchmen 21 & 24 - Wonderful Christmastime" @ Quickstop Entertainment

New .99 cent Rifftrax Christmas Short "Santa's Toyshop"

Me and You and a Blog Named Boo offers up some Christmas Music Videos

Cool-Mo-Dee shares Dell Giant #53 - Donald Duck and DC Universe Christmas

Groovy Christmas' Past: Captain Marvel gets "A Taste of Madness!"@ Diversions of the Groovy Kind

Herman Munster Meets Santa Claus @ Frankensteinia

The Franklin Mint Blog remembers A Charlie Brown Christmas

Hulu Christmas Collection:

• The Office: Moroccan Christmas
• Monk: Mr. Monk and the Miracle
• American Dad!: Best Christmas Story Never Told
• 30 Rock: Christmas Special
• Psych: Christmas Joy
• ALF: ALF's Special Christmas
• Married...With Children: Christmas
• The A-Team: Holiday in the Hills
• The O.C.: The Best Chrismukkah Ever
  

The Lightning Bug's Lair on the original Black Christmas (1974)

Star Wars Holiday Special: The Good Parts Version & Stephen Leacock's "Merry Christmas" @ Fantasy Magazine

Sixpence None the Richer - The Dawn of Grace

This may be my favorite new Christmas album of the year...

Holiday Chant

Sarah Brightman : A Winter Symphony

Christmas link round-up

Geilenkirchen, St. Nikolaus Market, 04 (by Hobby-Photograph)

Christmas Forever shares A Singer Christmas for the Family by The Mastertone Orchestra featuring the Don Janse Chorale and Favorite Christmas Songs from Singer by The Singer Orchestra

Joe Rock links to a tremendous selection of celebrity Christmas ID's at the daily wav

Christmas Music @ Download.com

Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh @ Nick.com

Christmas @ BBC Food

Snowflake and Yarn Wreath @ Cathie Fillian plus homemade Mini Cocoa Gifts

Santa's Beard Advent Calendar craft @ Kaboose

Resparkle Your Old Ornaments @ CraftStytlish

Holiday Gifts That Won't Break The Bank @ The Consumerist

Families.com collects some YouTube Christmas clips to help get you in the holiday spirit

Printable Letters from Santa @ Santaprintables.com

Christmas Music, Creepy ads, Wayside Waifs Charity CD + more

Jingle Bell Tree (by Kadance)

Two more albums newly shared at A Christmas Yuleblog: The wonderful Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra's "Christmas Music" & the steam whistle stylings (!) of "Marlin L. Ryan - York, PA Traditional Christmas Carols"

Ernie (Not Bert) has posted a pair of re-shares:
Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Carols and Saint Patrick's Cathedral Choir Sings Christmas Songs-Volume 2

bongobells offers Away in a Manger x 19!

Can You See the Sunset... has part 2 of Can You See Santa From The Southside?

Sofia Talvik's annual free Christmas single "A Carol for the Lonely" (via stubbysfears)

Presents of Christmas Past! (Pac Man Edition) @ Geek Orthodox

Creepy Christmas Ads @ Holidash

Classic Disney Holiday Stories with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and more.




Wayside Waifs - a charity compilation CD, and labor of love, from the Twelve Months of Christmas's Tone King, is finally available for purchase!

Here's the Tone King discussing it at Twelve Months of Christmas and here's a direct link to the compilation's very own web site.

Congratulations to the Tone King on putting together this amazing album and helping out our less fortunate four-legged friends!

On First Listen: New Christmas Albums from Anne Murray and Bela Fleck

Here are my first impressions of the first few new holiday releases I recently picked up. Later on in the year I'll revisit them to see if my initial opinions of them has changed or remained the same.

Anne Murray - Anne Murray's Christmas album

Greatest Christmas Hits collection augmented with a few new tracks including a ill advised duet with Michael Bublé on "Baby It's Cold Outside". It might have worked better if the Canadian cougar had sang the lead, trying to entice the younger Bublé to stay the winter's night.

A terrific treat for Murray fans. Not particularly noteworthy for anyone not already smitten by her adult contemporary/country sound.

Béla Fleck And The Flecktones - Jingle All the Way

Quirky holiday release from virtuoso banjo plucker Béla Fleck and his top notch ensemble of Flecktones. Banjo, Bluegrass and World music fans will wee their pants in joy while listening to Fleck's inventive arrangements of such holiday chestnuts as Jingle Bells (featuring Tuvan throat singing!), Silent Night, Linus and Lucy, Sleigh Ride, Danse of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and The Christmas Song. Fleck's "Jingle All the Way" is the perfect (mostly) instrumental alternative to a winter's worth of Mannheim Steamroller, Windham Hill and Kenny G.

Press Repeat:
Silent Night, Sleigh Ride, J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (BVW 248 #41), Linus and Lucy

Press Skip:
Christmas Time is Here, What Child Is This/Dyngyldai