I couldn’t agree more with David Letterman. As my non-Jewish friends get ready to celebrate Christmas, I present for your viewing and listening enjoyment Darlene Love singing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on last night’s Late Show. This is my all-time favorite Christmas song, and once again (and after a one-year absence) Darlene just blows it out of the water.
Merry Christmas, everybody!
God bless the Interwebs.
I discovered this week that on Hulu.com you can watch the Studio 60 “Christmas Show” episode from 2006. For my money, this was one of the best holiday-themed episodes of any show of all time — and definitely one of the finest hours of this short-lived TV series. Continue reading
It’s one thing to go to a restaurant because the food is good. It’s another to go because you like the ambience. But that’s how I feel about the Cheesecake Factory, which every year plays the single best holiday music of any store or restaurant I patronize. It’s like they somehow got a copy of my Very Marty Christmas mixes and put them all on shuffle. No kidding. They play Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” Stevie Wonder’s big tunes … all the classics, plus some not as good but still enjoyable ones like Kelly Clarkson’s “My Grown-Up Christmas List.” And this year, to up the ante, they even have a holiday-themed cheesecake with peppermint candies. No, I didn’t have that when I went to the Factory Saturday night, but I almost did. I may just have to go back to try it. But anyway, that’s another endorsement from me: The Cheesecake Factory at holiday time.
Todd and I were talking yesterday while wandering around New York City and I commented to him matter-of-factly that I was having such a good time that I could see myself being very happy living here. He said it was just because the weather was so nice, and because New York is a fun city to visit. I called it temporary insanity. After all, I know full well that I have absolutely no desire to live in Manhattan. Hell, I don’t even like New York City. But that doesn’t change the fact that I had those thoughts again after another day of playing tourist.
I was in the city to see Todd — in from Los Angeles with his wife and child, Naomi, who is already a year old — and we did a typical tourist thing on the day after Thanksgiving: wander around Fifth Avenue looking at the various store windows at Saks, Bloomingdales, and Bergdorf Goodman. (Oh, and it should be noted, we did all this with Kerri.) Then we went to 30 Rock to see the tree (unlit until Wednesday). And I’ve gotta say, the combination of perfect weather and being amongst people full of holiday cheer (not just Todd and co., but the entire city, it seemed) was really fun.
When we separated, I was having such a good time that I made the decision to stay in the city and try to see a show. After an hour-long wait at the new TKTS booth, I had tickets for (of all things) Shrek the Musical. (I know, I know. But I had included it in a recent article for Continental and I was curious.) I’ll write more about the show a little later, but I’ll say I am enjoying this annual tradition of getting spur-of-the-moment theater tickets (last year I saw Spring Awakening). For laughs and, well, because I had to go, I returned to Charmin’s free public restroom, browsed the Virgin Megastore for a while, then fully embraced my inner tourist by grabbing a quick dinner at Planet Hollywood (mmmmm … Chicken Crunch). Suffice it to say, it was a cheesy couple hours, but I enjoyed myself.
Yeah, Todd was right: In small doses, New York can be a lot of fun. But small doses is key. I’m not moving anytime soon.
Ho ho ho … the Christmas season officially begins this Sunday when Stephen Colbert‘s holiday special A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All airs on Comedy Central at 10 p.m. Check out these previews (or read this one), and then watch the whole thing this weekend. (Brothers & Sisters isn’t on, so there shouldn’t be any conflicts for you loyal Walker watchers out there.)
http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml
http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml
And if you want even more, check out Colbert’s very own yule log. Merry Christmas, everybody!
My friends, as I survey my collection of unused holiday tunes, I’m very quickly coming to the realization that there may not be a Very Marty Christmas 2008. I spent some time this past weekend re-listening to last year’s mix and congratulating myself once again on what a great, fun compilation it was. (Really. At various times, I found myself saying out loud, to no one but myself, how great an album it was.) Heck, I even made two CDs — the second being my best-of collection. So how could I possibly top those this year?
Before anyone blames this on the economy or laziness or anything else, know this much: I’m trying. But of all the new holiday music I’m listening to — Sheryl Crow, Kristin Chenoweth, the Brushfire collection, Brian McKnight, Ledisi, and even Neil Sedaka — very little of it is any good. Of course, I love the new Harry Connick Jr. holiday album, but I can’t really make a CD of only Harry Connick tunes. That wouldn’t be very cool — or legal. And I really don’t want to make a subpar CD of leftovers that didn’t make it onto previous year’s mixes (like Dido’s “Christmas Day,” a perennial also-ran, or Darlene Love’s now-three-year-old “Christmastime for the Jews“).
Really, I’m just not as excited about making a mix this year like I was last year. So maybe the best thing for me to do is go out on top and leave folks wanting more. After all, last year’s mix was really good. Like, instant-classic good. Maybe by next year I’ll have enough material to compile a really good and worthy ninth (!!) Very Marty Christmas CD. And, maybe I’ll rally and find enough for a good CD this year. You never know what can happen around holiday time. Stay tuned.
Tonight’s Christmas Eve. Maybe you’ve heard me mention it once or twice. People always seem to wonder what I’ll be up to the next day and a half since, at least officially, I don’t celebrate the holiday. Well, there’s the traditional movie and Chinese food, of course. But for a more thorough answer, here’s the great song Darlene Love sang on Saturday Night Live two years ago. If you’re not Jewish and do celebrate Christmas, allow me to wish you and yours all the best. But for all my fellow members of the tribe, if you’ve never seen this video before, it’s really great. Enjoy!
http://www.hulu.com/embed/PGn5kYL4FWyX3NSHWa1VVw
And by the way, if you’re one of those who like “the classics,” here’s another …
Who says it’s hard to be a Jew on Christmas? The truth is, what fun it is. There’s no pressure to buy last minute gifts, no wrapping, no tree to trim, no big meals to prep … just a lot of festivity to take part in. To wit: I spent part of yesterday and some of today at the malls (Cambridgeside and Arsenal), braving the crowds and taking advantage of some great discounts at Old Navy and other stores. Parking was difficult, but for some reason I have a great deal of patience and skill when it comes to finding a spot, so it wasn’t impossible. I kept my bags close by so as to avoid any trouble. And when all was said and done, I spent about $100 on a ton of clothes and almost felt guilty for not buying more. Here’s one example of the folly of holiday shopping: Old Navy is selling boxer shorts 3 for $12. But if you buy them in a pre-selected gift box, three boxers are only $10.80. And it’s fun, when the salesperson asks if you want gift boxes, to tell her “No thanks. It’s all for me.” I even tried a gingerbread donut at Dunkin’ Donuts. Even more fun than all that is walking from store to store, listening to the holiday tunes. U2’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” in one place. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in another. It’s a good time. How sad it is that just like that, on Wednesday it’ll all be over. So I’m of the school of thought that says you should enjoy the season and make the most of it while you can. Especially since Hanukkah, with its nine days and all, is long over. And my wardrobe is better off for it.
Jeeeez. A whole article about Christmas CDs and not one mention of A Very Marty Xmas 2007 being an instant classic. That doesn’t seem right.
They say that yesterday, Monday, was the Post Office’s busiest day of the year. So I figured it was a good time to share some Christmas card fun facts, courtesy of the kind folks at American Greetings, who sent me a press kit of facts, tips and other stuff (way back in August) related to card-sending and other holiday trends. Here are some of the more interesting factoids:
* More than twice as many cards and letters are processed on December 17 than on any other day of the year. USPS employees predicted they would process 900 million pieces of mail on that one day alone. Also, apparently, 900 million pieces of mail is enough to circle the globe six times.
* According to the Greeting Card Association, Americans will send nearly two billion Christmas cards this year. No surprise, Christmas is the top card-sending occasion in the U.S.
* Also according to the GCA, more than half of all people who buy cards will send up to 25 of them, but nearly 15 percent will send more than 50.
Martin's Musings 