Mid-December Playlist (excerpted): How to Have a Mary Christmas

Christmas is a very healing time for me. I love the lights, the decorations, how the darkest part of the year is suddenly alive with warmth and colour.

The music, on the other hand, sucks.

The same twelve songs, over and over, screeched or bawled or mumbled or just plain fucked up by every singer who ever lived. The best thing about Christmas music is it only lasts a couple of weeks. It's also the worst thing.

Apparently, some of our more progressive music acts feel the same way about Christmas music as I do, because in the past few years there has been a real renaissance in this genre, which I hope the playlist shows. Also, over the years I've come to like the occasional versions of those dread 12 songs.

The following are the Christmas songs I'll be listening to:

Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler
All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth - Alvin & The Chipmunks
Christmas Don't Be Late - Alvin & The Chipmunks
Green Christmas - Barenaked Ladies
Lonely Christmas Eve - Ben Folds Five
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Bootleggers' Christmas - Calvin Hillier
I Saw Three Ships - Celtic Connection
Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Christmas Day - Green Day
Christmas Night In Harlem - Louis Armstrong
Santa Baby - Madonna
I Hate Christmas - Oscar the Grouch
Homo Christmas - Pansy Division
Christmas in the Harbour - The Punters
I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus - RuPaul
I'm Gettin' Nuttin' For Christmas - Shirley Temple
I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas - Shirley Temple
(It's Hard To Be A) Jew on Christmas - Kyle Broflovski (South Park)
Merry Fucking Christmas - Mr. Garrison (South Park)
Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses