I called my faux-son to arrange dropping off his Christmas present. He told me they'd planned to invite me to their Thanksgiving, but I convinced him I enjoyed working. He asked what I was doing for Christmas, and I told him I was going to eat cheese and drink wine and watch movies and made sure to sound enthusiastic about it so he wouldn't try to invite me over. It's very kind, but it's not something we ever did before, and I don't want to be The Widow We Need To Make A Fuss Over. I need to make sure to go visit at less significant times of year.

I have to admit, I still think "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" is freaking hilarious. And Percy, the Puny Poinsettia is cute. Guess a 14 year-old boy still lives inside me. The Senor Santa song makes me cringe, though.

My favorites are "Silver Bells", "White Christmas", and "The Christmas Song."

I agree that the only acceptable versions of 12 Days are humor ones. The symphony has a version that does stuff like play the Marseillaise after "three french hens", Swan Lake after "seven swans", and so on.

And then there's this, which -t will get, and probably no one else.

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re: comic books. I've heard good things about the Iron Man reboot, but I'm not sure if I should go digital or start building a pile of paper in the house. What are people's preferences? And are digital subscriptions the same price as paper issues?

When we were scarcely more than newlyweds, far from home and family in Germany at Christmas time, H put together mix tapes of every Christmastime related song you could think of. One inclusion he was always proud of was the Shepherd's Chorus from Amahl and the Night Visitors, since one of the Amahls had been a classmate of mine.

"Olives and quinces, apples and raisins, nutmeg and myrtle, medlars and chestnuts, this is all we shepherds can offer you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you kindly, Thank you, thank you, thank you kindly, too."

We gave StE a few commercial Christmas CDs when he moved out. He wasn't mollified. "It's not Christmas unless Ernie Ford sings the Star Carol!"

And are digital subscriptions the same price as paper issues?

Typically, the digital editions are priced the same as the paper editions when they first come out, but some publishers will drop the digital price after a few weeks.

I love all of the traditional and ancient carols.

I LOATHE in a deep way I cannot express ALL of the retail music around this time. Pier 1 is one of the worst, but I've encountered hellacious, headache-inducing "pop" takes on Christmas carols to the point where I have to do all of my shopping online. And I am someone who LIKES shopping in stores (for others) and the hustle and bustle of Christmas. But the dreadful "music" is a dealbreaker. I was in a store the other day and some hellmouth song was all about "text me for Christmas" not voicemail or snapchat or twitter! That's in a SONG? I wanted to punch everyone in the store immediately.

I love the message of LDB but can understand hating to sing it if you're in a choir.

ETA. OMG I just Googled the song I heard that made me want to vomit and apparently it's a Kristin Bell song.

Listen I love Veronica Mars and baby sloths too, but I hated Frozen and this stupid texting song. UGH.

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In high school in the late 80s I worked as a cashier at KMart, and there was a looping tape of horrible Christmas songs that no one had ever heard before. But it somehow seemed appropriate that KMart didn't have normal Christmas songs.

The upside is that since they weren't traditional songs, then I didn't risk getting sick of Christmas songs that I liked.

Steph! I also worked at Kmart in the late 80s! Are you sure we're not separated at birth? Or something! Exclamation point!

ION: Attention Grammar Nerds! Prepare to rejoice or gnash your teeth, depending on your personal viewpoints!

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Steph! I also worked at Kmart in the late 80s! Are you sure we're not separated at birth? Or something! Exclamation point!

We totally are! It's the blonde hair and pink cheeks! And also the KMart thing! Did you have the horrible Christmas music?

ION: Attention Grammar Nerds! Prepare to rejoice or gnash your teeth, depending on your personal viewpoints!

I think this is a good thing.