A Few of My Favorite Things

From Angie in Administration:

Don’t worry, you won’t find “whiskers on kittens” or “brown paper packages tied up with string” in any of these holiday recommendations! Just a few of my  “non-traditional” favorites … okay, toward the end I’ll admit to having a couple “traditional” favorites as well.

A couple years ago I read a brand new holiday story that has become a new favorite of mine. “The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir” by Kenneth Harmon, is the tale of Gumdrop Cole – a grouchy elf who has just been given the boot from his job as captain of the Coal Patrol. His holiday spirit has gone as sour as that half-empty carton of eggnog you found at the back of the fridge last February, and when his actions spin out of control he ends up framed for murder. We run into many of our favorite holiday and fairy-tale characters in this story, and you won’t believe what they’re up to! If you’re looking for an escape from the usual sappy feel-good story but still want a dash of the holiday spirit, I highly recommend this book. We also have it in audio and digital format here at the Nashua Public Library.

Now if you REALLY want to stay as far away as possible from the sticky-sweet sentiments of the season, try reading about serial killer and Florida historian Serge Storms in Tim Dorsey’s “When Elves Attack”.  While not for everyone, some readers will enjoy the creativity it takes to turn a Christmas lights display into a torture device, or a deep-fried turkey into a weapon of mass destruction. If foul language and violence were sugar and spice, this story would be sweeter than your grandma’s snickerdoodles. You’ve been warned.

Mmm, snickerdoodles…that reminds me of another book I recently checked out. What happens when you order a special cake for the holidays and something at the bakery goes horribly wrong? Check out “Wreck the Halls: Cake Wrecks Gets Festive” by Jen Yates. This non-fiction book is bursting with photos of actual bakery items decorated with everything from obvious misspellings to unrecognizable holiday characters. If you don’t have time to invest in a novel this season, check out this book and flip thru the pages for lots of laughs. You’ll be laughing so hard people will assume you’re on some kind of crazy sugar high, reminiscent of last year’s we-must-never-again-let-the-kids-eat-so-many-of-those-pretty-sugar-cookies episode.

And now for your viewing pleasure…

My boyfriend insists that we MUST watch the George C. Scott version of “A Christmas Carol”, so I retaliate by making him watch “Scrooged” with me. There’s something about Bill Murray being hit over the head by Carol Kane (as the zany Ghost of Christmas Present) that just makes me giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. My giddiness fades quickly, however, as my boyfriend then makes sure he keeps the TV tuned to whatever channel is currently having the “A Christmas Story” 24-hour marathon. Will Ralphie ever get that Red Ryder BB gun? Personally, I think the FRAGILE leg-lamp is the real star of the show.

But one holiday classic we do agree on is Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch stole Christmas” (the original, not the Jim Carey version.)  In fact, every year I receive a new Grinch ornament to hang on our tree, which is quickly turning into “the Grinch tree.” If you share my love of  that “nasty, wasty skunk” you can check out the 50^th birthday deluxe edition of this holiday classic,which has lots of fun extras, here at the library. For even more Seuss-related fun, visit the website http://www.seussville.com/.

And now I am going to reveal to you one of my personal holiday traditions. While my boyfriend is out doing his holiday shopping (usually on Dec. 23^rd) I like to watch “The Year Without a Santa Claus.” Okay, I have it on in the background while I finish my holiday baking…UNTIL the Snow Miser / Heat Miser number comes on. Then I grab my top hat, run into the living room and turn up the volume!

Snow Miser / Heat Miser song from “The Year Without a Santa Claus”

This is hands down one of the best songs ever to come from a children’s holiday special. I’m certain I am not the only adult who breaks into song and dance while the Snow Miser and Heat Miser compete for weather domination. You feel it too, right? That sudden burst of energy that overtakes you as soon as the first notes of the song begin, and the uncontrollable urge to do leg kicks while shaking your jazz hands?

I mean, especially after eating all those snickerdoodles.