Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - parts 18 and 19

Because I missed yesterday, here are two! First, Tom Lehrer makes his second appearance on my list with "A Christmas Carol" (lipsynched by Benjamin M. W. in a red & black Santa hat)



Next, we have Brenda Lee singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". Static picture, alas.



Tune in tomorrow for another Hanukkah entry!

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 17

My friend Glenn pointed me to this version, which I heard for the first time last week.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 16

And yet another gift idea



Peter and Paul used to have hair. I was shocked to see it.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 15

More gift ideas

Chocolate Dropkins

Chocolate Dropkins are a tradition in my family. My earliest Christmas memories include making bread dough figures for the tree, and these chocolates for treats.

The chocolates are dead simple to make, you take one box of unsweetened chocolate and melt it in a double-boiler. When it's all melted, you cool it slightly and mix in one can of sweetened condensed milk. Let it cool to rolling temperature (should not be liquidy, should feel like play doh.)

This is almost to the right temperature, but was still a little goopy.

Once the consistency is right, you roll the chocolate into small balls, and coat in colored sugar, nuts, powdered cocoa, or coconut. This year I used white and gold sugar. The gold looked better than the white.

Ooh! Pretty!

What looked best, though, was a mixture of gold and white, which really made the chocolates look Christmas-y. The hardest part of making these chocolates is waiting for the mixture to reach the right temperature.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 14

Here's a great gift idea!

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 13

Jazzing it up a bit

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 12

On the 12th day of this project, the Muppets gave to me...

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 11

This one is courtesy of my friend Dave.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 10

The Roches again, this time with a medley.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 9

I love rounds, don't you?

Virginia Tech

Washington Post is reporting two dead at Virginia Tech, shooter still at large.

My thoughts are in Blacksburg.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 8

One of many.


Bonus piece, a song suggested by YouTube when I brought this one up.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 7

They made a new one, too. I like this one better.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 6

Here's one I heard for the first time this past Thursday. Written and sung by an Australian.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 5

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 4

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 3

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 2

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 1