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9. Christmas, Anti-Christmas, and In–Between

Dec-24-2010 | Comments (0)

Reindeer’s Eye: Even to those of us whose goal is simply to put the Saturn back in Saturnalia, there is a lot of Christmas around. For weeks the links have been accumulating, and now you get to check them out. Some are traditional, some are positive, some are neither. Categorization is left as an exercise to our readers.

* Krampus – Santa Claus’ Secret Weapon Kuriositas Art Collage

Krampus is an incubus who accompanies Santa Claus, but does not follow the old man’s prerogative of present giving. An incubus is a demon in male form which visits sleepers and lies upon them (the word comes from the Latin ‘incubo’ which is to lie on top). The Krampus is not your common or garden night rapist, however: his brief is to punish the children who have misbehaved during the year.

* Beginning to look a lot like Christmas The Big Picture

* O little town of Bethlehem alternative card

* Christmas Card 2010 39 Degrees North Vimeo

Here’s our adaptation of a wonderful poem by the fantastic Neil Gaiman.

* Hark! Walmart Flash Mob Youtube video (Thanks, Diana!)

* Bah humbug: Darkly funny Christmas tales from Britain’s best writers The Independent

Inflation, recession and gloom: you don’t have to be Scrooge to say ‘Bah humbug’ this year. But even the biggest Christmas curmudgeon will find something to raise the festive spirit in these pages, as AL Kennedy, Ali Smith, Sue Townsend, Neil Gaiman, Sebastian Barry and a host of our favourite writers share what the big day means to them. To kick off, Will Self remembers a perfect Christmas – with none of the trimmings

7. Time of the Season

Dec-03-2010 | Comments (0)

Bird’s Eye: It seems self-evident from sales and decorations that Christmas is approaching. Herewith, a range of celebratory offerings. We start with Tom Lehrer, over a half century ago, singing a carol. You’ll notice how little has changed. The style of celebration has, as we prove with a Kung-fu panda from the Macy’s Christmas parade, a Hallelujah flash mob channeling Handel (not Cohen), a useful chart on snow, and the Guardian’s advent calendar on which each day prominent people choose their heroes. We start with Richard Dawkins, who chooses Chris Hitchens. Really, what could be more Christmassy?

* Tom Lehrer – A Christmas Carol Youtube 3 minutes

* Macy’s Kung Fu Panda Eyewitness, the Guardian

* Hallelujah Flash Mob in Food Court youtube, via Urlesque

* What People Do When it Snows chart

* Comment is Free Advent Calendar The Guardian

Who were the heroes and villains of this year? From now till Christmas Eve, you’ll find one here each morning

Day One: Richard Dawkins Like Bertrand Russell, Hitch “would scorn to shiver with terror at the thought of annihilation”. He laughs off the spiritual vultures eager for a death-bed conversion, and dismisses – but with unfailingly gracious courtesy – the many schadenfreudian prayers for his recovery. As Daniel Dennett said, in similar circumstances, “And did you also sacrifice a goat?”

I devoutly hope (not pray) that we shall see realised the 5% chance of recovery that modern doctors (not ancient gods) can offer. And if it is not to be – if, in his own gallantly insouciant words, he has to leave the party early – he will bequeath us an example worth following for centuries to come.