Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Second rate reporter says what?

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve

by | 159 Comments

This post is in: 

I bought Dom, Taylor, and Brienne (Gerald’s kids) an Xbox one, and they have their Christmas tonight and called and they are over the moon. Gerald and his wife (they’re the ones who got married in my dad’s back yard) bought them a bunch of games, so it worked out real well. They’re super good kids, and I don’t really have anyone for whom to buy gifts, so this was nice.

Currently watching my own personal vikings marathon and am going to have some homemade vanilla ice cream with fresh pineapple chunks because I forgot to buy strawberries but they suck this time of year anyway and this pineapple is super ripe. My town is super quiet, my parents and family are in South Carolina at my parents winter rental, and we are supposed to get snow tonight, so things are looking pretty solid.

And before you ask, there are two reasons I do not go to the beach with my family. The first is logistics- I would rather low crawl through manure than drive 12 hours with three dogs to go to a small beach cottage with my family and my sister’s dogs, my brother’s dogs, and my parents dogs. Plus I know their internet will be shitty.

The second is principle- for 20+ years with the exception of when I was overseas in the military or working retail and volunteered to work doubles so the folks with kids could take off, I had to drive my ass to Bethany for every god damned Christmas. Then I move 100 yards down the street from my parents, and the assholes move Christmas three states away. I can take a hint.

Finally, I talked to GeG tonight, and I demanded Lovey pictures:

I think that pudgy little girl is my spirit beast.

Reader Interactions

159Comments

  3. 3.

    Lyrebird

    Didn’t one of those kids (one of the boys iirc) have a gastro emergency of some kind? Hope we can figure from this post he’s back to full strength. Enjoy your peaceful holiday.

  6. 6.

    rikyrah

    Tax Bill May Cause Charitable Giving to Dry Up
    December 24, 2017 at 8:03 am EST

    Many U.S. charities are worried the tax overhaul bill signed by President Trump on Friday could spur a landmark shift in philanthropy, speeding along the decline of middle-class donors and transforming charitable gift-giving into a pursuit largely left to the wealthy.

    The source of concern is how the tax bill is expected to sharply reduce the number of taxpayers who qualify for the charitable tax deduction — a big driver of gifts to nonprofits. One study predicts that donations will fall by at least $13 billion, about 4.5 percent, next year. That decline is expected to be concentrated among gifts from the middle of the income scale. The richest Americans will mostly keep their ability to take the tax break.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/charities-fear-tax-bill-could-turn-philanthropy-into-a-pursuit-only-for-the-rich/2017/12/23/38b65eb6-e69a-11e7-9ec2-518810e7d44d_story.html?utm_term=.6094f31f7f0d

  11. 11.

    geg6

    That last one is her favorite sleeping position. Legs straight up in the air. I can’t understand how that is comfortable.

  13. 13.

    Mike in NC

    Watching the conclusion of the new Christmas episode of “Last Tango In Halifax”, a series that we got addicted to.

  18. 18.

    lamh36

    With the new house now John, maybe next year you can OFFICIALLY have the family Christmas at the new digs?

    Anyway, Merry Christmas John to you and your family of humans and pets.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all the BJuicers

  19. 19.

    magurakurin

    It’s Christmas Day, here, Tokushima, Japan. Picking up the Christmas Cake, at 4pm, and the roasted whole chicken at 4:30pm. Christmas dinner for four at 5pm around the kotatsu heated table. Sunny and around 52 degrees this am.

  20. 20.

    Raven

    Back at our airbnb in a lovely valley outside of Blacksburg. My throat is geeking a little scratchy but I’m hopin it’s nothing. The Unitarian gig was ok but they sang 10 damn Christmas songs with little parables in between. If it makes people feel better that’s ok.

  22. 22.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Major Major Major Major: It appears to be him as a much younger man sitting slightly behind and to the left of a woman. I have no idea who the woman is, though Mrs. Cornyn is most likely. And it appears to be sepia toned.

  24. 24.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I was at Barnes & Noble today, and treated myself to the entire first season of “The Crown” on DVD (40% off, before you ask). There is binge-watching in my immediate future. Alert Betty Cracker.

    (Also bought a copy of Chasing Light, that new photo diary of Michelle Obama. Looked for the Pete Souza book on POTUS but they seemed to be sold out, so I can wait until after the first of the year.)

    (

  26. 26.

    No One You Know

    It’s sleeting here, traffic advisories saying stay home; the spousal unit is off to get kid from the metro station. Skipping the midnight service. Breakfast casserole in frig done and ready for tomorrow. It’s supposed to warm again then, so the Christmas party may still go on.

  27. 27.

    magurakurin

    @NotMax: huge. You have to make a reservation to get a bucket of fried chicken in October at a lot of shops. As a result, not everyone ends up with KFC for Christmas dinner. Not sure exactly how or when, but a roasted chicken thigh and drumstick is the go to replacement for most folks. We found a little meat store around the corner that roasts whole chickens for Christmas, so that’s why we get that. But if you were to go to the grocery store right now, you would see everybody carrying their baskets filled with chicken legs…and sushi, and fried shrimp and so on as well. But, yeah, KFC is huge. And now all the convenience stores push their own versions of Christmas chicken. Apparently the whole thing started with one franchise manager in Okinawa back in the 70’s. It was so successful that he ended up being the CEO of KFC Japan by the time it was all said and done.

  28. 28.

    efgoldman

    To those who worship a deity and for whom this is a spiritual and/or religious event, may you have blessed peace.
    To those who are not christian, or not believers, may you have a quiet or fun day, whichever is better, and best for the new year.
    May you be with the parts of your family that you love and who elevate you; may your RWNJ uncle, father in law or brother in law have been alienated so they won’t come to your home anymore
    May the kids be excited but not overly so.
    May you and yours have safe and delay free travels (too late already)
    May your mother or mother in law know enough to shut up and not criticize.
    May you end the day exhausted but happy.

    Have a jackal xmas and also a jackal new year. I hope to be back to regular commenting in the coming year.
    To the mods and front pagers: thanks for this safe space for old, decrepit liberals.

    Mrs efg is singing her third and last service of the day. After she gets home, we’ll have a wee pouring of Wild Turkey liqueur (now called Honey Bourbon) and toast each other and the year.

    ETA: I try to avoid the classic xmas movies at all costs. Feels like swallowing pure corn syrup.

  29. 29.

    magurakurin

    @lamh36: you know, I’m 55, but I’ve never actually watched It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve seen bits and pieces clicking through channels over the years, and I know the story, of course. But I never sat down and watched it.

  31. 31.

    Mary G

    Lovey and Kona! Thanks, geg. She must feel very safe to sleep with her belly exposed like that. You’re a good person, John Cole.

  32. 32.

    JCJ

    Very mellow Christmas Eve. My wife, daughter, and I have a tradition of eating pizza on Xmas Eve – one year when visiting family in Bangkok my daughter wanted pizza for Christmas dinner. We now go out for pizza when home in Wisconsin. Last year my wife was having a psychotic episode around d Christmas so it is nice to have everything calm this year.

  33. 33.

    geg6

    Watching the National Dog Show. Not sure if this is a repeat, but I don’t care. It’s very restful.

  34. 34.

    Bemused Senior

    Thanks for this place Mr Cole. Mostly I lurk, but I do so every day. It kept me sane this year.

  35. 35.

    Raven

    @efgoldman: what’s shakin cat daddy! Have you been around enough to pick up that we are going to the Rose Bowl? My bride and i are doing the parade and the game!

  39. 39.

    Suzanne

    @magurakurin: Hah. Funny you mention. I just posted on by Book of Faces page that I have never seen “It’s A Wonderful Life”.

    Honestly, lots of people have told me that I have to see it, but most of those people have crappy taste in movies, so if they tell me that I have to see something, I will silently refuse on principle.

  40. 40.

    HinTN

    The mist has turned to sleet and mushy snow here, the better for Santa’s sleigh to land I’m sure. Thank you, John Cole for this delightful corner of cyber life. Peace on you all.

  42. 42.

    magurakurin

    @Suzanne: I live so far away now, if it doesn’t show up Netflix or Hulu (it could be there now) I won’t even have the chance to watch it. My go to Christmas movie is Bad Santa.

  43. 43.

    Mnemosyne

    The Christmas tamales just came out of the oven after being warmed up, and we’re going to eat them with chips and salsa verde while we watch classic TV Christmas episodes. After that, the main event: The Shop Around the Corner.

    Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and a relaxing day off for those who don’t! ??

  44. 44.

    J R in WV

    John,

    Happy Yule, ya’ll ~!!~ And a Merry New Years next week.

    ETA: From JR and M down south in Lincoln…

  46. 46.

    Nicole

    Happy holidays to the best jackals it’s ever been my pleasure to read, front-pagers and commenters alike.

    Spent the day making sand tarts, which, in this case, means sugar cookies rolled as close to paper thin as cookie dough can do. I use my grandmother’s recipe, which is just sugar, butter, flour, eggs and milk (no vanilla). My aunt tells me my grandmother and my great aunt and one of their friends used to talk shit behind each other’s backs about the thinness of each of their respective sand tarts.

    And I’m now spending the evening eating too many sand tarts, lamenting my sore back and sore thumbs. That’s a lot of dough to roll. I see why the women in my family eventually said, “Eff this; let’s just buy Oreos.”

  47. 47.

    Mj_Oregon

    It’s raining here at 33 degrees. Who knows what we’ll wake up to! It doesn’t matter as we won’t be going anywhere this year. I’m cooking a turkey for us and the small colony of abandoned/half feral kitties we still feed every day. They tell me they’re looking forward to some white meat this year – hint, hint…

    So, happy holidays to everyone and may all your Christmases meet your inner child expectations, whatever they are.

    Namaste and Blessed Be!

  48. 48.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    This year, you might identify with it: as lamh36 was saying in the other thread, George Bailey is the super-responsible one who starts to feel like he’s getting shit on by life and needs to be reminded that what he does makes a difference in other people’s lives.

  51. 51.

    divF

    Merry Christmas to everyone, especially our host !

    The family party (Madame’s family, that is) is on Friday, so we have no plans for tomorrow. A local deli is offering Christmas Day klezmer music and latkes – we will probably head on down for that.

  55. 55.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    Doggie pics always make me smile. I’m alone this Christmas Eve but it’s all good. The Hubby is working fighting fires and saving lives. The kids and I celebrated early today and are with their Dad tonight.

    Many blessings to all my fellow BJ readers and to the front pagers who keep me informed and sane.

  56. 56.

    Ohio Mom

    @rikyrah: And the richest Americans will see an increase in their ability to bully non-profits into doing what they they think should be done, damn any expertise they staff might have (if you don’t think they already don’t, you’ve never worked in the field). This is one of those features, not a bug.

  57. 57.

    mai naem mobile

    @efgoldman: glad you’re back commenting.
    Merry Xmas Cole. Where are the pics of your pets?
    I am.sorry this new tax law is going to hurt charities but i hope it takes out a shit load of these so called evangelical RW churches. Starting with Franklin Graham, Joel OSteen and Pat Robertson.

  58. 58.

    J R in WV

    @magurakurin:

    Jimmie Stuart, who is the main character in the film, was just back from flying bombers over Nazi Germany over and over, and was suffering from what we now call PTSD while making the film.

    So when his eyes get a little wild, that may be acting, or it may be his medical condition at the time. He got a lot of very real medals flying those giant load of bombs thru the air. And I’m sure he lost crewmen on his bird and fellow pilots who went down in flames.

  59. 59.

    Suzanne

    @gene108:

    What is your tolerance for very sentimental movies?

    Not good. I hate heartwarming shit.
    I did watch Die Hard last night, and enjoyed the hell out of it.
    Yes, it’s a Christmas movie. Fight me.

  60. 60.

    satby

    Merry Christmas John, and all the jackal diaspora. Peace on earth, goodwill to all men is still worth aspiring to even in these hard times.

    So far it looks like about 5 inches of snow has fallen here, and it’s still snowing a bit. Depending on how bad it is in the morning, my kids may just have to celebrate without me. Just hope my younger son gets to Chicago ok. Yeah, I hate to drive in bad weather, why do you ask?

  62. 62.

    O. Felix Culpa

    I say Happy Holidays to all and sundry as a cheerful act of resistance. Thank you to jackals everywhere for making this year bearable and sometimes even funny.

  65. 65.

    frosty

    Quiet Christmas Eve and new arrangements for the holiday – it seems like they change every five years or so. Eldest son is working on Christmas so we’re driving to his place tomorrow and opening presents / eating turkey on the 26th. Younger son is working tonight — he’s been on the graveyard shift for awhile now. So we’re just sitting here reading and doing a lot of nothin’. Pretty much like any Sunday nite except I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.

    Merry Christmas / Solstice / Holidays to all of the Juicers I read multiple times a day, and thanks to John and the FPers for keeping this blog going.

  67. 67.

    Mary G

    @Suzanne: I hate “It’s a Wonderful Life,” even though I love Jimmy Stewart. I just find it too heavy-handed and sappy. (Sorry to all you fans.)

  68. 68.

    B.B.A.

    Mele Kalikimaka from Hawaii, all. I was on a boat with limited internet for the past week, so if you’re wondering why things were so nice and peaceful around here, that was part of it.

  70. 70.

    efgoldman

    @Mary G:

    I just find it too heavy-handed and sappy. (Sorry to all you fans.)

    Storyboard next to “sappy” in the Hollywood dictionary.
    I apologize to nobody for my boredom.

  72. 72.

    lamh36

    @Mary G: Oh, it’s def heavy handed and sappy, but so are alot of Christmas movies to be honest.

    But as I said in the previous thread, I like it mainly cause I can feel an affinity for the character George Bailey and the overlying themes of the movie…

    1)I’ve always had an affinity for the character of George Bailey. The older child who through no real fault of his own, has his life routinely put on hold by obligations to family, or friends, or whatever… I’ve been there…

    2) Choices we make or actions we take, small or large, can have a ripple effect on the lives of others, that we may not see in the short term, but in the long term…those actions goor or bad…made a difference in not just your life, but someone elses…

    3)No matter how dark or dim life can get, there can always be some light and being down doesn’t mean you should end it all, there is good somewhere somehow

    4) “Remember no man is a failure who has friends”…

  73. 73.

    Steeplejack

    ** DVR Alert **

    Got in a while ago from family dinner hosted by Bro’ Man’s husband’s aunt—not quite an in-law to me, technically, but close enough. Good food, good wine, good company. Feeling pleasantly full and pleasantly tired.

    Anyway, MHz, the third-tier Eurotrash cable channel, is running a mini-marathon of Montalbano tonight. This is the Italian crime show I seem to be unable to get anyone to watch. Think “crime show” like Foyle’s War or Shetland is a crime show. Good writing, great acting, great cinematography. It’s set in modern Sicily (first episode around 1999-2000). Inspector Montalbano—“commissario” in Italian, which is maddeningly translated as “detective” in the subtitles—is the boss of the felony squad in the (mythical) coastal town of Vigata.

    Each episode is a feature-length movie, about 100 minutes. They’re based on the novels by Andrea Camilleri. The first episode, “The Snack Thief,” is just about over. It’s a little rough around the edges in that “breaking in a new series” way. But they get good really fast, and the run tonight is excellent: “The Voice of the Violin” at 10:43 EST, “The Shape of Water” at 12:28 a.m., “The Terracotta Dog” at 2:18 a.m. and “The Artist’s Touch” at 4:00 a.m.

    The run continues tomorrow night with “The Trip to Tindari” at 9:00 p.m. EST, “The Sense of Touch” at 10:53 p.m., “Montalbano’s Croquettes” at 12:38 a.m. Tuesday (an excellent Christmastime episode), “The Scent of the Night” at 2:11 a.m., “The Goldfish and the Cat” at 4:01 a.m. The series continues with a batch of episodes each night this week.

    Montalbano—and all of MHz’s European series—is available on MHz’s Amazon Prime channel. I think a subscription is $7.99 a month. Definitely worth a test to sample some of the great stuff. Recommendations on request.

    Currency note: in the early episodes, when they talk about fantastic sums in lire, divide by 2,000. So 300 million lire (Dr. Evil finger to mouth) is about $150,000. Pretty soon there’s a shift to euros and you can sort of figure 1:1.

  77. 77.

    Bruuuuce

    Merry happy whatever holiday of light you may be celebrating, to all in the BJ community.

    Now, back to our regularly scheduled Christmas Eve showing of Gremlins (which, along with A Wish For Wings That Work, is the only mandatory holiday viewing here)

  78. 78.

    The Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion

    Spending Xmas Eve at The Lutheran Home, making sure my mother, who’s fallen four times in the last 24 hours and been to the ER twice, doesn’t fall out of bed. Just sent my sister home, who’s still grieving the daughter she lost a year ago this Christmas. My dad died the year before on the solstice. Reading balloon-juice (I am, not my dead father or niece—although, really, who knows?). Listening to “It’s a Wonderful Life” blaring from the tv next door. Thankful to have found you jackals, both fpers and commenters. God fucking bless us, every one.

  79. 79.

    Mnemosyne

    @Bruuuuce:

    I have never seen A Wish for Wings That Work, but we apparently have it on the DVR somewhere, so I guess we’ll give it a shot. Opus, correct?

  80. 80.

    lamh36

    Come on…tell me the final scene where the entire community rallied together to help George and keep that ole the building and loan going and bail ole George out in his hour of need..all because of how George Bailey has sheltered and encouraged and aided and supported so many others in his town even at the expense of his own issues and shit…

    And tell me that doesn’t remind you of all the times here at BJ when folks did the same for other commenters, and tell me many wouldn’t do the same type of thing for John Cole and others…

    Come on now, ya Scrooges…LOL

  82. 82.

    Kristine

    Sweet puppy.

    Happy Christmas ? to all who celebrate.

    Been watching the BBC America Doctor Who marathon off and on. Tomorrow it’s roasted pork loin and assorted veggies. Light snow ❄️ fell today, so Christmas will be white and very cold.

  86. 86.

    magurakurin

    @Steeplejack: I’ve actually seen bits of those here in Japan. Back when we still had cable, one of the cable channels here was showing that. I was a bit hosed with the comprehension though. The voice is in Italian and the subtitles were Japanese. My Italian comprehension is very poor, and what Japanese I can read, I can’t possible do at any speed fast enough to keep up with the subtitles. It looked intriguing though, what I saw.

  88. 88.

    Lyrebird

    @efgoldman:

    Well here are some digestive bitters maybe:

    Twas the night before Christmas, when through the White House
    Not a Kushner was resting, not even his spouse;
    The documents were hung by the shredder with care,
    In fears that Bob Mueller soon would be there…

    Full thing on Twitter and also conveniently collected by RawStory here

  89. 89.

    lamh36

    @owillis
    There are so many reason it’s a wonderful Life is great but one is how they make u know George so when they wreck him u really feel it

  92. 92.

    lamh36

    @efgoldman: LOL..real talk…Gawd love ya’ll, but the BJ commetariat for all the snark/humor/hard talk, are truly some of the sappiest people I have ever known…that includes the FP…esp John Cole…

    To have so many of them, including John (who underneath all the curmudgeonly hard ass-ness, is a soft marshmallow) hate It’s a Wonderful Life and his sappiness, is just so hilarious to me,

    At this point, I consider it all a big fake out by the lot of ya…lol

  94. 94.

    opiejeanne

    @greengoblin: Indeed we are going to have a white Christmas. It’s so pretty here in Woodinville right now up on the hill, the snow falling, it’s quiet outside, and my family downstairs whooping it up and having a great time. I have a little cold so I came up to lie down for a bit until supper is ready and have been listening to them. I’m glad they’re all here, even my Trump-voting sister who seems to not support him at all, just thought she’d get her taxes reduced by him.

  98. 98.

    RandomMonster

    Ritual crab sacrifice complete. About to embark on eating them. RandomMrs and I have no kids and family is far away, so we will enjoy them with a movie of some sort. Happy wishes to everyone here.

  100. 100.

    greengoblin

    @opiejeanne: Hubby and I are getting over colds, too. Just the two of us this year with two sleeping cats and Christmas snowfall. Hope you feel better. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

  102. 102.

    John Revolta

    Wonderful Life was condemned by the FBI and the HUAC for giving a bad impression of bankers and spreading socialistic ideas.
    Ayn Rand said it was un-American.

    Oh and it doesn’t even mention Christmas until three-quarters of the way through.

    If you ain’t ever seen it, you oughta.

  103. 103.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I love It’s a Wonderful Life Yes, it is sentimental and manipulative. I don’t care. It’s a lovely, lovely movie.

    Trivia: Ellen Corby, who played Grandma in The Waltons, has a small (very small) role in IAWL, as one of the depositors who tries to get her money out of the Building & Loan.

  104. 104.

    danielx

    Spent most of the evening watching the Jim Carrey version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas with the daughter unit. Fireplace going, irish coffee and snow on the ground outside, so all is good. She saw the NORAD Santa tracker and finally decided it was time to beat feet upstairs…Note: Santa is officially en route to Thunder Bay, Ontario and has delivered five billion presents and counting.

  105. 105.

    Citizen_X

    @lamh36:

    Come on now, ya Scrooges

    More like Potters, amirite?

    Some encouraging signs on tonight’s viewing, though: when Potter made his gripe about “a bunch of garlic eaters,” my Fox News-watching dad said, “Sounds like Trump.” !!! CHRISTMAS HOPE.

  106. 106.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Merry Holidays to all you dear jackals. You feel more like family than the people who share my DNA, and I’m grateful for all of you. Stay safe and warm, and gear up for the critical work we all have to do in 2018.

  107. 107.

    Beezus Q

    @rikyrah: generally and proportionately we lesser-than-1 percenters give more than the rich. And we give b/c we care, support various programs, feel it is our moral obligation as a humane human beings, members of a community, etc. not for a tax write off or PR stunt. Now, more than ever, we are going to have to give more to fill the gaps.

  111. 111.

    Jager

    Our German Shepherd, Anze the Dog, got two new balls for Christmas. He was glad to get them considering his first two were taken from him at 10 months. I know, I know, I’m drunk.

  112. 112.

    Mnemosyne

    @Bruuuuce:

    Just finished watching it. I thought it was charming, but apparently Berkeley Breathed considers it his “Star Wars Christmas Special.”

    G is taking a short nap so he doesn’t fall asleep for Shop Around the Corner, so I’m listening to Christmas music and watching a Yule log loop on the TV. Before the movie viewing, there will be hot chocolate spiked with Bailey’s.

  113. 113.

    FlyingToaster

    @efgoldman:

    I try to avoid the classic xmas movies at all costs.

    I made sure that WarriorGirl knew there was a DoctorWho marathon, so we had no problems whatsoever.

    Here’s a list of the Chez Toaster acceptable Christmas movies:

    The Ref
    Comfort and Joy (the Bill Forsyth one)
    Die Hard
    The Lion in Winter (the 1966 one)

    Nothing creepy, nothing too sentimental.

  116. 116.

    What what?

    @Steeplejack: Delurking to second your Montalbano review — very close in spirit to the books. So many great details like the monarchist housekeeper, the parrot ‘singing’ a Communist anthem, the fabulous Sicilian food… These small, almost throw-away encounters make the show, plus Luca Zingaretti as Montalbano is perfect (although having come to the show first it was a bit jarring in the books to have him depicted with a full head of hair and a moustache).

  118. 118.

    OldDave

    @Bruuuuce: (IRT “Wish For Wings That Work” YouTube link): Thank you! I’ve been wanting to watch that again for years. We have a copy on Laserdisk, which is oh so very useful these days. Off to watch.

  119. 119.

    Bruuuuce

    @Mnemosyne:

    apparently Berkeley Breathed considers it his “Star Wars Christmas Special.”

    He does, though I think it’s far better, both objectively and in terms of the difference in quality from its source material than is Lucas’ disaster.

  120. 120.

    Mnemosyne

    @FlyingToaster:

    Meh. Lamh36 is right, all y’all are a bunch of Scrooges.

    Our rotation:

    A Christmas Carol (with Alastair Sim, of course)
    A Muppet Christmas Carol
    Elf
    It’s A Wonderful Life
    Christmas in Connecticut
    Miracle on 34th Street (with Edmund Gwynn and Natalie Wood)
    The Shop Around the Corner
    MST3K or Cinematic Titanic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
    MST3K Santa Claus

    But no Hallmark movies. That line we don’t cross. ?

  122. 122.

    Mnemosyne

    Also, a site note: the annoying video ad is hidden on the mobile site, but if I’m playing Bluetooth music on my phone at the same time, it auto-pauses iTunes like it would if I switched to YouTube. Very weird.

  128. 128.

    John Revolta

    Imma try this one again:

    Wonderful Life was condemned by the FBI and the HUAC for giving a bad impression of bankers and spreading Commie ideas.
    Ayn Rand said it was un-American.

    Oh and it doesn’t even mention Christmas until three-quarters of the way through.

    If you ain’t ever seen it, you oughta.

  129. 129.

    FlyingToaster

    @Mnemosyne:

    Meh. Lamh36 is right, all y’all are a bunch of Scrooges.

    No, just an extremely low tolerance for certain flavors of sentimentality.

    I’d happily watch the MST3K movies on your list.

  130. 130.

    Uncle Cosmo

    Was straightening up yesterday when I came upon a DVD misplaced for some years & never viewed: Joyeux Noel (2005), a multinational European production about the Christmas truce of 1914. Watched it this evening with friends. As a Great War buff I will attest that most of it – which would be utterly unbelievable to anyone not familiar with the history – is entirely accurate. A worthy addition to the Christmas movie list.

    Pick your preferred winter solstice holiday & have a happy one!

  133. 133.

    FlyingToaster

    @Mnemosyne: How can you call us Scrooges, when we adore dialog like this:

    Prince John: A knife! He’s got a knife!

    Eleanor: Of course he has a knife, he always has a knife, we all have knives! It’s 1183 and we’re barbarians! How clear we make it. Oh, my piglets, we are the origins of war: not history’s forces, nor the times, nor justice, nor the lack of it, nor causes, nor religions, nor ideas, nor kinds of government, nor any other thing. We are the killers. We breed wars. We carry it like syphilis inside. Dead bodies rot in field and stream because the living ones are rotten. For the love of God, can’t we love one another just a little – that’s how peace begins. We have so much to love each other for. We have such possibilities, my children. We could change the world.

  134. 134.

    Ruckus

    @efgoldman:

    I try to avoid the classic xmas movies at all costs. Feels like swallowing pure corn syrup.

    We must be related in some way.
    All the best to you, my brother.

  135. 135.

    Mnemosyne

    @FlyingToaster:

    Nobody ever said that Scrooge hated theater, just that he hated Christmas and sentimentality.

    So — Scrooges, all of yiz. It doesn’t mean I don’t love ya, though. ??????????

  136. 136.

    Ruckus

    @magurakurin:

    My go to Christmas movie is Bad Santa.

    One of my all time favs. It’s so wrong on so many levels that it’s great. Saw it the first time in a theater with about 20 other people. I was laughing at bits that no one else was. Just watched it again yesterday.

  138. 138.

    1000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    We’re lounging about here in Nashvegas (thanks to the production staff of the Dallas Stars I’m reluctant to say Smashville ever again), and I just found out we’re getting a Trump visit in early January. This time, at least, it won’t be downtown during rush hour.

    Here’s this year’s Christmas rap from MoShow the Cat Rapper, and his crew, DJRavioli, MegaMam, Queen Sushi, and the others, ya jackals. At least, that’s the link I’m trying for.

  139. 139.

    Cthulhu

    Well, though we haven’t had any really serious trauma this year, I have been feeling not right about this year. Certainly the never-ending crap from the admin is a thing. But I certainly didn’t expect, having been invited by our neighbors for some apparent holiday cheer, to instead be accused of calling the cops on them a month ago. Sadly the likely truth is more depressing. Tis the season I guess.

  143. 143.

    1000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    I think I’m hitting the spam trap because of link–I tried twice and neither one took. If a moderator could fish out one of them, you all can see MoShow The Cat Rapper sharing Christmas greetings, accompanied by his feline crew (since some of them are Sphynxes, I don’t think “furry crew” quite fits).

  144. 144.

    Ruckus

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    You feel more like family than the people who share my DNA

    I agree, my immediate family is all gone, cousins only ones left and they live all over the country so I see them relatively, well almost never as we’ve almost all lost contact over the years. Have seen a few of them when they came to sisters and then moms memorial. Only one lives within a days driving distance. Their parents are all gone as well. Christmas is finally a quiet day for me. Having salmon for dinner, over weeds, with avocado.

  145. 145.

    Steeplejack

    @What what?:

    I’m following along a bit tonight, but I think I’m going to bed soon. I have all (or almost all) the DVDs, but I like to look in when they show up on MHz. I started watching them when MHz first ran them, must have been ten years ago now. I worked a lot of late shifts, and the three-hour rerun block of International Mystery at midnight was my go-to as I decompressed from work. Saw Montalbano and a lot of other good shows.

    Somehow I saw the first five or six out of order, so it took me a while to get the time line sorted out. You’re right, there are so many great little details and moments. But it’s also surprising how well the extended cast of characters develops over the series. I’m watching “The Voice of the Violin,” and a while ago Montalbano interviewed the attractive physics teacher who lives in his neighborhood and who shows up again in a case a few episodes later. And Catarella, the office buffoon, got sent off to computer camp almost as a joke, and we know that he turns out to be an idiot savant computer genius.

    In my original comment I forgot to mention how good the music is. And when I said “coastal village of Vigata,” I don’t want to give people the impression that the series is a “cozy” mystery. The crimes and issues are serious and far-ranging. The first episode involves illegal immigration from Tunisia, the Mafia makes regular appearances, and there are corporate misdeeds along with good old-fashioned personal murders. And they get out and about. You don’t feel like you’re pent up looking at the same scenery all the time. And the scenery is gorgeous!

    And Montalbano himself is a really interesting character. Not a typical cop and not typically “Italian,” in the way we might think. He’s sort of like a Mediterranean Foyle. I like the way his sense of justice doesn’t always conform exactly to the law, but it’s not in that cliché American way of “I have to bend the rules to nail the bad guys!” It’s much more refined and subtle.

    Now we’re into “The Shape of Water.” Deep political corruption. And Ingrid will be showing up soon!

  146. 146.

    JohnO

    You’re a good man, John Cole. I miss your drunken rants (glad too from a less selfish perspective), which brought me to this blog lo those many years ago, and I have gone through commenting binges but mostly lurk.

    I love the 24/7/365 nature of the place, and I love the intelligence and the experience and the expertise of the front pagers and so many of the folks who comment. I’ve learned a lot here and am grateful I found it.

    Knowing there are like-minded souls out there is pretty critical to my mental health right about now.

    Thanks again for your fine curmudgeonly hosting.

  147. 147.

    Ruckus

    @eclare:
    It was his last.
    He plays it to the hilt as a prudish little man. The facial expressions as Bernie Mac lies to him about Billy Bob and Tony Cox are sublime.

  149. 149.

    Steeplejack

    I’m packing it in. Got another social event tomorrow that will require me to put on pants and go outside. Exhausting.

    Merry Christmas to all you Juicers and your loved ones!

    For the record, I like It’s a Wonderful Life. There is a place in American cinema for a homespun fairy tale with a bit of shmaltz. And Donna Reed is the hotness. So easy to forget after her asexual ’50s TV housewife.

  150. 150.

    efgoldman

    @Mnemosyne:

    Nobody ever said that Scrooge hated theater, just that he hated Christmas and sentimentality.

    I love xmas – the kids, the music, the spirit…
    I just hate soft as puppy shit movies

  151. 151.

    pepper

    as a jewish person, i could take or leave most christmas things. going to celebrate ‘jewish christmas’ at star wars tomorrow. i must have a soft spot for sentimental christmas movies, as i really like it’s a wonderful life and miracle on 34th street.

  152. 152.

    SFBayAreaGal

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my favorite jackals. You have kept me sane in this insane year. I hope to see all of you posting in the New Year.

  153. 153.

    What what?

    @Steeplejack: Looks like I missed your reply but here’s hoping you’ve inspired at least a few people to check Montalbano out. Truly a great series and far from a ‘cozy’ (though I like many of those too).

  154. 154.

    AnotherBruce

    It is indeed snowing in Seattle. Something that doesn’t happen very often. The downside of this is that my friends planned a meet up for a Chinese dinner, which sounded like a Christmas story thing to do. Alas, no one wanted to drive. So I took advantage and took a long walk around my neighborhood to check out the Christmas lights. I have to say that Seattle really brings it, due in no small part to the long hours of darkness this time of the year. The snowfall and the lights are quite beautiful.

  155. 155.

    Yarrow

    Late to the thread, but those pics of Lovey are so great. Who could resist those eyes?

    Christmas Eve has been nice and low key. But now some assholes are setting off firecrackers and they’re LOUD. It’s been going on for about two hours off and on. It’s getting a bit old.

  156. 156.

    Peale

    Whenever a liberal hates on Its a Wonderful Life, another oligarchangel gets its wings. It’s why the Potters seem to be winning.

  157. 157.

    Suffragette City

    The f’-ing moron has allowed due to his assault we may now wish all a Merry Christmas.
    Movies I like to watch: The Bishop’s Wife ,White Christmas then A Lion in Winter
    Have not watched It’s a Wonderful Life in years.
    Have a safe and sane Holiday all!!

  158. 158.

    Mnemosyne

    I’m not sure I’ve seen this version before, but TCM is showing the 1936 version of A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen. I’m a little surprised that the dialogue is pretty much verbatim from the book, to a noticeable degree.

    (We can’t get the Apple TV to spit out Shop Around the Corner, so we have TCM on instead.)

  159. 159.

    opiejeanne

    Supper was glorious and we all went out to play in the snow. We got only a few inches of the white stuff but there are several small snowmen sitting on the deck table, we had a snowball fight, we discovered a Tesla stuck back end in the ditch across the street, there are snow angels in the front lawn as well as the word “spotted” and the outline of a huge dick, the result of a pirate gift exchange that featured a can of spotted dick. It’s an English dessert thing and we are all a little wary of it, but will open it in a couple of days and some of us will bravely try some.
    Two of the. gentlemen smoked cigars and polluted the outside world but we all survived. My two daughters and their spouses are staying over and making breakfast, my niece and her husband and my sister headed south to Puyallup Tomorrow our older daughter has tickets for Jumanji in 3-D, not a film I would pay to see in a theater I think but much better than past Christmas Day choices. I doubt that it will be as bloody or disturbing as Django Unchained, which I loved, but damn!

    We have been tasked by the youngest with providing a white Christmas next year,, here at this house.

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