Christmas

Bethan's "O Holy Night" Lands on This American Life

The holidays are over, and it's nearly time shut down all the Christmas caroling, save for local outfit Bethan. "O Holy Night," from their rather haunting EP of reworked Christmas hymns, found a home on WBEZ's This American Life last Friday. The show features stories of families and loved ones who ... More >>

Santa Got Steamrolled!

Five European Things That Make for a Great Christmas

Here is a brief list of five European things that make a good Christmas, but that you might be afraid of. Embrace change, Texas! I have included pictures so you don't think I'm insane, and links to Amazon where you can still get these things (albeit with now very expensive shipping, because I didn' ... More >>

An Englishman Reviews the Whole Christmas Tamale Thing

Apparently you guys celebrate Christmas by eating tamales. No, me neither. I've no idea what you're doing. What screams Christmas about a tamale? I suppose you could take this reductionist argument to any Christmas food (what's Christmassy about slaughtering a turkey and then roasting it, or, as s ... More >>

Your Dallas Foodie Gift Guide: Chocolate, Coffee, Breads and Barbecue

If you haven't started your holiday shopping, then good for you! I think we all perform best under the pressure of deadlines, so just let it happen. Wait another few days, then get around to it. Most places will be open on Christmas Eve anyway. And a lot of gas stations are open 365. Lotto and scrat ... More >>

Hey, People Writing New Christmas Songs: Stoppit

I love Christmas. It's awesome. Baby magic-types being born, giant trees in your living room, socks full of socks brought to you by an old man stranger -- what's not to like? Welp, there's just this one thing: the thing that sucks about Christmas is that people keep writing songs about it. And jus ... More >>

’Tis the Season for Do-gooding

Better Late Than Never, Tiger Darrow and Paul Slavens Kicked Out a Christmas Jam

​Several Friends of Unfair Park have already requested one song for next year's Christmas special on K-Ticket: Tiger Darrow and Paul Slavens's "Santa Claus is Coming," which, per the note affixed to the Soundcloud, was finished just in time for his arrival in the wee small hours of Christmas morni ... More >>

Listomania: Ten Best Indie Christmas Songs

​It's that time of the year where you're sure to hear all the classic Christmas songs -- the exact same songs you listened to the year before. Snooze! Enter the indies, adding their own twist to your holiday favorites so you don't get sick of them. Okay, so we threw in a couple oldies, but the ... More >>

Request Lines Are Now Open For the Christmas Eve Holiday Music Spectacular on The Ticket

​I've just been informed the office is closed, which would explain why there's nobody here -- I just thought all the new kids got scared off by Hot Fudge Fridays.It's just as well. I've spent the better part of the last two weeks collating and curating jingle-bell rock, funky Jesii and other holid ... More >>

Declaring War on the War on the War on the War on the War on Christmas

​Man. I cannot believe it. Just got back in the house. Catching my breath. Had to wade into the crowd out there on the street. Major neighborhood squall. We've been waiting 20 years for the city to patch our street. They have big crews out there now doing it -- and a bang-up job from what I h ... More >>

Let There Be Latkes: Eight Reasons Gentiles Should Appreciate Hanukkah, Too

FlickrDo you have these at Christmas. DO YOU?​As we all well know from years and years of church and advertising, there are plenty of reasons to appreciate Christmas: Mistletoe, candy canes, presents, Santa, Christmas Lights, presents, holiday songs, holiday drinking, holiday hams, holiday nut ... More >>

It Was Packed the Night They Lit Up Downtown For Christmas. But That Was a Month Ago ...

Like I said one long month ago, the kick-off to CityLights 2011 was quite the spectacular-spectacular -- though till I saw the freshly minted video above, I had no idea how spectacular. (Like, Vegas spectacular -- like everything else of late in this town.) We arrived shortly after Santa zipped down ... More >>

City of Ate's Holiday Gift Guide

Get lit with this drinking fountain from Nostalgia Electrics. ​It's getting late. There are only eight shopping days left before Christmas. If you're doing your shopping online, you should blow off work the rest of the day and get to it. We've compiled a list to guide you. These unique items w ... More >>

A Look Back at 11 Crazy-Great Holiday TV Moments

T'was the night(s) before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring 'cept you and your mouse. Click, click, click to these 11 merry moments of TV Christmas specials past -- some classic, some bizarre -- preserved online and ready to be rediscovered on YouTube and Hulu. Prese ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: A Spune Christmas at Dan's Silverleaf

​This week's poster comes to us from artist Scott Spooner, who sends us a quirky take on a Christmas party.Spune Productions throws some great parties year-round, and the poster for their Christmas party, which will take place on Sunday, December 11, at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton, manages to captu ... More >>

People On Vacation Ready Debut The Carry On EP, Offer Free Christmas Song

​People On Vacation have been a thing for some time now -- almost two years according to the introductory band video we posted earlier this year. Billing themselves as a sort of local supergroup, Smile Smile's Ryan Hamilton and Bowling For Soup's Jaret Reddick have been working on their debut The ... More >>

Good Friday: The Merry Christmas Edition

Like Santa, we wrote this list and checked it twice.​Shows are a little skimpy this weekend, but what do you expect? It's Christmas! There's still a handful of things to do, though. Take these shows that we've already mentioned this week:On Friday, White Light presents Amplitude, a coming out part ... More >>

You Don't Have to Be Jewish to Enjoy Chinese Food Over Christmas

A Christmas Story​One of the most memorable moments from the beloved movie A Christmas Story is the Chinese restaurant scene. Because of the holiday-friendly business hours, Chinese restaurants and Christmas seem to go hand-in-hand for many people across any culture. So, regardless of if a pa ... More >>

A Very Indie Christmas: Ten Songs To Conquer Your Parents' Karen Carpenter Blues

Bring a little rock to your Christmas.​There are few things more refreshing on Christmas morning than wheeling the dial and finding an original Christmas song. Or, at least, one that is not by Mariah Carey. Our parents have to be sick of it too. They just have to be. The frustrating thing is that ... More >>

It's Em-Effing Chocolate-Eating Time: Peppermint Bark

​It's a Christmas miracle! No-bake treats that taste beyond delicious. All you need is a 11-by-17-inch cookie sheet, a hammer (sweet!), a freezer and a little patience at the stove. If you're no good at baking and you're really good at eating chocolate, this is the holiday treat for you. Stra ... More >>

Top 5 Food Ornaments to Spice Up Your Christmas Tree or Bush

​Years ago, my family used to crown our Christmas tree with a wonderfully tacky star made from silver pipe cleaners knotted together with Christmas lights. It finally stopped working and now lays crumpled somewhere in our spider-clogged attic. This year, we have a bush - a bush! - on top of ... More >>

Lights Fantastic

The 10 Best Christmas Dinners

Avoid a holiday dinner disaster by dining out.​Sometimes it's better to leave the cooking to someone else, and we can't think of a better day to stay out of the kitchen than December 25. It used to be hard to find anywhere open besides the neighborhood Chinese joint, but times have changed. ... More >>

First Baptist's Robert Jeffress to Publicly Shame Stores That Don't Celebrate Christmas

Patrick MichelsRobert Jeffress, at center, will use his Magic Button to decorate all of Dallas for Christmas.​First Baptist Church of Dallas sends word that this morning on KCBI-FM (90.9), Robert Jeffress announced the launch of a website -- Grinch Alert -- "dedicated to showcasing businesses that ... More >>

The Daily Fail: Jessica Simpson

It's that time of year again, when you forget that Christmas was once a celebration of a possible son of an invisible man in the sky and only care about whatever is wrapped up for you under the tree. And, of course, there's the Christmas songs, too.

Bonus MP3: GalleryCat -- "Merry Ex-Mas"

​With all the leftover turkey finally gone, I guess it's about that time for some local musicians to get around to releasing their latest stabs at creating Christmas classics.And it seems that longtime DC9 favorite GalleryCat is the first this year to think that he's up to the task -- although, in ... More >>

Ready or Not, Here It Comes

Seasons Eatings

Seasons Eatings

A Heart Of Ice

Yuletide Shredding

Oh What A Night

Santa's Been Bad

Yule Have A Ball

March of the Merry

Little Baby Jesus

Peace On Earth and Blah-Blah-Blah

O, Tannenbaumination

Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns and Syrup

Get your fill of sweetness with Elf

Testing The Power Grid

Grapevine goes lightastic

Yule Be Swell

The MAC gets festive and Blue

Iced Out and About

Christmas Day doesn't mean having to stay home

Sugar Walls

Half-Pint's Holidays

The DCT celebrates in a Little House

Glass Play

Riverxmas

Drink In the Spirit

No Humbugs Allowed

DCT brings in the season

Don't Forget to Decompose Your Auk

Dallas immigrants don't have to go home for holiday fare