Wrapped in metal, wrapped in ivy

[sovay]

Driving around on errands, I seem to have discovered that my tolerance for Christmas music has zeroed out unless it falls into the class of traditional carols, i.e. can be used for wassailing, first appeared in Latin, was arranged once by Benjamin Britten. I relayed this sentiment to spatch and he promptly broke out SNL's "I Wish It Was Christmas Today." When we saw the news of the death of Dave Mallett, I played him my favorite version of the "Garden Song," from Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger's Precious Friend (1981). I remain entertained that the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had to put up a short post attesting to the historical reality of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's Penalty for Keeping Christmas 1659. The catchiest music I have heard on the radio lately—WHRB, natch—is almost certainly Auntie Christ's "I Don't" (1997). I am all for amending our still-critical drought, but these 100% chances of rain could be snow any time now.

Comments

[sovay]

My own categories are: songs my grandmother liked, songs that make fun of the hypocritical side of the holidays, and obviously Tom Waits and The Pogues.

I remembered the Pogues in comments, but Tom Waits is also a legitimate exception!

What falls into the category of songs your grandmother liked?

(And "Last Christmas", because it's a fun game!)

I have never heard it! I don't know how I would even recognize if it happened to me!

[selkie]

"Last Christmas" is the sassy gay Anubis carol. "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it a weigh."

[sovay]

"Last Christmas" is the sassy gay Anubis carol. "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it a weigh."

Truly this rings no literal or figurative bells, but when we get the carolling Ammit, I'm calling you.

[selkie]

She gets a verse, too! Once bitten, twice shy!
...so that's six large sushi boats, two fruit trays, two cookie trays, and a raw beef heart.

[ethelmay]

"Dammit, Ammit!"

[theseatheseatheopensea]

What falls into the category of songs your grandmother liked?

Mostly these. During the holidays, she used them as lullabies too!

I have never heard it! I don't know how I would even recognize if it happened to me!

Haha, then this means that you automatically win the game every year! The "tradition" is that you lose the second you hear and recognise the song. After you lose, you can keep playing by adding a point each time you hear it! (This year it was nominated for Yuletide, which I find delightful!