Okay, I’m back with more things I love about the holiday season. Well, one kind of thing, but at least there’s three of them.
Favorite Non-Traditional Traditions
Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, and caroling on a cold December night. There’s no shortage of traditions tied to Christmas alone, let alone the dozen other holidays one might celebrate this time of year. That said, there a few, let’s say especially unique, such traditions that might have disappeared into the mists of history if not for one simple fact.
They friggin’ rule.
So, if you’re not familiar with these traditions, allow me to help you get acquainted with them so you can share them with your friends and family.
The Lord of Misrule
The Lord of Misrule was a title bestowed to someone, usually a poor beggar, during the winter Feast of Fools and who was charged with leading the Christmastime revelry. The Lord would then lead his merry band of revelers to the homes of the wealthy and make demands for food and liquor. These demands were usually backed with threats of yuletide violence visited upon those who refused. Frankly, I think threatening the rich with violence unless they feed the poor is something we should bring back.
Not just at Christmastime, but throughout the year.
Mari Lwyd
Image taken from the Chepstow Mari-Lwyd. The Mari is being lead around Chepstow
Mari Lwyd is a Welsh tradition which also involves people coming up to someone else’s home and demanding refreshments.
Except this time the party paying a visit is a Skeletal Horse.
A RAPPING skeletal horse.
That’s right, this boney bastard knocks on your door and then challenges you to a Rap Battle where instead of using your dope rhymes and sick beats to diss him, you need to come up with excuses as to why a skeletal horse can’t come inside and drink your best booze and tastiest eats.
Basically, it’s Caroling but METAL AS FUCK!
Heitstrenging (Yule Boasting)
Heitstrenging is the old Norse Yule tradition of getting hammered and then proceeding to swear an oath about all the kick-ass bitchin’ things you’re about to do in the upcoming year. These oaths are usually outlandish, sometimes even literally impossible, things that one only promises when they’re already dozen mugs of ale in on the longest night of the year. Whether it’s armies you might defeat, wild animals you might slay, or literal gods that you’ll fuck, marry, or kill (or if feeling especially boastful, all three), nothing is off the table, and the only limit is your imagination and blood-alcohol level.
Anyone can resolve to go to the gym more often come January 1st. It takes a special kind of gumption to promise to woo a Valkyrie and pimp slap Thor right across his stupid, sexy face.
Okay, that wraps up my Holiday Content Extravaganza™ (for real this time.) Thank you for letting me indulge in some holly jolly what-the-fuckery. Whether your holiday celebrations involve beating up the rich, rapping horses, not-so-humble Viking brags, or something a bit more traditional (by Western standards), I hope its joyful and that you share it with those you like and love.
Ho Ho Yo! Happy Holidays to one and all, regardless of what you celebrate, how you celebrate it, or even if you don’t celebrate anything at all. 2025 has been… uh… interesting, so this post isn’t just Content™, but also a chance to add a little positivity to the last couple weeks of this weird year by sharing a few of my favorite things that I associate with the season.
Favorite Christmas Special/Movie
Let’s start with one of the staples, as most of us who celebrate the holiday have an opinion on what is and isn’t a “Christmas” movie and which ones are all-time classics. While I won’t get into either of those debates, I do have two favorites. One I consider a more “Traditional-style” Christmas movie in tone and theme and one that’s a bit more off-kilter.
A lot of people consider A Muppet Christmas Carolto be a masterpiece and Sir Michael Caine’s performance as Scrooge is up there in all-time great portrayals (Though I’m more partial to Sir Patrick Stewart’s take on the character), but when I think of Muppets and Christmas, my first thought always goes to 1987’s A Muppet Family Christmas.
This might be the Endgame of Muppet specials considering that it features the Muppets, their CTW brethren from Sesame Street, and the Mother-lovin’ Fraggles. Watch that icy patch.
My other favorite is actually an awful movie, but it was salvaged (and savaged) by a pair of wise-crackin’ robots and their hapless human companion stranded in space by a pair of mad scientists. Come, gather ’round as we watch Joel, Tom Servo, and Crow riff to smithereens the cinematic disasterpiece Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
Favorite Christmas Song
For many years I had a deep loathing of Christmas Music. I spent eight years of my late teens and early-20s working retail in an actual brick and mortar mall. From mid-November until January 2nd, I was deluged with Christmas music for 8-12 hours a day. I still avoid prolonged exposure to the holly jolly tunes, but at least my eye no longer twitches at hearing Feliz Navidad.
That said, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have at least a few favorite tunes. Mostly ones that are a bit quirkier and played much less often by radio stations. In regard to the classic carols, I hold a fondness for The Muppets (Can you tell I was a child of the 80s?) and John Denver banging out their version of The 12 Days of Christmas, Bah bum bum bum bum…
When it comes to more original faire, I have a trio of interesting, quirky, and just plain weird songs I look forward t hearing upon December’s arrival.
First, is the Waitresses’ Christmas Wrapping
Next up is The Royal Guardsmen’s Snoopy’s Christmas
Lastly, let’s get Weird (and pretty violent) with “Weird” Al Yankovic’s The Night Santa Went Crazy
Okay, moving on from media, let’s talk Christmas food.
Favorite Christmas Food
Most people associate Christmas with carving a nice roasted turkey or baked ham, or if really old-school, a fattened goose.
I think of fish.
Specifically, fried smelts. As a kid, I always remember a large platter of these crispy, small fish at my extended family’s Christmas Eve gatherings. If I ever get haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past and we stop by one of those nights, I’m taking an entire to-go box of these suckers with me.
Favorite Christmas Cookie
I’m a simple man and when it comes to cookies, I’m what many would call “a basic bitch.” I come from the land of Wedding Cookie Tables, and I can pack away ladylocks, buckeyes, and snickerdoodles like the love child of Pac-Man and Kirby. When it comes to Christmas time though, just give me a plate of Frosted Sugar Cookies, a big glass of Chocolate milk and leave me to it. I’m not saying I would fight Santa if someone left a plate of these on Christmas Eve, but… well, actually, yeah, I would.
Favorite Ornament
So, the tree my spouse and I trim every year is an eclectic mix of childhood ornaments, tributes to our hometown, and assorted nerdery. One of absolute favorites is just a simple ball, but the story it tells is over 40 years old and is as much a part of my childhood as Charlie Brown’s sad Christmas tree or Boris Karloff lying to Cindy Lu Who’s stupid-adorable face.
Eat’n Park is a western Pennsylvania institution and in 1982 the restaurant created what would be its holiday icon.
It’s been recreated on T-shirts, postcards, coffee mugs, and yes, Christmas ornaments. For over 40 years that star has been helped to the top of the tree, reminding us that we all could use a helping hand, not only this time of year, but all year round.
Notable Gifts
I won’t say “Favorite Gifts” because every gift I’ve ever received is appreciated in the spirit in which it was given. However, that doesn’t mean that some gifts don’t hold particular places of honor in my home or heart. I still remember, as a kid, tearing away the wrapping paper and holding in my little Ghostbustin’ hands the object I most desired in 1987…
Who you gonna call?
Sadly, like 99.9% of my childhood possessions, it ended up in a charity garage sale and is long gone. I could always rebuy it with my middle-aged disposable income, but frankly, it wouldn’t be the same and it would really just take up space we don’t have. Luckily, as an adult, I received a pretty nice (and much smaller) replacement on another Christmas afternoon…
Of course, if we’re talking about gifts I’ve received as an adult, then my Awesomely Amazing™ (and Amazingly Awesome™) Spouse provided me the gift that never fails to bring a smile to my face (well, OTHER that their presence in my life)…
Lady LilyLord Burghie
They commissioned Renaissance-style portraits of our Fur-kids, Lily and Burghie. These immediately went up in the place of honor in our front room so anyone who enters our home knows that A.) we’re love our kids and B.) we’re both huge dorks.
Well, it’s time for me to catch a sleigh outta here. I got several inches of “Winter Wonderland” to shovel off my sidewalks and driveway from a pre-Christmas blizzard that rolled through last night. I’ll most likely post here again after the holidays with a 2025 year in review. Have a Happy Holiday season and may it be, if not joyful, at least stress-free.
The Christmas Draco-lich says “Happy Holidays One and All!”
Touching Christmas Gift from one of my Beta Readers
Welcome to December! We’re about 3 weeks away from Christmas and as we get closer to the big day, I do plan to share some Seasonal Content™. Today, however, I plan to keep things short and simple and focus on the topic at hand – Sales! As in my book is going on sale and will remain so until the end of the year.
Starting Monday (December 8th) until New Year’s Day, I’m offering the ebook of Tales of a Stranger Sisterfor $1.49 – a 50% discount! And while the crux of the sale is over at Smashwords, I’m offering the 50% discount across all storefronts and countries for the entirety of the sale.
So, if you know someone who likes Small-Scale, Slice-of-Life Fantasy, perhaps you could play Santa and drop a copy in someone’s digital stocking. Or, if it’s more your thing, then maybe you might just treat yourself to a new read for less than the cost of a cup of hot cocoa (Though I do recommend reading it alongside a hot beverage and a cat if one or both are available.)
Anyway, if you haven’t already wrapped up your Christmas shopping or have and want to treat yourself, I hope you’ll give my debut novel a try.
Okay, Gonna ends this post here. Next time: All the things Christmas! ALL THE THINGS!!
