Happy Christmas Everyone!

Notice how the Brits say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas"? I've always liked that better, maybe just because it is a refreshing change from what I've been hearing my entire life. I have a lot of non-Christmas material to catch up on- Raphael Saadiq, Fela!, the Robeson gingerbread cookie decorating party and other adventures- but I'll get back to those post-Christmas vacation.

I usually hate Christmas music but I discovered a couple tunes this season that warmed even my coal-black, anti-Christmas heart.

1. "Let Me Sleep It's Christmas Time" by Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder's voice rules
2. "Pimp My Sleigh" by Houseman of Galactic, no explanation needed
3. "12 Days of Christmas" by Straight No Chaser, an a capella medley of different Christmas carols that blend into "Africa" by Toto.
4. A live James Taylor recording that doesn't sound anything like normal James Taylor. He even drops the F-bomb. It came up in Veronica's Bruce Springsteen holiday Pandora station. I'll come back and include the title as soon as I can find it.
5. "Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects" by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Download it here.

And since it is the time of year for Best Of lists, I thought I would include a list of 10 great things I discovered in the past year.

1. Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion
2. Boomerang's in Jamaica Plain - I am continually amazed by the treasures within its walls
3. Galway House on Centre Street. It looks like an old man bar, and it is, but the steak is cheap and delicious. It is perfect to split with a friend or lover.
4. Grooveshark - I love being able to send song links via gchat, email, etc.
5. Patagonia socks- they are almost worth the $16 price tag
6. Juicing- apple, carrot and ginger juice is better than sex
7. "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Unlike Jason Derulo's "Whatcha Say", this song will still be good in five years
8. South Boston Yoga - this studio made me think about yoga in a whole new way
9. Helvetica and Trouble the Water - two of the best documentaries I have ever seen
10. My home grown arugula. I challenge you to grow a tastier bunch!

Top music RE-discoveries of this year included "'93 'til Infinity" by Souls of Mischief and It Is Finished, a stellar Nina Simone album.

Love and high fives to everyone in my life who made the past year a blast, through the peaks AND the valleys. I have high hopes for 2010. As Norm says, "It's the year, kid. It's the year."