The Night Is Young

By AIMSEL L. PONTI

December 17, 2009

Well, the tree is at last trimmed, with an improvised Michael Jackson angel topper no less. I'm taking today off to do my shopping, with visions of sugar coma fairies dancing in my head. I finally have the holiday spirit that had eluded me up to this point.

Some new holiday music (and if I never hear Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" again, it will be too soon), has helped my cause.

Tori Amos' "Midwinter Graces" is an illuminating blend of ancient carols and original songs. Joan Jett's "A Blackheart Christmas" is another gem. Girl in a Coma deliver with "Blue Christmas" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Thommy Price, featuring Nefertiti Bones, makes merry with "Winter Wonderland."

Fix yourself a mug of hot cocoa, preferably with an obscene blob of Fluff in it, and take a sleigh ride to blackheart.com/ablackheartchristmas for Jett's version of "Silent Night," which samples speeches from a then President-elect Obama in November 2008.