Carl Larsson: Between Christmas and New Year (1895)
Good evening, Kibitzers! Happy new year!!!
I am not retired yet — I am merely on vacation these two holiday weeks. But I would be lying if I said that waking up Monday morning and not having to be anywhere, or to hurry up and attend to stupid problems other people have created, did not substantially whet my interest in being retired. I said I would work until the end of the first quarter, and it is very true that receiving a paycheck twice a month is quite pleasant. Nonetheless, I think this is the first time I’ve felt the reality of the idea that sometime, I might not have to be working. (Let’s see what happens with the economy...)
This diary is part three, of three, of the series “OMG, look at all this holiday-related stuff I have stacked up!” Anything not in here will just have to wait till next year.
I know it’s a holiday and people may or may not stop in here while we’re open for business. Whenever you’re looking at this, I hope your holidays have been good and your 2025 will be too. May we all have a better new year than the one we fear!
Also: happy Hanukkah!
The Wexford Carol is a traditional carol from County Wexford in Ireland, likely from the 15th or 16th century, although some sources claim the 12th century. I love its tune; this haunting cello-only version is played by Patrick Dexter outside his cottage on the west coast of Ireland. [1:33]
Jacob Collier is a 30-year-old musical prodigy whose YouTubes attracted the attention of Quincy Jones, some time back, and launched him into the wider music world. (He’s been on my KTK back burner for a while.) His video of The Christmas Song (“Chestnuts roasting...”) is a 2020 Covid-lockdown-time project in which he sings all the literally hundreds of parts in his own elaborate a cappella arrangement. [5:49]
From the White House, a whirlwind drone tour of all the White House 2024 indoor holiday decorations, themed "A Season of Peace and Light", with voiceover from President Biden's Christmas message. Warning: onion chopping ahead. [2:19]
(There is an even shorter video here, that’s a sort of blink-test slideshow of each room without, and then with, its decorations. If you liked seeing this one, I think you’ll enjoy that one too.)
Two recipes from Chef John that are still seasonal even if the associated holiday per se is over:
A simple gingerbread with lemon glaze. [5:13]
Potato-chip latkes. Now listen: Chef John says he was just looking to make a quick version of latkes, but these ended up being really good. I was attracted to them because they make latkes into more of a pantry food -- I don't keep potatoes around because I don't use them in time, so if I want latkes, I have to go get some potatoes first. The thing is, though: this recipe makes four (4) potato pancakes, and it uses a full cup of crushed chips to do it, which is probably most of a bag of intact chips. So, no freakin' wonder they're good, because they're a whole bag of chips and supercharged with the oil the chips were fried in. I have not tried them, and I don't rule them out but man, this is not a healthful vegetable dish. [5:39]
The Orkney Islands, off the northern tip of Scotland, are beautiful in winter but rather stark. Local artist and writer Ingrid Grieve reads her poem about it as we see both her artwork and the Orkney scenery. There is a glossary of the poem's local words, like "hellyeifer" and "glett", in the YouTube notes. [1:47]
We usually see guitarist Laszlo Buring playing songs in the style of Mark Knopfler, but for the holidays this year, he offers Jingle Bells in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He tells us his guitar is a Fender Vintera Stratocaster. [1:11]
Say what you will about The Monkees, but they had the skills to pull off this 16th-century Catalan villancico. [1:36]
I'm pretty sure I've posted videos from the Tiny Kitchen before, where a full-size human cooks tiny real food in a dollhouse-scale kitchen. It's oddly fascinating. This is their 2024 holiday party, where teensy yet elaborate Korean BBQ sliders are prepared, to be enjoyed with tiny bottles from their sponsor, Soonhari Peach Soju. [1:30]
Theoretical physicist and “science communicator” Tim Blais uses his YouTube channel, A Cappella Science, for his parody songs with amazing science lyrics, in his own one-man multitrack harmonies. I realize this is the second one-guy a cappella harmony video in this KTK, but it’s a medley of seven different Christmas songs addressing science topics, so it obviously needs to be in here. Heck, it deserves inclusion just for rhyming something with “sarcopterygean”. [7:16]
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been livestreaming for the holidays since November. I have no idea how long they'll do this, but one assumes, if they've come this far, they're probably good through tomorrow at least. [?]
I apologize for embedding a xeet — I just wanted you to see this festive little clip of Yosemite Falls. [0:17]
Dougie MacLean brings it home. [3:52]
