I get a kick out of Christmas music. Even after years in retail, being forced to listen to Windham Hill’s Christmas music on an endless loop, I still enjoy it. It’s festive, and can remind you of the spirit of the season, even when you’re stuck in traffic. My taste in Christmas music spans from classic to pop to New Age to traditional. I even still like the Windham Hill Christmas sampler that’s left over from my Barnes and Noble days. BUT. There are some “Christmas” songs I cannot stand. These are my top 3:

Dan Fogelberg, Same Old Lang Syne. What is this song? This isn’t Christmas music, so why do I hear it every year? Just because the song is set on Christmas Eve, doesn’t make it a holiday tune. It’s not even festive. Seriously, take a minute to google the lyrics. In it, Dan runs into his old flame at the grocery store. They want to catch up, but all the bars are closed, so they buy a six-pack of beer and drink it in the car. It turns out that they are both unhappy and unfulfilled in their lives. Then the girl goes back to her husband and the life she loathes. Cheerful.

Paul McCartney, Wonderful Christmas Time. Arg. This songs makes me grind my teeth. First of all, it’s completely inescapable. I hear it more than any other song on the radio every December. Yes, McCartney is a legend. Yes, he is an amazing songwriter. But this song sucks. It has about 4 lines that just keep repeating, with each verse reminding us that we’re having a wonderful Christmas time, ad nauseum. You know what makes for a wonderful Christmas time? Not hearing this song.

Newsong, Christmas Shoes. Honestly, does anyone like this song? It’s horrible. Basically, a cranky guy in line at a store helps a poor urchin buy shoes for the urchin’s dying mother so that she’ll look pretty for Jesus (who, as we all know, is pretty strict about footwear in Heaven). As others have pointed out, this guy gets a kick out of being reminded of the true spirit of Christmas, all thanks to some poor kid’s dying mother. It’s complete drivel, and Rich over at FourFour has a great commentary on this song. He says it better than I could, so just read his opinion.

But, lest you think I’m a total Grinch, let me close with one of the cutest renditions of one of my favorites:

So, there you have it. What are your favorite (and least favorite!) holiday songs?

How pretty is Pure Food and Wine in New York? I want to go to NYC just to eat there. In the absence of that, I ordered some crackers and cereal from the takeaway service. Hopefully, those will arrive this week.

Morocco Method hair products. These pure, vegan, raw products are supposed to detox, thicken and regrow hair. I just started the system, and I’m hoping it works for me. I learned about it from Kristen’s Raw, and she’s recommending it!

Dr. Alkaitis skin care. Another pure, vegan, raw line. I’m using the purifying cleanser and the day and night creams. If they work, I’ll probably try more products in the line. My skin does feel extra soft; I’m hoping it clears up and the dry patch on my nose goes away. 

Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Desserts. I just got this book and can’t wait to make the Vanilla Cacao Crunch Ice Mylk, Chocolate Chip Cheezecake Swirl and Lemon Pudding Filled Coconut Cupcakes with Shaved Coconut Topping.

Navitas Naturals raw powders and superfoods. High quality maca, lucuma, cacao, chia and more. As soon as I have some extra money, I’m placing an order. 

Raw Natural Beauty mascara. I’m in the market for new mascara, and I just discovered this line. I’m still comparative shopping, but this looks promising.

If you look at the links on the right, under pages you’ll see something new: The Modernista Store! In partnership with Amazon, I’m bringing you a selection of some of my favorite things. Right now the focus is on health and wellness; as the store expands I might bring in a greater variety. Please check it out, and feel free to buy to your heart’s content!

Or ham or pork or any other critters.

1. Ani Phyo’s Fuzzy Navel Smoothie Shake. I have this for breakfast at least twice a week. Full of oranges, pecans, dates, and vanilla, this is a tasty, filling beverage. The recipe is in Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen.

2. Minute Rice Brown Rice Cups. These aren’t raw AND they require a microwave, but you can’t beat these little gems on days when you need a fast, tasty meal. They are delicious and a perfect serving size.

3. Lady Gaga’s The Fame. Energetic, electro-dance music that has totally pumped up my workouts lately. My two favorite tracks are Just Dance and Poker Face, which also happen to be the first two singles. But there are a lot more fun songs on this disc, so check it out if you wanna get energized.

4. The Girls Next Door book. I still love this campy, larger-than-life show, which is now in it’s fifth (and probably final) season. It’s funny to watch now, since Holly, Bridget, and Kendra have all moved out of the mansion and into new relationships. Entertainment is all about great timing, and since the show is winding down, The Girls seized the opportunity to connect to their fans with a new book. Filled with pictures, recipes, episode mini-recaps, makeup and fashion tips, this is a fun addition to the glitzy, glamorous, glittering world of The Girls.

5. Ginger. I love ginger in cookies (like Mi-Del Ginger Snaps), in fresh juices (for an extra kick), and especially in body products. I LOVE Ohm by Olay’s ginger citrus body spray, but unfortunately, it was discontinued years ago. Lucky for me, there are lots of other ginger body products, such as Calgon’s Hawaiian Ginger line, and my favorite, Burt’s Bees Extra Energizing Citrus and Ginger body wash. Yum.

6. Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat cereal. I eat this with rice milk and I am addicted. There are some days when I’ll eat three bowls, because I just can’t get enough. It’s crunchy, lightly sweetened, full of whole grains…sometimes I have to force myself not to buy it just to detox from my addiction. It’s THAT good.

7. My Crazy Sexy Life t-shirt. Made by Alternative Apparel (whose home base is practically in my backyard), this ultra-soft, comfy gray shirt has crazy disco stars on the front, and a vegetable peace sign on the back. It also has a great message: Make Juice, Not War. Seriously. Go make some homemade juice. I made cucumber-celery-apple juice last night, and it was surprisingly refreshing.

8. Jason Volumizing Hair Care. I use the shampoo, conditioner and volumizing spray from this natural line, and I really like the results. The shampoo doesn’t foam as much as traditional ones, and I need a little bit more of the conditioner. I’ve found that I can’t mix the spray with other mousses, or my hair gets too sticky. But this line is lauryl/laureth sulfate-free, smells good, and treats my hair well.

9. Moonlight. This underrated show only lasted for one season, which is so disappointing. I’ve heard it compared to Angel, which is understandable, since it is technically about a vampire detective who wants to be human. But truly, the shows are very different, and relatively unknown Aussie actor Alex O’Loughlin brings an interesting energy to the show as Mick, a vampire who longs to be human. Rather than being brooding and tortured, Mick is fairly pragmatic; vampire or no, has still to make ends meet, so he works as a legitimate P.I., who becomes embroiled in a love triangle. Veronica Mars’ Jason Dohring also has a small but excellent role as 400-year old Josef. Seriously, he steals every scene he is in, on every show.