The Silver Spring Penguin

Last Christmas, Wham’s George Michael gave me his heart. The very next day, I chucked that tired piece of crap out the car window. This year, to save everyone from tears, plug into NPR or celebrate a very Jewish Christmas with SNL’s Robert Smigel.

Put Bing Crosby and Johnny Mathis back on the shelf. Instead, tune into NPR’s 2006 collection of holiday music. Only NPR can pull together Bootsy Collins, Dean Martin, Sufjan Stevens and The Klezmatics and make it work. You can also check out NPR’s holiday compilations of years past.

For kicks and giggles, check out the animated QuickTime video “Christmas Time for the Jews.” Cartoonist Robert Smigel got the props when it aired on Saturday Night Live, though animator Bix Pix takes credit for the claymation. And yes, that is Darlene Love on lead vocals.

On Friday, The Grandsons pull off their holiday show at Rodeo (8229 Georgia Ave). These veterans of the local music scene have been cranking out the sax-infused Texas rockabilly for 20 years. A portion of the door proceeds goes to help out Joe Stanley, an area saxophonist dealing with cancer. The show goes down at 9:00 p.m.

Image courtesy of 8Notes.