Holiday music always helps put me in the season, especially when the weather ain’t so frightful and the fire, chestnuts and Jack Frost are practically non-existent.

The Maccabees are all about making the holidays come to life with the smooth sounds of their a capella group. Their latest hit, which features a collaboration with Matisyahu, is just what you need for Hanukkah Hump Day. What’s Hanukkah Hump Day? Oh it’s just what we call the midpoint of the Hanukkah festivities.

We’ve featured the video below, so while you’re busy pouring the manishevitz and fryin’ up the latkes, you can feel a little extra festive alongside The Maccabees.

Happy Hanukkah! Read More »

Just when you think Ryan Gosling can’t get any more amazing, he goes and gets himself a new meme. And not just any meme, it’s a Hannukah themed meme. It’s like the dreidel keeps falling on gimmel and my heart is collecting all the gelt. (Whoever understands that reference wins my last leftover Bat Mitzvah party favor. What is it? Hint: it involves a picture of me in all my 13-year-old glory.) But seriously, all rabbinical humor aside, it’s officially my favorite tumblr of the day. So do yourself a favor and check it out by clicking right here.

Jenni may or may not have printed all the photos out to give to people for presents in lieu of gifts that cost money. You can follow her on Twitter here @MayorJenni.

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The holiday season is many things, but eco-friendly is not one of them. (Did you know that we could power 600,000 houses for a year with the amount of electricity wasted on holiday lights?!)  When you take into account all of the presents we buy, miles we travel, and food we stuff in our mouths, you can’t help but notice how quickly it all seems to add up. Now, I’m not trying to Scrooge up your holiday season, but I think we should all be aware of the impact that “the happiest time of the year” can have on our environment.

Here are some of the more harmful holiday practices and how we can tweak them to make them more eco-friendly without any less holiday cheeriness.

Gift Giving:
Every year we all spend our precious time and money picking out the perfect gifts for our loved ones.  Unfortunately, what may seem like the “perfect gift” to us may not be so appreciated by the recipient and end up as a throw-away by the time spring cleaning rolls around.  Avoid this potential waste while saving your own time and effort and give them something they will actually use.  Go for gift cards to their favorite stores so they can pick out something they’ll want.

Another idea is to stray away from buying “stuff” and give experiences to your loved ones instead.  A massage at the local spa for your mom, tickets to the big game for your dad, or a backstage pass (slash nosebleed section ticket) to the Jonas Brothers for your little sis should do the trick.  Plus, all of these gifts have the potential for you to include yourself in on the action (minus the J Bros, thanks).  Happy holidays to you!

And if none of those ideas strike your fancy, there are tons of eco-friendly gifts that will make everyone – including Mother Earth – happy. Read More »

With the holiday season in full force, it’s time to start thinking beyond the presents you want to receive from your family and friends and the parties you will be attending and what you are going to wear. It’s time to think about others.

Despite the end of the year being one of the busiest times, it is important to think about giving to others and taking time to make a help those in need. Here is a list of easy and simple ways to get involved in making a difference this season:

Adopt an Angel, Be a Santa
Consider adopting a needy person for the holiday season. Giving Trees are everywhere right now (from your local Wal-Mart to your mall’s JCPenney, and many colleges have them up in their common areas) allowing you to choose the name of a person in need and help them out. You don’t even need a lot of money to do it! Every name comes with a list of wants; you can purchase just one thing off of that list (usually something simple like shampoo or groceries), or gather a bunch of friends to go all out. Your $10 purchase will really make someone’s Christmas.

Ring The Bell
You know those red kettles outside of grocery stores and on nearly every street corner in big cities, often accompanied by a Santa ringing a hand-bell? They are sponsored by the Salvation Army and have been around since 1891, providing homeless and needy with nice sit-down meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas. When walking out of the mall this holiday season, drop some of your spare change into those kettles, because any amount of change will be put to towards hot holiday meals for those in need. Read More »

The holidays are here and chances are, you’re either done with your shopping and psyched about your fabulous gifts, or you haven’t even started and are dismayed by the prospects of yet another year of gift-card-swapping. On the other hand, free sh*t is just around the corner! Yay! Obviously, the holidays are all about passing gifts around. But which end is more fun to be on? Is it truly better to give than to receive?

Giving: Lets you show someone how much you care. When you find that one “perfect” gift for someone, you are ecstatic to see their reaction.

On the other hand, you then have to find the same perfect novelty for everyone else in your family or circle of friends, or else it might seem like you were playing favorites.

Receiving: Umm, hello? Free sh*t. Perfect opportunity to ask your parents for stuff you want but can’t afford on your own.

However, if you get a hand-knitted sweater from Nona with giant snowmen on the front, it’s not like you can return it, exactly. So you better perfect your gritted-teeth-smile and thank you. Read More »

[I like to think of myself as a pretty easy going gal, and try not to sweat the small stuff. But sometimes (ok, maybe slightly more often) the general cluelessness, carelessness and overall stupididty of some things and or/people really gets to me. I find that venting is the most efficient way to rid myself of the stress that idiots, wrong meal orders, lack of cell phone ettiquette and cheese flavored products (that don’t even contain any freaking cheese!) induce.

So, in an attempt to avoid an ulcer or an unfortuante road rage incident, I vent to you, dear reader. Please feel free to join in and comment about anything–really, anything–that pissed. you. off. this week. Let it all hang out. I feel you.]

People who shout the name of movies as the previews roll: Obviously, people who talk during movies are a**holes. That’s why the cute food from the concession stand urges you not to! And previously to my last cinematic experience, I could care less about the people who talked during previews (I mean, most of the time I’m not even there yet so I can’t hate.) Then I sat behind a guy who was of the mindset that I had entered his private theater, and was in for a treat as he displayed his psychic/ trivia powers. As soon as the trailer had been running for 5 seconds, he would confidently (and really effing loudly) shout the title of the movie being advertised. Seriously?! The only thing worse than this habit was the beaming look he kept giving his wife, who reluctantly high fived him when he got one right. This is why I have Netflix…

Lack of the Yuletide spirit. Maybe it’s just because I live in Florida and the closest thing we’ve got to snow is the shaved ice on the rims of tropical drinks, but I still don’t feel like Christmas is in less than 4 days (despite department stores putting up their decor the day after Halloween). I mean, there’s a lack of lights on houses, the malls are still empty, even my Christmas tree doesn’t have that magical scent. I guess the economic blues have replaced the seasonal mirth this year. I’m not demanding carolers or anything (although a good rendition of “O Holy Night” hits the spot every time), but please, if there really is a Santa Clause (or a Hannukah Harry) send me a little seasonal joy. Read More »

Beach days are over, flip flops have been thrown to the back of the closet, and our skin has gotten so dry our resemble a reptile. Hello, winter!

We might be feverishly counting down the days to summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy December, January, and February. Hey — at least they’re not as rainy as March (usually). The next time you start cursing because you can’t feel your fingers…or toes…or face… reflect on some of the best winter offerings. Besides, if it was sunny and warm year round, we’d have to be perpetually ready to don a bikini. Read More »

We may have outgrown classroom “Secret Santa” parties and Snow Balls chaperoned by parents who enforce the “no-grinding” policies set forth by the high school gym teacher. But college offers a whole new world of holiday parties.

If you had fun on Halloween, just wait and see what the Festivous season has in store. Here are some ideas so you can throw your own rager for Christmahannukwanzakuh… or whatever you celebrate.

Tacky Christmas Party

Now’s the time to dig out the sweater you got last year from Aunt Millie – the one with real pom poms sewn on to represent snowflakes, with bedazzled reindeer flying across the front. If you don’t have your own tacky Christmas sweater, rummage through your mom’s closet or hit up the Salvation Army. These parties have been gaining quite the reputation over the last few years, with party goers trying to out-ugly each other. Decorate with lawn ornaments from the Clearance rack at K-Mart, and serve Malt Liqour to your guests. Who doesn’t love a white trash Christmas?

Hannukah Song Party

Who says you have to put your Halloween costume in the closet on November 1? Give your best celebrity costume another go by throwing a party where everyone goes as their favorite character from Adam Sandler’s “Hannukah Song.” Once everyone gets nicely buzzed, the phrase “OJ Simpson- not a Jew!” will echo through the halls, and “Put us together- what a fine lookin’ Jew” will be the pickup line of the night. Read More »