It’s the ho, ho, ho time of year: Yes, we’ve made it to what we like to call the Jingle Bell quadrant of the calendar. And regardless of your socio-religious leanings, it’s a good time to pick up something special for the music lover, art geek, or otherwise-hip person in your life.
For example: shopping for someone who wants to let everyone know they go to live shows and get down ‘n’ dirty in the mosh pits? Grab a shirt from the iconic SF venue The Fillmore to put that non-verbal message on blast.
Or maybe the object of your affection is seeking more low-key musical attention? They can signal fondness for reggae, dub, and drum and bass via a lid, custom tee, mug, beer koozie, or even a dog scarf proclaiming dedication to the low-end goodness of DJ SEP.
Perhaps your giftee is craving holiday music that feels familiar but fresh this season?
Our friends at Colemine Records have some jingle for those soulful bells many will be ringin’ this wintertime. First up, the organ trio Parlor Greens with a beautiful and warmhearted instrumental version of William Bell’s “Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday.”
And then Kelly Finnegan from SF’s psychedelic soul outfit The Monophonics lays out the heavy-but-still-cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow vibes on “I Can’t Wait (For Christmas Time)”, filled with that Mission street cruisin’ type of feel. (You can pre-order both here.)
Or how about enjoying global comfort food accompanied by soulful jazz performances at a youth-run supper club that empowers young people through job training, employment, and a supportive community?
You can also give the gift of experiencing the delightful cuisine of Old Skool Cafe, situated in the vibrant Bayview, this holiday season. (The spot’s sweet potato biscuit bites are highly recommended.) Treat yourself and your loved ones by making a reservation, pre-ordering your meal—or surprising someone special with a one-month Old Skool Cafe membership, a gift that warms hearts twice. Your recipient gets exclusive meals, perks, and behind-the-scenes stories, while your gift directly supports the young people at Old Skool Cafe as they build job skills, confidence, and brighter futures.
Meaningful. Delicious. Impactful! Wrap up a month of great food and real change—all in one unforgettable holiday gift.
In addition, we loudly suggest donating in your loved one’s name to art non-profits like Women’s Audio Mission, which is dedicated to the advancement of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in music production and the recording arts, or Hip Hop For Change, which uplifts positive art in our communities.
Or perhaps you have folks around you who read? Maybe these will do the tinsel trick:
Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King by Preston Lauterbach dives headfirst into Black artists, Little Junior Parker, and Big Mama Thornton—to name a few—who inspired the Elvis we all know. First time I heard “Hound Dog” by Thornton my head exploded, ’cause it was so funky. But then, after thinking about this co-optation process, it all made sense. Such has been the path of most pop music in America, after all.
Tanya Pearson’s Pretend We’re Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s magnifies how influential women in the ’90s rock scene were, featuring original interviews with Liz Phair, Shirley Manson, Kristin Hersh, Donita Sparks, Tanya Donelly, members of Hole, Luscious Jackson, Veruca Salt, Babes in Toyland, and more. Between Liz Phair’s first album and anything associated with Luscious Jackson, and of course, the earworm masters who are Veruca Salt, the ’90s ruled.
Or how about one of the all-time-greatest Christmas albums presented in numerous collectible vinyl reissues, beginning with an eye-catching zoetrope pressing? You know what we’re talking about: Bay Area jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack is one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.
To mark the film’s 60th anniversary, as well as the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Peanuts gang, Craft Recordings is dropping wax featuring colorful combinations and classic scenes from the animated holiday tradition. Sure, these very fancy and festive versions are sure to hit the aesthetic spot. But it’s the songs, the music, that transport kids of all ages to the first time they watched the film’s weird animation underscored by the presence of adults whose talk is represented by a muted-squeaky trumpet. This the ultimate holiday show, the one that opens and closes with a choir of children culled from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael.
Rudolf can go kick rocks. It’s Charlie Brown, Mang!
