Happy Birthday Finny James!

How quickly they grow up! I find myself reminiscing and feeling nostalgic and my little guy's only 2!!

What a nice little day we had for Finny. I didn't throw my usual birthday bash because 2 of my sisters were away (one permanently) and Suzie just delivered little Quinn on the 31st! He is an absolute doll, btw! Anyway, we had a little party for him at the house with both grandparents and Mo Mo and Matt (who is also about to pop, Mo Mo, not Matt! Thanks, Mo Mo, for making the drive. I know it wasn't easy, but I tried to make the cake and treats worth your while!) Finny napped for a while and I went upstairs to wake him b/c we had ordered pizza, and he came down in my arms so calmly. He was so happy to see the "coo coo keys" (choo choo trains) all over the house, and immediately sat down to play with "Pomass" (Thomas).

We all began eating pizza and Finny just went out to the porch and had a rest on the chaise with his guggy.

He was holding out for the cake. It was the first thing he said when he woke up this morning. I said "Happy Birthday" and he said "Want birthday cake." Just like his Momma! Charlie was really sweet b/c he said happy birthday right away and gave Finny a big hug! They devoured the cake! Then we opened presents. Finny was so calm and loved everything he opened (or should I say that Charlie opened for him!) Every time he got a train, he wanted to open it right away. I read his birthday cards out loud to him, and when I got done reading Mom Mom's I closed it and Finny said, "Amen." Whenever we asked Finny how old he is today, he said, "five." I don't know where he got that, only that he does love counting!

Later, after everyone left, we were all bathed and laying on Mommy and Daddy's bed "nuggling" and saying our bedtime prayers. We always start out with what we're thankful for, and I went into this long soliloquy about Finny James. Then Finny said "Tank oo toys. Tassy (salt water taffy, which he loves). Fireman." I thought that was so sweet. Then he said "Mommy. Bobbo (Charlie). Nuggle." I could just eat that kid!

It's so amazing to see how quickly they grow and change in just one short year. This time last year, he couldn't even walk! Now he sings "Rock-a-bye sweet Finny James" with Daddy every night at bedtime. He also sings "Poker face," "Round the way girl" (by LL Cool J) and "Boom Boom Pow." He's got quite an eclectic musical ear!

I thank my lucky stars almost daily for these two wonderful boys. When they're not driving me bananas, they are just amazing to witness. I am constantly cognizant of these fleeting moments which someday I will turn around and miss. I try so hard to make snapshots in my mind (like today when Charlie hugged Finny) because I know too quickly they will be grown. And of course we happened upon an old man in Shop Rite today who was admiring my "wonderful helpers." And I said "aren't they?" half sarcastically. And he said, "Oh these days are so short. Now I vacuum the house and the vacuum lines stay there for weeks and weeks and I think of the days when I barely had time to vacuum and miss them!" Well, I nearly cried right there in the Shop Rite. I walked away with a tear in my eye, and made sure to say an extra thanks tonight for my two wonderful joys.

Happy Birthday Sweet Finny James!! We love you!

And if you made it all the way to the end, here's a sweet treat... my newest nephew Quinn Cogan Gallagher. Born at 3:33pm on July 31. 8 pounds even and 21 inches. He is just a little ball of love!

Charlie's Big Debut

Look out world, here comes Charlie!!

I had emailed a rep from Sprout a few months ago offering Charlie's services for any of their shoots. Kelli had taken Rae a few years ago, and she got stage fright and wouldn't do it. Then Suzy took Jack and Luke, and they didn't cooperate either. So we thought we'd try our luck when someone from Sprout emailed for Charlie's (free) services.

We went to the shoot this morning. It's for a Wiggles show airing on Sprout August 24. I didn't tell Charlie anything about it, I just told hime he'd talk to some grown ups and play a little and tell some jokes (and he was strictly forbidden from talking about poopy!)

We rolled up in the mini-van at this beautifully charming Victorian in downtown Haddonfield. They had a gorgeous yard and an amazingly renovated home. While we waited for Charlie's turn, he had to go potty. So we went in the house and Charlie "needed his privacy so he could poop." I waited outside and tried not to gape and this gorgeous home. When he finally finished, he had to go into great detail about the condition of his "hot poopy." While I helped him wipe and tried to keep him from continuing his diatribe about his poopy, MY SUNGLASSES FELL IN THE TOILET! Charlie starts screaming, "Your glasses fell in my poopy! Your glasses fell in my poopy!Did they touch my poopy? Oh my gosh Mommy!" I was shushing him and trying to keep the commentating to a minimum, but that only fueled his inquisition. I knew I had to get out of this echo-laiden bathroom and pronto! Now to only keep him from running out and telling the whole film crew what just happened!

Luckily, that didn't happen and Charlie's shoot went off without a hitch. He certainly wasn't the usual boisterous boy we all know and love, but he sang and danced and spoke pirate talk and told a joke and did all the things the director asked. At one point the camera man asked him to do something and he said "oh, that's b/c I got my hair cut." The crew was laughing so hard I thought they were going to have to do a retake. So, all in all, I think he did a really great job. I don't know that he's ready for his own Nick show, but we'll see how it turns out! It was definitely a great opportunity for him. And on the way home he said he "could've skipped the part where Colin (the director) made him say all that stuff. I just wanted to say my own words!" Isn't that the truth!

So be sure and watch (or DVR) on the 24th of August. It's a Wiggles episode on Sprout. The Wiggles are new for Sprout, so I don't know what time it will air!

In other news, I'm also attaching pictures of Charlie's new haircut (his shortest ever!) He's really ready for the Army now! And some pics of Connor crabbing with us in Tuckerton. We had my nephews here for almost a week, and I tried to keep them busy with tons of activities. They called it "Camp Aunt Shanie." They couldn't have given me a better compliment!

The rest of the pics are just some of the things we've done this summer. I took the boys to see Thomas, and Charlie cried b/c we weren't going to the museum too. What 4-year old cries for NOT going to a museum? We went to Dorney Park with the Krechels and Cogan-Helsels and then toured Steamtown USA with the Hennion-Cogans! We also went to the Mets at the Washington Nationals game with the rest of the Costal clan. They watched the game while I walked the sleeping boys around the stadium! And we went to Chicoteague and Ocean City, MD. We saw lots of horses, but while we were there I found out that my first husband, Michael Jackson, had died. As I sat in disbelief and drowned my sorrows in the pitcher of beer I had already begun consuming, Ireminisced on the Michael I once knew and loved! Then we went up on the boardwalk and found the t-shirt... literally 2 hours after he died! Man, they're quick!! But seriously, I know the media beat it into the ground (note the pun, thank you very much) but he was an amazing entertainer (albeit strange and possibly deranged later in life) and my first true love in second grade!! Long live the King of Pop! And as Michael always said "MamaSayMamaSahMaMaKooSah" and "Sham-on."

"So I used to be the baby Jesus?"

There have been so many funny things going on in Casa Costal lately and I keep saying "I have to blog about that." But I get too busy or I get one of my infamous headaches and I don't do it, but tonight I must!!

As I am sure all parents say, "my child is sooo funny," and I'm sure that's true, but they haven't met MY child! (Sense my sarcasm...) But it's true. Charlie is one of the most unusual kids you will ever meet. Everywhere we go, everyone knows him. He is notorious in Ocean City; Finny and I just follow along as his entourage! He has picked up this new habit of doing impressions of people (sometimes right in front of them). Today he mimicked my father-in-law while he was still talking "When I go down to Palm Beach, I get a bunch of shrimp..." (in his best Cuban accent!) But as usual, what takes the cake is Charlie's incessant questions. He's like my little Socrates, always asking questions. And unfortunately for him, Mommy doesn't always have the answers!! So today we are sitting in the car and he says:

C: "Mommy when you were a little girl and Daddy was a little boy, where was I?"
M: I had no idea what to say. I was afraid if I waxed philosophical on him it would lead to other even more difficult questions, but I forged forward... "You were in heaven with God." (and I braced myself for the barage of questions... and he said
C: "So I was the baby Jesus and then you called me Charlie?"
I about peed my pants laughing!

But what can you expect from a big 4 YEAR OLD boy!!! Yes, he just turned 4 and we celebrated at "Mom Mom's Build a Bear" in the good old Deptford mall! We had a blast! BAB was sooo fun and they did a great party! Charlie wanted a "worm party." I wasn't really sure what that entailed, so I just made a worm cake out of rice crispy treats and "dirt" cupcakes with worms coming out. That was the extent of my wormy theme, but it apeased the beast!! He loved it! And the cake was quite the showstopper in the mall! Joe and I can't believe we are parents to a 4 year old boy! He feels so grown up! I know that sounds crazy!! But ever since that boy came out of me I've been dreading the day he grows up and leaves me!! And of course, my little intuitive boy (Joe and I think he reads minds sometimes) says to me the other day, "Mommy I'm gonna love you forever and ever. I'm never gonna leave you." Also, on his birthday he blew out his candles and said he "wished that he loved me." I think he meant he wished AND he loved me! It's all semantics.

Charlie and Finn are really turning into the best of friends. It always makes me so happy when they play together. Of course, I break up tons of fights and mediate lots of tantrums and arguments, and it's usually me pulling Finny off of Charlie!! Charlie has become such a great big brother. He always looks out for Finny and keeps him out of trouble! Even when Finny is climbing to the top of the bookshelf in the playroom to get a closer look at the fish! Or today... when both boys were in the back of the Altima... they were sitting so close to eachother that Charlie kept reaching over and monkeying with Finn. He found an old piece of tissue paper (it's Joe's car, so it's got quite a menagerie of interesting items in it!) and he and Finny were tearing it up. All of a sudden Charlie yells, "Finny's eating the paper!" Finny started to gag, and then he projectile vomited his entire dinner all over the place!! I pulled over, but there was nothing I could do, so we got back on the road. Charlie said "Roll down the windows, it's stinky and he's too close!" and then he started screaming "macaroni and cheese macaroni and cheese!" And then, the smart little bugger turned on the toy M&M fan that Bammy just gave him to keep the stink away from him! Just another day in paradise!!

And in more exciting news!!! I started a year-long program to become a Lactation Consultant!!! I am so excited! I have been saying I want to do this for years!! I looked into it so many times and felt overwhelmed by all the mentoring hours and education hours required to complete it. And then a friend of Suzie's passed on some info about a class that meets one Sunday a month from 9-5 for one year and it would fulfill all my education requirements. I still have to do the mentorship on my own, but it sure throws me into the thick of it! We had our first class last month and I practically skipped the whole way there!! It was so interesting. There was such a neat mix of women there and the teacher LITERALLY wrote the book on breastfeeding!! The class is amazing and I can't wait to actually get paid to do this!! And not only that, I can't wait to be able to help women do something that I feel so passionately about!!

And it seems there is someone else in our house who is passionate about boobies! Our little Charlie! Ever since I nursed Finny he has always talked about "nipples" quite freely to anyone who will listen (the ladies on the monorail, people in the supermarket, but mostly ME... EVERY DAY!) Well, the other day he says to me "Mommy, if you lean on your nipples will they pop?" I said I'd ask at my boobie class!

Happy St. Patty's From the McOstals!

Top o' the evenin' to ya! We haven't posted in quite some time. We McOstals kind of hunker down for the winter and don't really reemerge until sometime when they start serving Guinness at the local pubs!

The boys had a hearty Irish dinner made by yours truly! I am not the greatest cook, but I think I make a pretty mean Corned Beef and cabbage! The boys thought so too because between Finn and Charlie I think they ate about a pound of it!! Literally! Finn was yelling "Oggie!!" (Which in Finn language means food) And Joe and I indulged in a little too much corned beef and fresh horseradish ourselves. Not to mention the copious amounts of cabbage... he'll be sleeping on the couch tonight!!

But the highlight of the long, much-celebrated St.Patrick's day season was Suds and Spuds at the Gallaghers. I deviated from the traditional white potato for a sweet potato dish. My ancestors wouldn't approve, but I was out for blood... McConnell blood that is! I decided I needed to beat my parents' friend Sue at her own game! She was new to Suds and Spuds last year and swept the competition with her sweet potato pie, so I decided that all bets were off with the traditional dish and I kicked her little Irish butt fair and square. So what if she's legally a senior citizen and the mother of a nun... right? God will look the other way this once. I mean I figure at least I got St. Patrick on my side. That's gotta count for something! All in all, we had a great time. Some of the highlights were Jodi's delicious potato soup named "Idaho dat made this soup;" Kelli's chocolate covered potato chips sprinkled with coffee named "Cafe O'Lay;" and of course my dish "Hooked on Craic." Suz and Dan have started quite a tradition with Suds and Spuds and it just gets more fun every year... minus the stomach ache I had because I O.D.ed on carbs and cheese!!! Oh, and I forgot to mention in my acceptance speech (via live satellite from the AC Expressway), "I'd like to thank the academy and Mom, Judy G and Kelli for helping me with my dish. It took us 4 hours and a few trial runs, but it turned out great!"

Another fine St. Patty's Day is over. Now bring on the spring!!!

Slainte!

From All of Us to All of You...A Very Merry

The twelve favorite songs of Costal Christmas...all songs on the list appear on the mix posted in the sidebar! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

On the 12th Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.....

12. Jingle Bells (Bing Crosby) Sure there are plenty of versions of Jingle Bells out there, but this is the only one that makes you want to get up and jingle those bells on the dance floor. Crosby orginally recorded this during one of his legendary USO, WWII shows with the peppy and GI-friendly perky Andrew Sisters of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy fame. The sisters drive the track with their "Ji-Ji-Jingle Bells" refrain. The quartet sounds like they're having fun recording it, and it's equally fun to listen to, especially when the tempo quickens toward the end.

11. Mamacita, Donde Esta Santa Claus? (Augie Rios) See #3.

10. Baby, It's Cold Outside (Dean Martin) Not really a Christmas song, but it's cold and festive, so I think it qualifies. This classic boy/girl refrain is fun for sing-a-longs, and singing along is what Christmas is all about. Dino's coolness helps dissipate the date rapey vibe that really shines through the new Rod Stewart/Dolly Parton version...yuck. Geriatric sexiness, anyone? It's not THAT cold outside.

9. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Andy Williams) The first of two from the Godfather of Christmas music. This is the song that best beckons the season. Track one for setting the holiday mood. Shanie drapes that big Cogan girl grin over her face when I finally let her add the Christmas genre onto our IPOD, some time after Halloween.

8. Fairytale of NY (The Pogues) You pretty much get everything you need to know about a Christmas song from the opening line, "It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the drunk tank..." This classic from the finest Irish punk rokers transports me back to a time before Shannon turned me into a Christmas dork. Before 2000, I might have told you this was the ONLY carol worth listening to. Slushy rain fell over Glassboro when I played this as the last song on a mid-December episode of my beloved modern rock show at WGLS (The Cantina for those of you playing the home game). It made smile then. It made me smile when I used to play it on it's original vinyl in my West New York bedroom on quiet Christmas Eves. It makes me smile today when I dramatically slow dance to it with one my little boys perched on my arm. Though it contains many lines that are seldom found in Christmas carols, like "you're an old slut on junk" and "Happy Christmas your arse/I pray to God it's our last," it is still a beautiful song. When Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl's voices come together on the line "the boys of the NYPD choir were singing 'Galway Bay' and the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day..." it's holiday magic of a supreme sort. The kind that exists as the antithesis of "It's a Wonderful Life." Something more like it's a "Crappy Life, you maggot, but it's still Christmas." Either way, for me, Christmas just ain't Christmas without it....on a sad note, the female singer on this track was recently killed. Check out the Pogues site for more.

7. What Christmas Means to Me (Stevie Wonder) Screw Old Navy! This one's been putting a little funk in my stockings since the days of underoos! Now it does the same for my little underroo wearers. Charlie rocks this one with a booty shake of filthy funk. He also loves "Christmas in Hollis", but Shane's hatred kept it off the countdown. He calls it "the dough was for meeeeeeeh!" I tear with pride.

6. Winter Wonderland (Johnny Mathis) To Shane, Christmas is Johnny Mathis' "Merry Christmas" album. When she listens, she says she can still hear the scratches on the record that Pop Pop used to play. The best track from one of the best Christmas albums ever recorded.

5. Christmas, Baby Please Come Home (Darlene Love) The Godmother of Christmas Soul. This song was the biggest hit off of the best Christmas album ever: Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift to You. The juiced up "wall of sound" brings a universal poppiness and smoothness to the classics. The Ronettes, the Crystals and Ms. Love all exude the horn heavy, vocal heights and big sound that made "Da Do Run Run" and "Be My Baby" irrestible mega hits. The formula works for Christmas. Look for the Ronettes later on.

4. Christmas is A'Comin (Bing Crosby) When Charlie was just a tiny baby, Shane and I would sing this to him. An obscure one from the Grand Pumba of Christmas songs. What's Christmas without the "egg in the nog" or "cider in the keg." It harkens to a time when Christmas was about wassailin', and at our house we love that old fashioned feeling around the holidays.

3. Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano) Though I grew up in a Hispanic enclave, living under one roof with my Cuban grandparents, eating malanga and watching American movies dubbed over for Univision...the only Hispanics my kids know are Dora and Diego. Yet, almost instinctively, the first time Charlie heard this one, he said, I love "Belize Gah-be-dah" and then, again, as if by instinct, said, "Daddy, this is YOUR favorite Christmas song!" Indeed. At my high school, this song was the grand finale of the annual Christmas Assembly, leading to a frenzied, all-high-school sing-a-long/dance-a-long that I never realized was so unique, until I went to Rowan and learned about the strict gringo rules against public dancing. The icing on the ethnic cake came from Augie Rios "Mamacita, Donde Esta Santa Claus?" The Costal boys took to it like white on rice, or, ahem, blanco en aroz. Finny does his doughnuts whenever it comes on, and Charlie sings at the top of his lungs. I sometimes refer to Shane as mamacita to the boys, which they love and use, so it was a natural fit. Also, Charlie thinks the line, "so out of the window I'm peeping" is actually, "so out of the window I pee pee." Which sends him into maniacal, Grinch-like Christmas fits. He giggles and often adds the phrase "all over myself" for added fun. Everytime the boys cut the rug for one of these Spanglish gems (cause no, Chuck, "I wanga weesh jew a merri chreema" is not ACTUAL Spanish)...I can't help but think that Abuela is smiling down on us all.

2. Happy Holidays (Andy Williams) Just the cutest little Christmas song you can find, and a true holiday harbinger. This is Shanie's favorite carol. She loves the line, "hickory dock and don't forget to hang up your sock." How could anyone not?

1. Sleigh Ride (The Ronettes) Or as it's called in our house, "the horsey song." This is the only Christmas song played all year round, as per Charlie's request. He loves the horse sounds at the beginning, and when, the horns kick in, he takes off atop "Colt Fingeys," his imaginary stallion. His frantic "sleigh ride" doesn't end until the song stops, and the end of it usually promts immediate request for an encore.

More sap than the Christmas tree...

We all get a little sentimental around Christmas. Maybe it's the cheesy Christmas specials. Maybe it's the extra sappy stories on the Today show. Or maybe, just maybe, it's God's way of forcing us to look around at our lives and be thankful for what we have. Now, we all know, that I am certainly not one to keep my mouth shut. And sometimes that gets me in trouble. But sometimes, I hope it makes people feel good. I tell my kids and my husband I love them at least 100 times a day. I try to thank my parents at the very least every time they walk out the door. And once in a while, for extra measure, I write them a card and thank them for just being them. I buy "Just How I feel" cards for Joe. I say I love you before I hang up the phone. Suzie recently went through her attic and found a lifetime's worth of letters from me (real doozies I'm sure!) Maybe in some ways I am just a big sap, but I just don't want people walking around not knowing how grateful I am for them and how much they are loved. People are all we have. True friends are few, and I do have some and am thankful for them, but love and human connections are what matters most.

It seems everyone is talking about scaling back Christmas this year. In our house, we've been trying to trying to keep Christmas lean for years. We've been trying to teach the kids that it's not all about the presents. We don't want them being obsessed with all the "stuff!" We just don't want them taking things for granted. In doing that, I realized it's them I shouldn't be taking for granted...

I was looking for quotes online, and I found a few I wanted to pass on.

"Your children need your presence more than your presents." ~Jesse Jackson

"You will always be your child's favorite toy." ~Vicki Lansky

"In bringing up children, spend on them half as much money and twice as much time." ~Unknown

"The greatest things in life aren't things"

And last, a little poem I found:

To My Grown-Up Son
by Alice E. Chase
My hands were busy through the day
I didn’t have much time to play
The little games you asked me to.
I didn’t have much time for you.
I’d wash your clothes, I’d sew and cook,
But when you’d bring your picture book
And ask me please to share your fun,
I’d say: “A little later son.”
I’d tuck you in all safe at night
And hear your prayers, turn out the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door…
I wish I’d stayed a minute more.
For life is short, the years rush past.
A little boy grows up so fast.
No longer is he at your side,
His precious secrets to confide.
The picture books are put away,
There are no longer games to play,
No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear…
That all belongs to yesteryear.
My hands, once busy, now are still.
The days are long and hard to fill.
I wish I could go back and do
The little things you asked me to.

Are you bawling? Because I was the first 3 times I read it! And then I look at Charlie who lately has been performing "marriage" ceremonies for me and him. And I think "he's not always going to want to marry me!"

We all need to take a little time and take a snapshot of our lives and realize how blessed we are. The things we think matter probably don't. But if we've made a difference in the eyes of our kids and our family, that makes all the difference.

I stay home with my boys, and it is the hardest (and best) job I have ever had. I love them more than words can say, and they truly are my greatest achievement, but some days I really think I am going to lose my mind! I think it's good to take a step back and realize that they are only this age once and they won't still be having temper tantrums in high school, so I need to just let them be!!

I feel like I've babbled and with my new "co-author" the pressure is on to be eloquent, but what I'm trying to say is be thankful for your life because you only live it once, and I am truly happy that you are in mine!!

Top Christmas Jams Around the Costal House Part 1 of 3: Christmas Music 101

Christmas music is an institution at the Costal house. We are shamelessly the kind of family that starts playing it after Halloween. I know, I know...I saw the Peanuts Christmas special, too, but we don't decorate early or start our shopping until after Thanksgiving...it's just the music. It's a tradition that pretty much started because Shannon hates winter...a lot. So, we use the holiday spirit to soften the blow. As uncool and unpopular as it is to admit...we just simply love Christmas music. We're simply ha-ving a wonderful Christmas time. Yes, we're those people.

In our defense, we love music in general. Most nights, some time after dinner dishes are cleaned, but before bath time, is Costal Dance Party Half Hour. This usually consists of our I-Pod blasting...Daddy and Charlie chasing each other around the island in our kitchen while Finn crawls doughnuts into the linoleum and giggles uncontrollably. Charlie and I have developed "moves" that we often do to impress Mommy, who is usually standing nearby. The favorite is "Stop and shake your booty." Charlie is awesome at it. Some of our Non-Holiday Dance Party favorites include:

Catch My Disease Ben Lee

Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose Teddy Pendergrass

Confetti The Lemonheads

Concrete & Clay Unit 4 + 2 (we tango)

The weekend after Halloween, the holiday hits start rolling like egg nog from the candy mountains. As is the case with most things, I am a Christmas music snob and purist. There are very few contemporary songs that get played in our house. It's mostly the classics. I have an IPOD genre that contains a carefully crafted list of 150 Christmas songs, classical to rock, choral to oldies, R&B to the crooners. To me, it's definitiveness is as much about restraint and research as it is about inclusion. Let me explain:

The key to a classic Christmas mix is avoiding repetition. Repetition is what makes people want to shove "holly" and "jolly" up someone's Heinken before December 20th. To avoid this, focus on the definitive recordings. There is a definitive version (or two) of each and every Christmas carol, one that stands above the rest. It needn't be the original recording, but often is. It should be the version of the song that evokes the essence of the song's theme. It should come from a time when Christmas albums weren't just a quick way for a pop star to capitalize on shirt-lived success cheaply. Sorry, Miley Cyrus. It's the version most often associated with the carol itself. It is rarely recorded after 1979, though there are some exceptions.

Some definitive recordings are easy, but others...well, not so much. While everbody knows that the definitive White Christmas is Bing's and the definitive A Christmas Song is Nat's, a truly great Christmas mix must reach much deeper.

Take Rudolph for instance. How do you pick among the thousands of recordings of this song. Well, a great collection need only spin three versions:

1. Gene Autrey's (the original and definitive) the "singin' cowboy's" version is actually the first print of what is now a perennial part of the season. His is THE version.

2. Dean Martin's is a good addition, because you can't have only one, right...it's Rudolph for crying out loud (See my film institute blog for more on Rudolph as Communist manifesto gone hideously astray) Dino plays with it enough to make it worth it, but not too much! He stops way short of the "Like Monopoly!" additions (ugh, I just got a shiver), but calls the reindeer "Rudy" in a gin-soaked, charming kind of way. He also gives Santa an Italian accent...which the Italians love, because they always suspected Santa was a paisano, anyway. The whole recording contains a juiced-up tempo and upbeat background vocal that harkens a time when Christmas songs belonged to the Rat Pack (for those who care...the definitive Let It Snow is Dino's definitive, as for Frank, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong, but the two must-haves are Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Christmas Waltz. Together, look for awesome versions of Marshmellow World and We Wish You the Merriest).

3. Now, you got the two biggies, so get creative with one more entry that represents your own style. Throw some cinnamin into the cocoa with the poppy, infectious harmonies of The Crystals version or the Motown vibe of the Cadillacs (don't miss their White Christmas...awesome) version, which has a cute little intro. Alvin Stoller does a fun mambo version. The nostalgic pick could be from Burl Ives since his is the one from the Rankin & Bass TV hit. You could do the Chipmunks or the Ramones, just keep it to one, so as not to Rudolph yourself to death. Don't worry, Rudy will shine his nose on other parts of your Christmas mix...in the form of Chuck Berry's Run Rudolph Run or We're a Couple of Misfits from the Rudolph soundtrack.

I could go on and on, but since most of you stopped reading lines ago...stay tuned to Casa Costal for more.

COMING SOON in PART 2: The top 5 Costal Christmas Jams & Christmas Albums

PART 3: A Digital Christmas Mix Tape featuring songs mentioned in the first 2 blogs.

Hang those stockings!