Entertainment Spotlight - Your McMurray Christmas Playlist

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Bing Crosby

Ah, the first snow. For the purposes of keeping this playlist holiday-themed, let’s call it the “first snow that sticks”, otherwise we would have started this journey in September! The first good dumping of a snow is a reminder for us to begin preparing for the holiday season, and to get those snow tires on! 

 

Mistletoe (The ChristmasSweater Song)
Tenth Avenue North

Christmas Sweaters have been taken to a whole new level in recent years. From authentic sweaters created by your favourite sports team, to sweaters referencing your favourite Christmas movie, and of course the incredible homemade ones from the arts and craft types, you are sure to see McMurray’s best at the annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Happening on November 16th at Mac Island, this event sells out every year!

 

Oh Christmas Tree
Boney M

The Ugly Sweater Party may be sold out but it’s part of a weekend-long series of events the Festival of Trees in support of the Northern Lights Health Foundation. All of the trees are decorated by local companies and packed with awesome prizes like trips, gift certificates and bottles of wine. You can view them all weekend long starting November 16th and then bid on your favourite at the Festival of Trees Gala November 17th!

 

Snowball Fight
Bunch of Believers

By mid-November, we should be starting to see a good amount of snow and hopefully of the powdery rather than slushy variety. Snowball fights are always good fun until someone gets a chunk of ice in the eye. And speaking of eye injuries….

 

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out
Fall Out Boy

“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” A Christmas Story has long been a holiday tradition for many, well this season Keyano Theatre brings the story to life in a whole new way. Starting November 23rd and running for two weekends, this great family story adapted from the movie and starring your neighbours is sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.

 

Christmas At the Food Bank
Dodgy

November 30th- December 2nd is one of the most important weekends of the year in Fort McMurray. Hundreds of volunteers brave the cold and hang outside each grocery store collecting food, cash, and gift cards for the Wood Buffalo Food Bank Association.

 

Deck The Halls
Walk Off The Earth

Growing up, we had a tradition: decorating the house and setting up the tree on December 1st. It’s one I’ve stuck to in my adult years, too. Sure, decorating early can be fun but try having a cat….

 

Angels We Have Heard on High
Jingle Cats

Ah, the memories. Any cat owner will tell you an essential Christmas decoration is the spray bottle. There are an entire two albums of music from this band (if you can call them that?) if you feel like going down a really weird spiral on YouTube or Spotify.

 

Here Comes Santa Claus
Bob Dylan

Conveniently falling on December 1st this year, the Santa Claus Parade will wind down Franklin Avenue from Riedel Street to Morrison Street culminating with a visit from the jolly one himself!

 

Christmas Miracle
George Canyon

Typically held on the second week of December, the Miracle Marathon for Santa’s Anonymous is organized by teachers and students at Father Merc each year. If the food bank drive didn’t get you in the giving spirit, this one will!

 

Where Are You Christmas
Faith Hill

The Grinch is an ultimate Christmas classic and even though there is a new animated version starring Benedict Cumberbatch due out this year we’re going with the Jim Carrey version. Make sure to pop by the Boys and Girls Club’s version of Whoville with the Junior Who Holiday Who-bilation on December 8th and 9th!

 

12 Days of Christmas
Relient K

So apparently the 12 Days of Christmas actually start on Christmas Day… but that would mean the 12th day is in, like, January and that’s just not kosher is it? (Of course, nothing Christmas is kosher,  but let’s not get into semantics). I’ve always felt the song should end on Christmas day so we’ll start it on December 14th!

 

The Christmas Party
Craig Moritz

This song is appropriate for any Christmas party but really rings true for one of the funnest parties of the year “The Holiday Gala”. This year’s event is in support of the Keyano Men’s Basketball team on December 15th- you won’t want to miss it.

 

Feliz Navidad
Kacey Musgraves

December 20th may not mean much to you but as the last Friday before Christmas….it means a heck of a lot if you work at the airport. Typically the busiest travel day of the year you may want to consider picking a different date to travel home….or for a tropical Christmas!

 

Winter Solstice
The Tea Party

Though not technically a Christmas song, a reminder that December 21st is the shortest day of the year….and as an early Christmas present a reminder that the days only get longer from here!

 

Festivus
Albert & The Sleigh Riders

“A FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US!” Inspired by the greatest television show of all time, this holiday celebrated on December 23rd contains such great events as “The Feats of Strength” and “The Airing of Grievances”.

 

Mummer’s Song
Simani

East coasters will also know December 23rd as Tibb’s Eve! It’s a night where all your old friends are in town and it’s a great chance to get a feast and some drinks in before hopefully spending December 24th with your family!

 

Christmas Vacation
Mavis Staples

I don’t know what sorts of traditions your family gets up to on December 24th but ours always includes an airing of one of the greatest comedies of all time “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. Hopefully, your Christmas Eve is spent with more “attempting the new land speed record” and less “convincing your crazy cousin to kidnap your boss”.

 

Ring The Bells
The Dungarees

Stay tuned to Country 93.3 for more details but remember to tune in for the 2nd annual Dungarees Christmas special. This Canadian Country Music Association nominated special helped introduce Fort McMurray to James, Kiron, Rob, Darrek and Ben. They made three trips to Fort McMurray over the summer including Canada Day and Boots N’ Brews so needless to say they’re on a first name basis with a lot of McMurrayites now.

 

Alberta Christmas Morning
Gord Bamford

Nothing compares to waking up on Christmas morning and wondering if Santa came, except for that moment when a young one of your own making is the one doing the waking up. Remember they’ll be teenagers soon and you’ll have to drag their keister out of bed- yes even on Christmas day! Enjoy it!

 

Christmas Hangover
The Arrogant Worms

Eventually the tinsel and the eggnog becomes too much and every good thing comes to an end. But like with any hangover, remember the good times and that it will happen again! (Except this time you have to wait another year not just til the weekend.)

 

Boxing Day
Blink-182

Online shopping has removed some of the danger element sure, but who doesn’t enjoy a good trip down to the mall? If the icy parking lot won’t get you, the rowdy shoppers looking for a 99 cent iPhone case will!

 

Seasons of Love
Original Broadway Cast from Rent

No Auld Lang Syne here but New Years is an equally important part of the Christmas experience! 525,600 minutes is how you measure a year, and this insanely catchy song from Rent will instantly make you remember the good and bad from what was hopefully a rich and prosperous 2018!