Wordsmithonia Radio - The Christmas Playlist

It should come as no surprise, after sharing some of my favorite Halloween songs, that I’d be back with a few of my favorite Christmas picks. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love Christmas music. To put my adoration in perspective, I’m that annoying person who listens to it in the car during the hottest days of summer, hoping it’ll trick my brain into thinking it’s colder outside than it actually is. And honestly, if thirteen years of retail management didn’t kill my love of Christmas music, I don’t think anything will.

I even have a Spotify playlist made up entirely of Christmas music that’s currently 9 hours and 44 minutes long — with only one version per song. So I figured I’d share a few of my favorites with you all. Enjoy!

Linda Eder "Do You Hear I Hear?"

Annie Lennox "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

Seth MacFarlane "Moonlight In Vermont"

The Chipmunks "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"

Barbara Streisand "Jimgle Bells?"

Straight No Chaser "Hey Santa!"

Loreena McKennitt "Good King Wenceslas"

Julie London "I'd Like You For Christmas"

Nancy Wilson "The Christmas Waltz"

Annelise Cepero "This is Christmas"

Wordsmithonia Radio - The Halloween Playlist!

 

When I saw that Billboard released a list of the 25 Biggest Halloween Songs of All Time, I was ridiculously excited. If you couldn’t tell, I’m a huge lover of all things Halloween — especially the music. I even have a Halloween playlist on Spotify, which you’re more than welcome to listen to while you do your last-minute prepping for the best night of the year.

That excitement, however, was quickly snuffed out once I saw the list for myself. Don’t get me wrong — there are some amazing songs on there — but a lot of them don’t exactly scream spooky or Halloween to me. So, I thought I’d share 10 of my own favorite seasonally appropriate songs with you all.

After taking a look at the list, let me know some of your favorites. 

 

One of the songs that both Billboard and I agree on is “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. If you’re of a certain age, I can almost guarantee you remember where you were when the video first premiered on MTV. It wasn’t just a music video — it was an event, and it set the bar for what music videos could be.

Halloween just isn’t Halloween without Bing Crosby crooning “The Headless Horseman” from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. That song has the perfect mix of swing and spooky, and every time I hear it, I can almost see that shadowy rider galloping through Sleepy Hollow all over again.

I absolutely adore Annie Lennox—I’ve yet to hear an album from her that I don’t go crazy for. Her version of “I Put a Spell on You” from her Nostalgia album is, hands down, my favorite take on the song. It’s sultry, haunting, and powerful in that uniquely Lennox way—equal parts elegance and menace.

When Grace is scurrying around, trying to find a hiding spot in Ready or Not, she has no idea what’s in store for her. Having “Hide and Seek” by Headquarters Music blasting through the house sets the perfect stage for the chaos and bloodshed to come.

I’m not sure any other song written for TV will ever top “The Ballad of the Witches Road” from Agatha All Along. The majestic energy that flows through as these powerful women blend their voices creates a truly spellbinding experience.

Obviously, “Spooks” by Louis Armstrong wasn’t written for Mickey Mouse’s The Haunted House (1952), but the two are such a perfect vibe when paired together. If anyone ever had the voice for Halloween music—with that deep, gravelly sound—it’s the legendary Louis Armstrong.

 

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was the godfather of shock rock, with a voice that demanded to be heard. “Whistling Past the Graveyard” is my favorite of his — eerie, soulful, and just the right amount of unhinged.

I don't know if “Run, Rabbit, Run” by Flanagan and Allen was considered creepy when it first came out in 1939 — probably not, since it was even used as a lullaby — but it’s cadence has always given me the chills. It's appearance in Get Out (2017) sealed the deal, turning it from a cheerful ditty into something downright bloodcurdling.

 

"(Stop, Look & Listen) It's Halloween" by Pete Antell is a jazzy bop that’s so much fun to listen to while putting up your Halloween decorations or getting the candy ready for the monsters, superheroes, and princesses who will be knocking on your door in just a few short days.

When thinking about the last song I wanted to feature, I kept flipping back and forth between "People Are Strange" by The Doors and "Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMann, the theme song from The Lost Boys (1987). I went with the latter because it sets the mood for the entire movie. It’s a hauntingly beautiful, melancholic song with a slightly Gothic tone, perfectly capturing the ’80s zeitgeist.

10 Candies I’d Snag If Adults Could Trick-or-Treat

 

I think it’s ridiculously unfair that adults aren’t allowed to go trick-or-treating. We work all day, pay bills, go to doctor’s appointments, put gas in the car, and try to make responsible decisions. If there’s any group of people who deserve to let their hair down and just enjoy a night of spooky frolicking, it’s us.

I want to dress up as the Lone Ranger, Sam, or even Eeyore, then walk the streets ringing doorbells and collecting all the free candy I can carry.

So, since society frowns on grown-ups trick-or-treating (for reasons I still don’t understand), I’ll just live vicariously through this list instead.

With that said, here are ten candies I’d want more than anything else on Halloween night.

I love the classic KitKats and wouldn’t be mad if that’s all I got, but nothing beats the flavors coming out of Japan. My favorite is the milk tea, though I’d happily gobble up the wasabi just as fast.

Take 5 has to be my current favorite candy bar and has been since it first debuted. This delicious concoction is packed with pretzels, chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and peanuts. The only thing missing is potato chips.

Butterfingers are just about the perfect candy bar, and I absolutely loved them as a kid. Bart Simpson may be an annoying character, but he’s right about this one. I don’t even care when it gets stuck in my teeth.

You can keep your Almond Joys. I’ve always thought the nut throws the texture off—it’s like putting rocks in marshmallows. All you need is chocolate and coconut. So I’ll trade you my Almond Joys for your Mounds.

Did you know that if you bite into the right cookie, it looks different than when you bite into the left one? I thought I was seeing things when I first noticed it, but then I looked it up and discovered they do it on purpose. All that really matters, though, is that Twix is so freaking good.

Junior Mints are so versatile. I put them on my mint chocolate chip ice cream, and I’ve also been known to toss them into popcorn, mixed nuts, or even Greek yogurt with sugar-free chocolate pudding mix. Naturally, they’re just as good all by themselves.

Snickers weren’t a candy bar I enjoyed as a kid, but now I like them a lot. I think it helps that once they started making the ice cream bars, I couldn’t get enough of them.

Heath is another candy bar that wasn’t on my childhood radar. As an adult, whenever I’m craving Christmas crack but feeling too lazy to make it, I’ll just head to the store and grab a bar or two.

Nestlé Crunch is perfection in a little blue wrapper. How anyone doesn’t thoroughly enjoy that snap when you break a bar in half—or get all giddy inside when that crisped rice hits your tongue—is beyond me. It’s just that fun to eat.

We finish this list with a childhood classic: the Dum Dums. I mentioned in a list I did about my favorite Halloween candy in fifth grade that the root beer Dum Dums were my favorite—and they still are—but I’m also a sucker for butterscotch. So if you happen to get any root beer or butterscotch–flavored Dum Dums this year, I’ll gladly take them off your hands.

Ten of the Sexiest Screen Vampires, Volume 7

 

Halloween has, over the years, crept past Christmas to claim the title of my favorite holiday. There’s just something magical about October: the nights grow cooler (even if the days are still too darn warm), the leaves shift into fiery shades, and my already horror-loving heart gets to revel in all things spooky. Because of that, I’ve decided to resurrect some of my old Halloween traditions here on the blog. And what better place to start than with the return of my annual list of sexy vampires? If you missed my earlier posts rising from the crypt, you can revisit the lists from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Without further ado, I give you ten damn sexy vampires who’d love nothing more than to sink their teeth into you.

The Men

Vlad Dracula as played by Luke Evans in Dracula Untold (2014). Not going to lie, Luke Evans is just about the hottest man on the planet, and I would let his version of Dracula do just about anything to me. 

Louis de Pointe du Lac as played by Jacob Anderson in AMC's Interview with the Vampire. He's broody, emotional, and from all accounts a hell of a kisser. Brad Pitt's version as already appeared on these lists, but I think this version runs laps around him. 

Remmick as played by Jack O'Connell in Sinners (2025). Between his Irish accent and singing like a dream, Remmick is a catch. He's looking for a family, and he might just decide you'd fit right in. 

Edward Dalton as played by Ethan Hawke in Daybreakers (2009). Smart and sexy is always a winning combination. 

Raphael Santiago as played by David Castro in the TV show Shadowhunters. A religious family man to his core, Raphael loves with a conviction few others posses. It helps that he's hot too. 

The Women

The Girl as played by Sheila Vand in A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014). An avenging angel who won't tolerate men mistreating women, The Girl is both gorgeous and deadly. Side note, if you've never seen this movie, do so. 

Mary as played by Hailee Steinfeld in Sinners (2025). Mary is walking contradiction of emotions, both vindictive and loving, Mary is just wanting to be loved by a man who will stay. Isn't that what we all want? 

Darla as played by Julie Benz from the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Darla has the soul of a demon, but loves hard despite it. And she's smoking hot.

Lucy Weston as played by Frances Dade in Dracula (1931). As kind as she was beautiful, Lucy caught the eye of Count Dracula, and she was never the same again. 

Marya Zaleska as played by Gloria Holden in Dracula's Daughter (1936). Regal in manner Countess Zaleska commands attention, and she gets it. 

Wordsmithonia Radio: Windy Days

The wind is blowing like crazy right now, but with living in Kansas, I should be used to that by now.  I love the wind.  I love listening to the trees rustle, the house creak, and the sound it makes coming in a window.  I love the way it feels on my skin and in my hair.  I love the way it heralds in a storm, and the way it lifts a kite into the sky.  So for the next few minutes, I hope you enjoy some of my favorite "windy" songs. 

Wordsmithonia Radio --- The Eyes Have It

Nobody can really agree on who first commented on the eyes being the window to the soul, but I'm not really sure the source really matters all that much.  I think almost all of us have experienced that sinking feeling, looking into someone's eyes for the first time, and getting lost in them.  Our eyes are almost the perfect barometer, reflecting our emotions, our fears, and our dreams.  I'll be the first to admit, the eyes are the first thing I'll be attracted to when I meet someone knew, quickly followed by legs, but that's for another post.   

Today I just wanted to bring you ten songs that gets that idea across.  They are songs that reflect both love and pain, songs that truly do reflect our souls.

Wordsmithonia Radio: It's Time To Eat

If you couldn't tell, today's theme is all about food.  Sometimes the food is a metaphor, and sometimes, it's just there to eat, either way, it makes for a great song. So sit back, and listen to some of my favorite songs that mention food in the title.

My Favorite Books of 2014

I'm not trying to say that these were the ten best books from 2014, cause that's just silly.  Some of what I'm including on this list came out  before the year even started, and since I didn't read every book published in 2014, I will never call these books the best.  What I am saying, is that these are my ten favorite books that I read/reviewed during the year.

2014 saw a huge change in not just my reading habits, but in my reviewing habits as well.  For the last few years, I've reviewed every single book that I've read.  2014 was the first year that that became psychically impossible to do.  For whatever reason, I got hooked on romance novels last year, and read over 400 of them on my NOOK.    There is no way I could have reviewed them all, especially since a lot of them were read during my blogging hiatus.  I do occasionally, pick one at random and do a review of it, but that's about as far as I'm getting with those.  Chances are I will never review them all, and that's okay.

So with no further ado, here are my favorite reads of the last year, in order that I reviewed them.

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

A Farm Dies Once a Year by Arlo Crawford

The Tin Box by Kim Fielding

All I Know and Love by Judith Frank

World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters

Trapped Under the Sea by Neil Swidey

Horrostor by Grady Hendrix

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler

Wordsmithonia Radio --- Random 80s

There is no theme, no real connection, except that these are all songs that have been swimming around in my head lately.  I guess I'm just stuck in the 80s right now.

The Ten Sexiest Vampires On Film, Take 6

I know I've been rather M.I.A. on the blog this month, but work has been kicking my ass.  Just to give you an example, in a span of five days, I worked 65 hours.  I'm exhausted.

Regardless or how tired I am, there was one post I knew I had to do before the month was over. There was no way I was going to let this year go by, and not do my annual list of the sexiest vampires to grace the screen.  Over the last six years, it's become one of my Halloween traditions.  

For those of you who haven't been keeping score over the years, please visit the lists I did for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.  Now that we got that out of the way, how about we feast our eyes on some gorgeous vamps.

THE MEN

Michael Corvin, as played by Scott Speedman in Underworld and Underworld: Evolution.  Half vampire, half lycan, and all man, Michael Corvin isn't someone you would want to mess with.

Marcus Van Sciver, as played by Neil Jackson in Blade: The Series.  Ruthlessness and drop dead gorgeous, makes a winning combination for Marcus in all his dealing.

Brother Silus, as played by Dougray Scott in Perfect Creature.  Born into a society where vampires are born to human mothers, Brother Silas is to be respected and feared, especially when dealing with a rogue.

Richard Wirth, as played by Michael Fassbender in Blood Creek.  I have to admit Richard is one hot vampire, but I think I'd be running the other way if this Nazi monster came towards me.

Steven Grlscz, as played by Jude Law in The Wisdom of Crocodiles.  All he wants is love, it's not his fault that they keep dying on him.

THE WOMEN

Erika, as played by Sophia Myles in Underworld.  Beautiful and seductive, and yet unable to get the man she wanted.

Sasha, as played by Brigid Brannagh in Kindred: The Embraced.  Looked over by the Ventrue Prince of the city, turned by a Brujah thug, and in love with a Gangrel Primogen, Sasha has divided loyalties.  Too bad she's not even sure where her ultimate loyalty belongs.

Katrina, as played by Sheryl Lee in Vampires.  It's always amazing to me how many women of the night, actually get turned into the real deal.

Regine Dandridge, as played by Julie Carmen in Fright Night 2.  Bent on revenge for the death of her brother, Regine isn't shy about using her feminine wiles to reach her goal.

Clara, as played by Gemma Arterton in Byzantium.  She wanted to be left alone to care for her daughter, it's a shame she has to keep killing those who get in her way.

Wordsmithonia Radio Goes Eurodancing

Not sure why I'm wanting to listen to Eurodance right now, but it's what's on my mind.  I think because I've been in such a crappy mood today, that I needed something to get my mind off of it.  For those of you who weren't paying attention to the music scene in the 90s, Eurodance was everywhere.  It was on the radio and in the clubs, and it was a ton of fun to dance too.  I find myself turning to it when I'm needing a pick me up, so I thought I would share some of what I've been listening too for the last few hours.

Wordsmtihonia Radio: The 80s, Part Deux

I've had had the 80s on the brain lately.  If I'm not listening to music from the 40s and 50s, it's from the 80s.  I'm the same with movies, I tend to like a few decades, and with few exceptions, that's about all I watch.  So today, it's all about the 80s.  My listening has really been all over the place, not really sticking in one genre, rather more of an overall feel of the decade. 

For your listening pleasure, here are a few songs I've been listening to lately.