
No sooner do I finish up one batch of holiday singles than another load arrives. Ho Ho Ho, indeed. I liked this new one from Forever The Sickest Kids, though I honestly couldn't tell you why. "Mistletoe Is For Quitters" sounds like hundreds of other Alt Rock Christmas tunes. I do like the way they incorporated "I'll Be Home For Christmas", so there's that. And blue is my favorite color. Hmmmm. Look for it on Amazon and iTunes.

Hey, still more vinyl! This is a new limited edition 7" from everybody's favorite masked guitar band, Los Straitjackets. The 45 features "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" on the "A" side and "Silver Bells" on the flip. Neither track was on either of the Los Straitjackets Christmas albums. So this is fresh to you from Los Straitjackets and Yep Roc. Speaking of which, you'll need to go to Yep Roc to order the 7" (but postage is free through December 20). The digital version debuted today on Amazon and iTunes, if you're not hip to the stacks of wax.

Kelly Clarkson's Christmas single--which we told you was coming--did indeed drop as an iTunes exclusive. Kelly sings "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and leaves us with visions of a Christmas full-length dancing in our heads. Her full EP for the new single from "Stronger", "What Doesn't Kill You" , is due before the end of the month.

Contemporary Gospel singer Melinda Watts has released a Christmas single to benefit her Dream Girlz Gathering Foundation. 100% of proceeds from Melinda's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" will go to benefit at-risk girls between the ages of 8 and 18, particularly those in foster care. You can find the single on Amazon and iTunes.

Here's one I had missed. Norwegian pop duo Shackles have got a nice little Pop single that should remind you of all the best pop Christmas songs. "A Christmas Kiss With You" isn't quite Spectoresque, but it's upbeat with bells and glockenspiels and the video's got chestnuts roasting on an open fire and presents and snow....plus Shackles who are, let's face it, easy on the eyes. Yeah, this is a keeper. Get it from Amazon or iTunes.

If you thought nothing could be stranger than the Flaming Lips' Christmas On Mars, you may have to rethink. The Flaming Lips have teamed up with Yoko Ono on a "Christmas single", "Atlas Eets Christmas". Actually, it's a re-recording of a song recorded for the Flaming Lips "secret" holiday album in 2007. In any case, there do not appear to be any places to purchase, at the moment, all videos and audio has been blocked. All you can do is go to the Flaming Lips "Atlas Eets Christmas" web site and hope to catch it during the infinite loop of Flaming Lips Christmas music the site plays. If your sanity survives that long.
