very day I drive past one of those pathetically over-decorated houses. You’ve got to love the effort: It makes me wish I could die and come back to life as a bored 17-year-old punk with a baseball bat. What an opportunity that’d be. But that was never my style, because I was a good kid, for the most part. As long as you forget about a rock-star night in Miami.

On one asshole’s lawn is a digital clock displaying a countdown to Christmas. I can picture how it all came to be, too. (“Honey you’ll never believe what I found at Sears!”) So now you can find out, to the second, how long you have until Santa comes down the chimney and robs you blind (that is, if he hasn’t already).

Holiday cheer ain’t all bad. But I could do without the pressure and choke hold of brutal commercialization. I need a voice to tell it like it is. Check out this single from local soul whiz Jesse Dee to see what I’m talking about. It came out last year, but as far as I’m concerned it should be the anthem of every Christmas (or at least until I make millions doing something I love).

"Underneath the Christmas Tree," Jesse Dee - From A Basement 247 Christmas Complication

Dee’s right: It’s not about maxing out your credit card and buying a diamond ring from Zales (I’m actually a huge fan of the use of “Girl is on My Mind” from the Black Keys in Zales’s seasonal commercials). It’s about the love. For some people, unfortunately, that comes with a price tag. "Money, it's a crime," someone once said.

Here’s another honest holiday favorite of mine. I was pumped to hear Carter Alan dust this one off a few weeks back on ’ZLX.

Also, you can’t forget the importance of being politically correct: You wouldn’t want to offend anyone. Buru Style—the ever-growing collective of New England reggae musicians—has done the hard work for us, releasing an album called The Omnidenominational Holiday Experience. “Dreidel, Dreidel,” “Silent Night,” and “Jingle Bells” are all given the dubbed-out treatment. “Auld Lang Syne,” too. That’s right—don’t forget about New Year's. It’s the true party holiday, unless you've already blown the wad on Christmas.

The Summer Villains know a thing or two about making hilariously appropriate (inappropriate, to some) holiday freak-folk tunes. Check out their recent Halloween album to see what I’m talking about. Any band that says Justin Bieber looks like a lesbian is fine in my book.

Now the Villains are on to Christmas. Tonight (Friday, December 17), they’ll be playing the Tavern at the End of the World in Charlestown, a serious dive bar about five minutes east of Union Square. It’s a popular late-night hang for local musicians, and, literally, at the end of the world, just shy of the I-93 overpass. Tonight it’ll be worth showing up extra early, the Tavern is quite cozy and the Villains promise a crafty crop of special guests. Kier Byrnes perhaps? Three Day Threshold and the Villains cut a witty Xmas album together so that’s a strong possibility (check that out here). I’m told kids love this album, but there’s a lot for you to love too. Also, be sure to bring a toy to the Tavern, as they’ll be collecting for kids in need. The person who brings the best and biggest toy will even win a prize.

And why do I have a picture of Session Americana above? That’s to remind you that there’s still a healthy dosage of live non-holiday experiences to be had this year, especially at the Lizard Lounge. Session Americana brings your favorite backwoods and mean-street jaunts on the final Tuesdays of the year. This week’s show featured special guest Jimmy Ryan on mandolin and some interesting covers like “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (Flaming Lips) and a rowdy take on “Fight for Your Right” (Beastie Boys) as well as some choices you’d expect, “Girl From the North Country” (Dylan and Cash). There’s no limit to what these guys can play.

The last two Lizard Wednesdays this year will house the Giant Kings, a group of heavy hitters fronted by soul-charged extraordinaire Chris Cote along with guitar legend Duke Levine, lap-steel ace Kevin Barry, and a slew of others who’ve played and recorded with all the Boston greats (especially Peter Wolf). This band deals in classy soul cuts culled from the middle of the last century, but can also spice up a delta-funk song or soul-out a rock number. They're all called Kings for a reason.

The Cassavettes have been one of the mightiest alt-country bands to work the Boston circuit over the past few years. With members hailing from Texas, the foursome brought a whole new perspective to this little world we call home. These guys will be calling it quits tomorrow (Saturday, December 18) at the Middle East. It was quite a ride too; the band once opened for Kings of Leon at the Paradise Rock Club. Yeah, that’s right, the Paradise Rock Club. Autumn Hollow will be among the openers on this night. Expect some great covers and surprise sit-ins.

Gentlemen Hall was just added to a bill at Precinct that includes Man V. Fire, a new hybrid of two popular young groups, the now defunct rap-soul outfit Re-Up and the funk-rock force Love in Stockholm. The show is tonight (sorry for the late notice), and Gent Hall takes the stage at 11 p.m. It’ll be wild to see Gent Hall’s pop anthems dropped on the cool and tidy backroom at Precinct.

Sea Monsters have only two shows left in their highly touted Precinct residency, which comes to a close after three years and 150-plus shows. Sunday (December 19) they welcome Will Dailey, the bright-eyed folk-pop voice whose songs have appeared all over prime-time TV. Expect this show to be packed.

Speaking of being politically correct, here’s my favorite holiday greeting so far this year, a kind blast from Club d’Elf’s fearless leader Mike Rivard in the group’s recent newsletter, hot from Japan. “May Santa and/or Satan, or the Siberian shaman himself be good to everyone, naughty and nice alike, and we'll be seeing you in the Nude Year. Happy Solstice, and let's all raise our mugs filled with whatever grog ye be drinking to that old adage, ‘peace on Earth, good will towards (wo)men’.”

Amen. I couldn’t have said it any better.

Happy holidays to all! I’ll leave you with my favorite Christmas tune. This one never gets old.

And here’s one that gets old fast, but it’s so awesomely bad that it crosses the threshold of pain clear into greener pastures .

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