Chanmas 2022

Chanmas Traditions

Content Warning: There is meat (shown), food, and talk of alcoholic drinks in this post.

Another Chanmas approaches! Will you celebrate the 25th of December, the Chanmas way?

“But, Chan, What is Chanmas?” Glad you asked my dear friends! Chanmas is not only *my* birthday that falls on the 25th, but a day (or month if you will) of breaking traditions, doing things you want to do, and having fun. Celebrate it with your favorite holidays this month of December, or borrow from Chanmas! In my mind it’s all about taking back your mind space during the holidays and not being beholden to other traditions (unless you dig those, then by all means!) Let’s mix and match what makes us feel happy!

Here are some nifty suggestions for traditions to help you get started! (feel free to do them throughout the month of Chanmas too!)

UPDATE: 2022 More mods! More recipes, fixed links, and foods from last year!

Let’s start with the favorite of Chanmas traditions: Torturing your loved ones on a ZOOM/Skype/facetime/etc meeting with the STAR WARS: Holiday Special. (1978 edition w/commercials- which are the best part really and the Bobba Fest cartoon!) Prepare them with the suggestion of booze, if possible!

Ignore food traditions of the 25th and go get (or make) Japanese dishes, DimSum, Tacos, Pizza, basically YOUR favorite kind of food- (availability is subject to your area, plan accordingly.)

What I do for appetizer before dinner & eve:

Cheese board w/smoked salmon, meats and berries, turkey cranberry balls, baked brie, matcha brownies (see below for this recipe).

What I do for dinner:

Green tea cake (see the bottom of post for recipe I use) with blueberry sauce  and whipped cream! (yeah this comes after everything, it may also be my bday cake…)

Matcha Brownies! (I add lemon citrus salt to the top)

5 Spice Duck!

Braised Orange Anise Star Lotus Root & Simmered Japanese Pumpkin & Japanese Sweet Potatoes w maple apples & sage

But if those OTHER holiday treats are your thing, add them to your dinner! 

(And if you want to celebrate the Japanese way, get some KFC and champagne for Chanmas Eve!)

Time to get dressed up! Wear something grossly festive to you. Black is a fine color for this day. (Blood Reds are VERY acceptable, as it represents the blood of your fallen enemies. Purple is also fine, as it means you are made of magic and probably royalty!) If you’re feeling extra, get dolled up and paint your face in extreme colors and whatevers! Might I suggest trying Sugarpill costmetics? (they are POC woman owned) And put on your favorite BPAL scents (if you’re in the need for spooky smells and festive smells too)

Mx. Chanmas herself from 2 years ago (sadly, I got sick on last Chanmas and couldn’t dress up):

Think of being a bat as you run around the house with your spooky blanket poised as wings! Sing the song of your bat people!

Make sure you watch “holiday” themed MST3Ks. They will make you question Santa forever… (also marathoning MST3K via Pluto or Twitch is highly acceptable too! They have their own edition of the Yule log on the 24th-25th?)

• Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
• Santa Claus
• The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t 
• Upcoming MST3K Christmas episode… find it in Dec. through The Gizmoplex(also if you get a sub to the Gizmoplex you can find and buy these episodes, i think!)

Draw a little something for yourself. If this is not your thing make sure you do that special something that makes you feel good (cuddling an animal, writing poetry, singing karaoke, DnD…)

PLAY MARIO KART OR ANIMAL CROSSING WITH ONLINE FRIENDS! Here’s some wintery Animal Crossing music for you.

(Also, if you’re feeling the gamming spirit, try a 2D Fighting game or classic retro games! Nostlgia makes the heart grow larger!)

Snacks: Pumpkin spiced anything or Cranberry anything goodie to eat. (Green Tea anything gives you like a bonus of +20 HP.) 

Give tribute to this zaddy-

• The World According To Jeff Goldblum 2 Seasons (Disney+)
• Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (spotify link- he’s got a new holiday song, not my jam, but maybe it’s yours?)

Venture Brothers Holiday Special is MUST. -Also, play all the Venture Brothers holiday music through the years! (click here for all the songs free!  Thanks, Ken Plume!)

• The Venture Brothers: A Very Venture Christmas (buy it here on amazon [go to extras to get it] – ALSO! Maybe think about having an Amazon watch party?)

DRANKS!

• Chan’s favorite, The Sazerac (I use bullet rye, Doc Herson’s Green Absinthe, and a simple syrup [instead of a sugar cube])
• Benton’s Old Fashioned (This has a fat washed bourbon for this one- I do duck fat from my 5 spice duck.)
• Sake (try Tippsy Sake for great selections! Like seriously -love them! Yuzu sake is a big plus here!)
• Mulled Wine (red wine, cloves, fresh orange peels, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and spike it with brandy for an extra kick!)
• TOO MUCH- Coffee (may I suggest Bones Coffee for flavoured choices?)
• Hot tea (British, green, flavoured, you pick!)
• Hot cocoa! *spike it if you’re in the mood for that sorta thing, and load it up with goodies like homemade maple whipped cream, marshmallows and pumpkin spice!

Cocktail ideas to go with that Matcha cake + blueberry sauce? Here’s my buddy J. Michael Bestful’s ideas to doll up some old favorites:

#1: old fashioned; putting some of that blueberry sauce in a glass with orange peel & bitters, muddle, add whisky & big ice cube, stir. Whisky could be bourbon, or a Japanese blended whisky.

#2: for something lighter, whiskey Collins. Same choice of whiskies, some lemon & honey. Build in glass, add ice, stir. Top with fizzy water of choice.

#3: gin & tonic, but muddle the blueberry sauce with basil or mint, add a squeeze of lime, then proceed to build the gin & tonic.

Thanks, J!

*****Go out drinking with friends the night (or sometime during the month) before Chanmas! Sake is a plus! Hangovers a not so welcome bonus. 

-or  Go out to a graveyard the night before! Wake the dead with your song! be sure to dress warmly in blacks…! 

 

Speaking of which….

If applicable dance mother clucker, dance! -let the spirit of Dave Gahan move you.

Playlists:

• Depeche Mode (naturally – a Deep Cut playlist)
• Venture Brothers Holiday Music (see above for link)
• The Ventures Christmas Album (wait, how did that get on here???)
• The God Machine Master Playlist (select random on this one)
• Animal Crossing Fire Place Music (yeah, another AC music thing, can’t help it!)
• HALLOWEEN Inspired dark playlist
• Jinkx & Dela Holiday Special
• SCRATCH THE RECORD WITH THIS SHOW STOPPER OF AKWARDNESS

Text/message a Chan on this special day. (We hear she likes that a lot.) @spookychan!  (dms are always closed to non-mutrals, but drop an @ in my mentions -if I’m still on Twitter as of this writing…) ALSO!  Friend Chan over on Switch- but please tell her you’re doing so! ex. She will not add random pics of Pikman with the name of John… 

CHAN SWITCH FRIEND CODE:

Drag it up! I’d say, go to a drag show (as in Queen/King/etc) this month, and if at home or in a place with no drag shows, perhaps checking out what the Drag performers are doing this year for the holidays online! (and tip them! even if they are not asking for tips! Find their venmo/paypal!)

(This is NYC’s own Kizha Carr @thatbeardedqueen. Saw her on Chanmas night many years ago! Check her out!)

Try THE JINKX & DELA HOLIDAY SPECIAL -it so crass, and lovable!

Praise Saint Bowie, because. (also, have Bowie with cat on head.)

COLORS to decorate with:

• Black
• BLOOD Red
• Grey
• Purple
• Orange
• White
• If you do green, make it Absinthe green!

Decorate the house with Halloween decorations. Beistle decorations make a fine addition to your crypt’s haunted halls.  (Bonus if you get a white tree, and decorate it with orange/purple lights, lots of black, purple things- bats, cats, Krampus, occult yellow triangles bent on conquering the world (that one is for Jess) Top the tree with your favorite monster, spooky thing so that they might judge you from above…)

Give Thanks to the patron saint of food, Tony Bourdain (here’s a clip of him with Lidia B & Christopher Walken and Octopi for Evemas) *I added Tony this year, cause he’s someone very special in my eyes, and someone gone too soon.

 

Here’s the big thing: Give VIRTUAL & in person hugs, lots and lots of hugs and appreciate those who are around you and far from you and that are a part of your life. Which at the core of it all is what Chanmas is all about- that and having fun with your special people, even if they are far away. ❤ 

Pet your favorite fur-babies. They love to experience the love too!

Make up your own tradition. Do it! I dare you! (It’s fun! Today can be your day!) Seriously though, I know the traditions i’ve set forth might not be to everyone’s liking, but watch your favorite things, do your favorite things.

Also, if back in 1981, it’s December 25th, and your name is Charlene Free, give birth to a Chandra Free, kay? (Time travel tradition.)

PLAY THIS. (I always cry when I play it, for dumb reasons)

Also, no pouting!

Enjoy your Chanmas! ;D

-Chan

*NOTE: If you don’t drink, or eat meats, change up these traditions with your favorite drink or food vice. It’s okay! We do not judge on Chanmas day. Point is to have fun your way. 😀

nice touch! (yeah, watch some old Garfield & Peanuts specials…)