Content Warning: There is meat (shown), food, and talk of alcoholic drinks in this post. *I do encourage those of you who do not drink, to drink what you all love instead of an adult bevy mentioned.
Welcome, or for those of you welcome back to my annual post on Chanmas! Since i’ve revamped this blog to be about drinking, eating and curiosities, it still makes sense to serve up some good ole’ Chanmas traditions! This year I’m doing this from scratch instead of doing a revision on previous years entry (Which if you want sillier than i went this year (which includes people to idolize), go back to 2022.)
First! What is Chanmas?
Chanmas: an unconventional holiday, concocted by Chandra Free, to express breaking from what society does on the 25th of December. The day started as a a way for “Chan” (a secular humanist) to pick and choose how she’d celebrate her birthday, which falls on the 25th. It soon grew as a philosophy of loving your mental health, and being kind to yourself during a time of year that evokes pressures on people and not always great traditions. It is encouraged to make your own “your name here–mas,” and pick and choose what you want to celebrate or not. Make your own traditions and keep what you dig (if it ain’t broke…). Importantly, spend it with yourself, with friends, family, whomever, whatever, just don’t put yourself in a toxic situation, (that is anti-chanmas.)
Now, with all that said, let’s see what some Chanmas traditions are!
Let’s break down into categories:
Food & Drink.
Attire.
Activities.
Music.
Entertainment.
Decor.
FOOD:
For starters, let’s throw out traditional meals (unless you like that.) Indulge in your faves! Calzones, Chicken Katsu and curry, empanadas, DimSum, pho, whatever you adore- this is the time to evoke something that sparks joy. I for one love a fusion of Japanese, and Chinese inspired dishes and dashes of European/American touches .
Real talk– The problem with liking speciality food is that you have to PLAN AHEAD.
Something I’ve grown into these past years is making my own food. I no longer live in NYC, and that means I don’t have access to certain unique treats anymore. (I was spoiled by that city!) So why miss out on some unique teats, when I can have what I want. Not to be that Chan, but Amazon and various online merchants help fill a lot of the gaps for some of these ingredients. Well, most things… Remember things take time to get in person and in the mail, and the inconvenient thing is that the 25th places are closed (usually).
Eve-mas, we celebrate very much like the Japanese with KFC. I’m not kidding. Some original recipe, mashed potatoes that taste a little like plastic, and some vino! Great time with the new fam.
Chanmas Day, I start with holiday mimosas. What is that Chan? IG gave me the idea where you take an ice cube tray, and make a base for your drink. So I add cranberry juice, Grand Marnier, cranberry pieces, rosemary sprigs, and orange pieces into the oversized ice cube tray, freeze overnight. Day of Chanmas, pop out the pretty cube and add Prosecco- and voila, holiday mimosa! It’s a good start to the day with the boozy bubbly! (Virgin cocktail idea, sub Grand Marnier for OJ, and a sparkling white grape juice for the Prosecco.) While you’re prepping dinner stuffs, have a brunch of charcuterie board with your fave cheeses, meats, and fruits- enjoy with that holiday mimosa! Maybe some other baked goods, have fun, it’s your tasties, but save room for dinner!
Dinner (this is where it gets fun! Least for me, haha.) I have planned for this year a 5-Spiced Duck (served with Hoisin or eel sauce), braised orange anise star lotus root, simmered Japanese pumpkin, with Japanese sweet potatoes with maple apples and sage, add watercress to add a pop of green. Optional homemade cranberry sauce can be great with the duck. Pair with sake! Dinner is prepared.
Since it is my bday, I make a matcha cake with homemade whipped cream, and blueberry sauce. (I used to go to Paris baguette to get a matcha cake with similar trimmings…it was good, but expensive.)
Other ideas can be matcha brownies, or matcha cookies… though make them whenever during this season- i have already made matcha cookies with white chocolate chips for Friendsgiving, and I’m planning on making the matcha brownies for the 23rd (NOW that falls outside of Chanmas, it’s the celebration of me and Steve’s engagement, cause why not? I’m making a 3 day celebration happen.)
Stay tuned for another entry on holiday/Chanmas cocktails! *I figured it’s too much for this entry.
ATTIRE:
BLACK. Wear lots of black….if you dig make up, add sparkle and be extreme, today is about you and being fabulous. Other colors are purple, orange, and green. Evoke Halloween, and all things ethereal and spooky. Scents: BPAL. Makeup: SugarPill, TrixieCosmetics.
ACTIVITIES:
Let’s get back to goofy- Classic Chanmas tradition includes BECOMING A BAT and running around with a Halloween blanket flapping around your arms, and eating fruit like a cute wittle bat- BUT bonus points if you turn into a Dracula and start to stalk the neighbors at night! (This blog cannot be held responsible for any necks bitten…)
Play some retro games! I don’t know what that means to everyone anymore, cause now Dreamcast, and PS2 and XBOX count (heck the generation after probably?). To an ancient like myself still think of those systems as “new.” TO ME- get your 8/16/32 bit games going. A cozy tournament of Street fighter? Some Secret of Mana? Super Mario 3! TETRIS FOR NES!! The more 2d the better. You wanna kick it old-er school? Atari! Do etttt. If you’re lacking the 2d spirit, a game where you play with others like Mario Kart , or Animal crossing…!
MUSIC:
Playlists- Make the Chanmas GAY & FUNKY, Essential Depeche Mode, Venture Brothers Holiday Singles , CHRISTMAS VAPORWAVE MIX, lofi Christmas
ENTERTAINMENT:
When the sadistic pleasure takes you, see if your loved ones love you after this-
STAR WARS 1978 HOLIDAY SPECIAL w/commercials.
The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Special, delightfully gay, fierce, crass and heartwarming. A tradition now for the Free-Emond house.
Venture Brothers Holiday Special, on the VB s1 DVD, or supposedly on MAX… i tried to link it, but MAX made it hard to.
MST3K- Santa vs the Martians (turkey day broadcast w/commercials), Santa Claus (with commercials), The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t, The Christmas Dragon (i’m not a fan of this one (or the other new one), but hey, you know, if you haven’t seen it..?)
Random holiday shows + silly holiday commercials played on an old CRT TV.
If the Holiday Special didn’t scare away your loved ones, how bout THIS.
DECOR:
I ain’t gonna lie, I have a Chanmas tree that borrows heavily from other holidays. I also have lots of Halloween decor, that’s just how I’ll ALWAYS roll. Halloween all year round- with a splash of pine and gore…i mean holly. DW candles permeate the air with nostalgic smells and tree-like smells. Ornaments on the tree evoke the past, present and… future! From goth to childhood ideals, this tree has all sorts of nostalgia, which is fine. This is largely a pagan and Victorian tradition and I love it too. I grew up with it, and I do like a lit sparkly tree.
From childhood I was appointed to decorate the Christmas tree- to today, where I decorate the tree with my husband, Steve. Some traditions I don’t mind, it’s when traditions dictate negativity, I just cannot abide.
When in doubt, put a cat in it!
LAST THOUGHTS:
This holiday should not be about gift giving or expectations, but of love and coming together to enjoy each other. Expectations should be outlawed- gifts should be reserved for when you have the means and the moment that sparks you to adorn whomever with whatever. Conditional love is bullshit- throw it out and be authentic. Unconditional love is key, and if you don’t believe in the holiday, do the day how you see it… Chanmas not your thing? Make this day your own. Please use my own nonsense as your own spring board into your reclamation of a day that needs some TLC.
What about your Chan?
-And if you’ve got this far, and are into the Chanmas spirit? Send a Chan a happy bday/Chanmas message. ( *she also accepts Venmo @ spookychan #1016, and paypal @ chandrafree, lol)
Seriously, I hope the 25th is free of the bullshit, and it’s full of love, even if it’s the love for yourself.
Take care this season, and to those that deserve your love and respect. If they don’t deserve you, to quote a great philosopher, “aint nobody got time for that!’
Happy Chanmas, one and all!
-Chan
p.s. no pouting!
Chandra’s SPOOKeasy 