Another Strangercrombie’s come and gone, leaving good cheer and a pile of cash for charity in its wake. The Stranger‘s annual holiday auction racked up a stunning $39,314.31 in bids this year, our highest total ever, every dime of it destined for Northwest Harvest!

The most precious jewel on this year’s roster of 93 fantastic prize packages was the Pearl Jam Lover’s Pack (two tickets to their next local show and one rare, signed Ames Bros. Pearl Jam print), which fueled a fierce bidding war and sold for an astounding $6,559.

The Stranger cover garnered the second highest price: $3,050. Your guess is as good as mine as to who won that slab of premium Stranger real estate or what they plan to do with it, but we’ll find out January 26 when that issue hits the streets, laden with stories, art, and comics dictated by winners of the dozens of Stranger-related packages. The news section will contain a sure-to-be riveting article on a topic chosen by the winner of the News Package ($405). Savage Love will host a guest expert who paid $405 for the honor. Adrian Ryan will gracefully dump someone in print for one lucky winner ($65). And one narcissistic clown paid $225 to be Drunk of the Week!

The celebrity experiences were in high demand, as usual: Karaoke with Maria Cantwell went for $1,775, an M’s game with Dan Savage and Sherman Alexie went for $1,076.99, Ira Glass recording a conversation with you sold for $1,025, and lunch with Greg Nickels went for $271.

The Film Lover’s Package #2 (a SIFF bonanza, including two Full Series Passes, five extra passes good for all the exclusive SIFF galas, seven extra tickets to the opening night party, and a heaping pile of fancy goodies) sold for the spooky sum of $1,111.11. The other Film Lover’s Package (including passes to Landmark Theatres and Pacific Science Center’s IMAX theater, a region-free DVD player, DVDs, and cinephile swag from Scarecrow Video) went for a healthy $455.

The personalized Pacific Science Center laser show and pizza party ($465) was snatched up by one adoring husband (mine!) for his spoiled but grateful wife’s 30th birthday bash. One brave soul paid $414.65 for a party at Cowgirls Inc. with The Stranger editorial staff (along with the mechanical bull and dozens of cupcakes from Cupcake Royale!). And a lucky couple will reap the rewards of the BDSM Beginner’s Package (Imp of Satan fetish wear, AXOVUS bondage gear, twistedmonk.com‘s “More Than Curious” kit, and a coaching session with The Stranger‘s own Mistress Matisse) for $335.

Earning the honor of the lowest-priced item—drawing a respectable $50.75—is Michael Seiwerath’s ridiculous and perfect film starring Christopher Frizzelle’s size-15 feet.

As the auctions ended on Friday, December 16, the benevolent beast that is Strangercrombie took over the bows-and-balls-bedecked Showbox for The Stranger‘s Holiday Blowout—an evening of music, polar bears, almost too much booze (special thanks to the champagne of beers, Miller High Life, and the champagne of tequilas, Sauza), and tipsy holiday mascots.

Beneath a chandelier dripping with golden baby dolls, DJ Curtis spun the hits (and near-misses) from the ’70s and ’80s as VIP guests snacked on plentiful edible delights provided by Paragon and well-dressed couples queued for photos with Santa and his surly holiday cohorts Korny the Kwanzaa Korn and the Hanukkah-happy Dr. Dreidel.

An hour into the party, with everyone properly liquored and jolly, Common Market launched the live show with tight rhymes and solid hiphop. Next, Band of Horses brought the crowd forward with reverb-drenched Americana, and then the Fruit Bats showered revelers with shimmering indie-pop melodies.

Dina Martina, who teetered down to the Showbox after a sold-out performance of her holiday spectacular at the Re-bar, stole hearts with holiday classics including “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (to the tune of “Hotel California”).

Wheedle’s Groove, a collective of funk and soul superstars from Seattle’s past, masterfully led the party to its crescendo. Highlight: Five women led by the Total Experience Gospel Choir’s Pat Wright sang a lovely, leisurely version of Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose.” Thanks to everybody who came and partied, and especially to all who took to the stage.

And, of course, a hundred million heartfelt, velvet-lined, cinnamon-scented, gold-glittered thank yous to our sponsors, donors, and everyone who bid. Without you, the Strangercrombie 2005 catalog would merely be a pathetic little jerk-off mag.

WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT…

107.7 The End • 24 Hour Fitness • 5th Avenue Theatre • 911 Media Arts Center • ACLU of Washington • American Apparel Clothing • Amour on the Boulevard • Archie McPhee • Area 51 • ArtsWest • Atlas Clothes • Aurora Medical Services • AXOVUS • Babeland • Band of Horses • Bastyr Center for Natural Health • B-Bam! • Ben Exworthy • Bimbo’s / Cha Cha Lounge • Black Chandelier • Bootyland • Brad’s Swingside Cafe • Brilliance Enterprises • Broadway Grill • Buffalo Exchange • Bumbershoot • Burnt Sugar & Frankie • Butch Blum • Cameron Crowe • Century Ballroom • Cepia Dermotique • Champion Party Supply • Chop Suey • Collective • Common Market • Cosmetic Laser Centers • Cowgirls Inc. • Cranium Coffee and Collectables • Crave (on 12th) • The Crocodile Cafe • Cupcake Royale • Dangermart • Deep Roots • Dina Martina • DJ Curtis • Dr. Dreidel • Doug Fir • Easy Street Records • Ellen Forney • EMI • Epilogue Books • Experience Music Project • Eyes on Fremont Inc. • Fado Irish Pub • Far Fetched Imports • Foolproof Performing Arts • Fremont Oktoberfest/Bold Hat Productions • Fruit Bats • Fuel Coffee • The Fun House • Garage • Gibson Musical Instruments • Heidi Barack • Hell’s Kitchen • Henry Art Gallery • High Maintenance Skincare Studio • House of Blues • il Bistro • Imp of Satan Fetishwear • Impulse • Intiman Theatre • The Islander • Jazz Alley • Jeff Montona • Jive Time • Jones Soda Co. • Jupiter Crash • Jupiter Hotel • Kasala Furniture • Kerri Harrop • KEXP • Korny the Kwanzaa Korn • Landmark Theatres • Laughing Buddha • Love Zone • Maritime Pacific Brewing • Michael Seiwerath • Microsoft • Mighty O Doughnuts • Miller High Life • Mission • Mistress Matisse • Neighborhoodies • Northwest Film Forum • NWOC Seattle • The Office of Mayor Greg Nickels • OKOK • Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ • Pacific Northwest Ballet • Patent Pending Industries • Jeff Kleinsmith • Pants • Paradox Club • Pearl Jam • Piece of Mind • Piecora’s • Pies and Pints • Pike Place Market • Pirate’s Plunder • Plastic Passion • Pop Tots • Portage Bay Goods • Portland Art Museum • Pretty Girls Make Graves • P.S. Adventures • Railey’s Leash & Treat • Randy Cohen • Red Mill Burgers • Reload Bags • Retail Therapy • Retrofit Home • Ristorante Machiavelli • Santa Claus • Sasquatch Books • Sauza • Scarecrow Video • Schmancy • School of Visual Concepts • Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame • Seattle Art Museum • Seattle International Film Festival • Seattle Laser Dome @ Pacific Science Center • Senator Maria Cantwell • Senator Patty Murray • Sherman Alexie • The Showbox • Silver Platters • Sin in Linen • Slave to the Needle Tattoo • Snowboard Connection • Sonic Boom • Sony/BMG • square room • Steel Toe Studios • Sub Pop Records • Static Factory Media • Sunset Tavern • Sweetie • Taproot Theatre • Tempero do Brasil • TJ’s on Lake Street • Tom Douglas Restaurant Group • The Tool Trader • Touch & Go • Tower Records • The Triple Door • Tuuli • Underdog Sports Leagues • Universal Music & Video Distribution • Vain • Waking Life Massage & Supply • Warner Music Group/WEA • Wax On Spa • West 5 • Wheedle’s Groove • Whisky Bar • Willow LeTellier • Wyatt’s Jewelers • Zebraclub