Those very last remnant leftovers of that turkey—you know, the one that lived its entire, short life in fear and pain—are slowly working their way out of your digestive tract. The kicks (made in China, by tiny hands) you bought on Black Friday are already scuffed. The bill collectors are still calling. It's that time, y'all, once again. For what, you ask? Goodwill toward men? Peace on earth? Get off the crack? No. It's time for Christmas music. Hit the grocery store to spend your last dollar on dinner and be greeted by "Jingle Bell Rock." Go to the pharmacy and listen to Bing Crosby as you aimlessly stalk the aisles, waiting for them to re-up your anxiety/depression meds. Turn on the radio while burning up gas, sitting in your traffic nightmare/commute to your soul-crushing job (if you're lucky enough to have one) and hear something from that same goddamn Mariah Carey album. If you have a happy space in your heart for Christmas music at all, I would suggest that you support local, and slump that new Choklate EP on your next sleigh ride. It's sweet, charming, and sincere, just like Chok herself. Go find Fah La La La La: The Christmas EP on iTunes or, for best results, hit Dimitriou's Jazz Alley on Thursday, December 8, for the release party.
The Grouch Stole Christmas tour hits the Crocodile on Friday, December 9 (and Bellingham's Wild Buffalo on the 10th), with the titular rice-and-beans-loving Living Legend plus Eligh, Zion I, and Evidence, not to mention ya boy Scribes.
Sonny Bonoho and his big ol' heart are doing their thing over at Tacoma's Jazzbones on Sunday, December 11, for the Sonny Bonoho Loves the Kids Toy Drive. Sonny (along with openers Lo$ of Flyboys and Baby Bosses) will present 100 lucky kids with toys. You can contribute toys via www.sonnybonoho.com. May I suggest nothing that reinforces gender-role bullshit or the military-industrial complex?
LA's Dom Kennedy, repping Leimert Park and the Hundreds, is hitting Neumos on Tuesday, December 13. One of the few blog-era rappers I eff with, he packs a beach-cruiser drawl that's pure Mid-City; his latest release, From the Westside with Love II, painted a picture that made your boy just a touch homesick. Hit this show up and demand he do "Watermelon Sundae" twice, as it's one of the best chill-with-the-lady jams in years. With him that evening will be Inglewood's Skeme and Seattle's own Royce the Choice, repping Skymen. Go find his Choosin Season 2 mixtape and get familiar with his movement. (Sorry for saying "movement.") At some point next year, rumors abound of a heavy tour with Royce the Choice, GMK, J.Pinder, and Dyme Def; the tweets concerning this move are all tagged with the mysterious #TPOB. What does it mean? No comment at press time from Dyme Def or J.Pinder; I have several (mostly obscene) guesses, but I'll keep those to myself. 
