#coquito season

[wnterslder]

what would your muse recommend to bucky ?? books / shows / movies / music / media ?? give him advice ?? people to have mutual friends ??

[itssh0wtime]

IYKYK. 🤤🤤🤤

[porraironmaiden]

Recipe for Puerto Rican Coquito

Originally from Puerto Rico, coquito is a festive drink made with rum and coconut. As I was growing up, my mother and grandmother would make it, and the custom has stuck with me ever since.

[lennyalvarez]

Saw a carton of peppermint oat nog at the grocery store today, and it begs the question: have we, as a society, officially gone off the rails and are we okay with that? I mean... naturally I picked some up in the name of science - I know, I'm part of the problem - and it was as disgusting as I'd imagined. I just wonder... have we lost the plot with holiday drinks? Discuss.

Annnd if you're looking for an egg-less alternative this season, why not stop by EDUARDO'S for half-priced Coquitos. Every weekend after after 5, from now to the new year. Superior flavor and peppermint free, you can quote me on that.

[jerzwriter]

A Sparkling Holiday

It's their first Christmas together, and Trystan and Carolina are bringing in traditions from their past, and starting some new ones of their own.

Book: Crimes of Passion (post Book 2) Pairing: Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose) Rating: Teen Words: 945 A/N: Participating in @choicesficwriterscreations Holidays 2023, @choicesholidays it sort of fits "But it's tradition..." @choicesdecember2023 Christmas Thank you for the prompt @inlocusmads. I just loved writing this! I hope you enjoy it, too!

Full Masterlist | CoP Masterlist | Holiday Fics Masterlist

With the workday behind her, Carolina sat back on her couch with a cup of coquito in hand and numerous cardboard boxes surrounding her. Her sweater was covered with bits of silver tinsel, and her smile radiated just as brightly with each ornament she removed. Christmastime. She had a love/hate relationship with the season ever since her father was killed. But she promised that she’d focus on the positive long ago. Not only would he have wanted that, but despite her sometimes hardened exterior, there was light inside of Carolina Rose that fought to shine no matter what life threw her way. If asked, she’d deny its existence, but those who knew her best saw it as clear as day... and one of those people just entered the room.

Having Trystan in her life made finding the magic in the holiday season much easier. A year ago, she would have chastised herself for the stupid grin she wore as she watched him placing his box of decorations beside her. They decided to let the pros decorate his big, fancy apartment, but Carolina’s place was another story.   They'd decorate it together, with items from each of their pasts and a few new things they had chosen.

“What have you got there?” Trystan smiled as he sat next to her.

“It’s a Teddy bear that doubles as a Christmas tree ornament. I bought it for my father at the school bazaar when I was in third grade.”

Trystan took the weathered pale blue bear with a loose button eye from her hands and looked it over carefully.

“I know he’s seen better days,” Carolina apologized. “But he means so much to me.”

Trystan tugged at the string on the button, pulling the eye back into place.

“If you can get me a needle, I’d be happy to fix it. Not that he needs fixing. He's perfect as is.”

“He is?” she queried skeptically.

“Of course! Things that are loved are always beautiful. Take you, for example; you’re simply exquisite... because you’re so loved.”

She threw her arms around his neck with a boisterous laugh. “Trystan Thorne! Are you saying I’m beautiful because you love me?”

“Was my name mentioned anywhere in that sentence? While I love you immensely, you were already well-loved when I came into your life. I can’t take full credit.”

She ran her hand through his hair, mindlessly twirling a long lock around her finger. “And what about you? Are you this gorgeous due to how much I love you?”

“Of course,” he teased. “I was a hideous beast until you came into my life.”

“Not quite,” she grinned. Leaning forward, she took his lips into a soft, lingering kiss, and when she broke free, she decided she must have another. Trystan was too happy to oblige, but she pulled away with a smile when he went in for a third.

“That’s enough, your highness! If we keep this up, there won’t be any decorating this evening... and I, for one, am quite anxious to see what you’ve brought.”

“Well, nothing will compare to this adorable little bear....”

“That goes without saying,” she teased, “but what do you have in your box of Drakovian Christmas magic? Barbed wire? A venomous snake or two?”

“You peeked!” He clutched his chest in mock horror.

“Nope. It’s just a given!”

If Carolina had any thoughts she could be wrong, they were dismissed when Trystan opened his macabre assortment. She was speechless but gasped at one item in particular.

“Is that...please tell me that’s not a skull!”

“It’s not a skull,” he deadpaned. “At least not a real one, just a quality replica. Using the real thing was banned in the early 20th Century.”

“What? Why do you have a skull amongst your Christmas decorations?”

“Because it is a decoration. Every home in Drakovia has one.”

The look of horror in her eyes told him further explanation was necessary.

“It’s a replica of one of my ancestor’s skulls. King Yorick.”

“Please tell me that’s a joke... you did not have a King Yorkick!”

“Nah,” Trystan laughed. “It was King Vyacheslav. I just nicknamed him Yorick because... you know... Hamlet.”

“Yes. I may not have had the best education, but we did cover Hamlet. But why does his skull adorn every Christmas tree in Drakovia?”

“Because unlike most of our monarchs, he was known for his kindness and good deeds. At the holidays, he ensured every child in the kingdom had a gift under their tree.”

“And to commemorate his kindhearted nature... you put a replica of his skull on your trees each year.”

“Precisely.”

She shook her head with a sigh. “Trystan, I will never understand your people.”

“That’s all right,” he agreed. “Neither will I.”

They sifted through the box, through the black feathers, miniature swords, and a few items Carolina was afraid to ask about, and then Trysten suddenly shut the lid.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Putting this away. We can start a new tradition... using my childhood Christmas decorations for Halloween. I much prefer the items we purchased this year.”

He pulled two ornaments out of a paper shopping bag. “See! Barbie and Ken, in all their pink majesty. This is more fitting for our tree!”

“I have to agree with you there,” she nodded. “And they’ll make great playmates for my little bear!”

They removed all the new ornaments one by one... each more sparkly and glittery than the last... then they took out one last thing... their bright, golden star purchased on a walk through the Union Square Holiday Market.

“Do you want to put it on, or shall I?” Trystan asked.

“New tradition. I say we always do it together."

"I can agree to that," he said, holding her hand as she rose on her tiptoes to place the star on the tallest branch of the tree.

Carolina stood before the tree, her face aglow with childlike wonder.

"It's beautiful," she cooed.

Trystan reached out, brushed his hand along her chin, and turned her face toward him. "It is," he smiled. "Absolutely beautiful."

~~~~

That got much more schmaltzy and gooey than I anticipated, but they deserve it! (And I deserve the coquito! lol)

Thank you for reading!

Tagging separately.

[kpopthots]

What 127 brings to thanksgiving.

—

Doyoung wanted to host thanksgiving at his house this year, begging his friends to come over for about a week straight. When they finally came that night, they’ve all brought something.. special!

Johnny: Uncooked raw cold hotdogs w/ no bread.

-Johnny genuinely thought Doyoung had a grill, thinking they were gonna have a Thanksgiving barbecue like he did back in Chicago. So, they got left with raw packs of hot dogs that he put in the microwave to cook. Doyoung just watched in absolute horror while Taeyong watched in excitement, ready for those unseasoned, half-raw hot dogs. Also, Johnny didn’t bring the hot dog bread because Doyoung told him he already had bread..meaning regular, white bread.

Taeyong: Dry unseasoned turkey.

-Taeyong can’t eat anything with too much seasoning or just..any seasoning at all (proof) and everyone knew it. So only god knows why Doyoung allowed Taeyong to make the main food of thanksgiving. Everyone was excited for dinner as soon as everything was set up and made when Taeyong revealed his bland, slightly overcooked turkey which came with no juice or gravy. Apparently to Doyoung, it looked like people preferred a dry, ugly, white turkey over his genuinely delicious desserts that took him about 3 hours to make.

Yuta: Edibles and baby oil.

-He got excited when he saw a 25% Thanksgiving discount on edibles from TikTok shop, immediately buying it with his credit card he stole from Taeyong. (He maybe laced it but you won’t know till you try.) So, he brought the edibles to the Thanksgiving party with him for the members to try but keeping most of them away for only him and Jaehyun. The baby oil was only because when Doyoung was begging for everyone to come, he convinced Yuta that he bailed Diddy out of jail and held a freak off, setting Yuta and Mark up to have a oiled up Diddy off.

Doyoung: Home made desserts.

-Doyoung was the host so he genuinely wanted to try this time, wanting to make the members Thanksgiving perfect which was definitely wishful thinking. He really had high hopes, thinking that everyone was going to do their part..except for the fact that they didn’t but he didn’t know that. Going all out to make his famous (nobody ever eats it except jungwoo) apple and pumpkin pie and cookies.

Jaehyun: 1 fork and 1 glass cup but it was for him.

-Jaehyun didn’t know what to bring so he texted a very vague “Do I bring the utensils?” To which got a very obvious “Yes,” and Jaehyun who usually doesn’t wear his glasses thought the text read, “Bring your own,” so Jaehyun ultimately brought his own utensils and nobody else’s.

Jungwoo: Frozen dino nuggets, smiley fries, and that damn, frozen key lime pie.

-Jungwoo was absolutely ecstatic when he got the text that Doyoung was hosting a Thanksgiving party with all the members. He immediately ran to his nearest Western Beef supermarket and went to the frozen section, buying the frozen Dino nuggets, smiley fries and key lime pie. When he got there, Doyoung just shrugged and smiled, knowing he was the only who tried along with him. Taeyong practically flipped out when he saw the key lime pie and Jaehyun, as Jaehyun does, literally just leaves the whole party after Jungwoo enters the room.

Mark: Half-eaten burnt Mac n cheese.

-Marks only excuse for the half-eaten Mac n cheese was that he got hungry on the way, he got the munchies. He smoked before he got there because the rest would smoke all his weed before. Mark thought he was tripping when Yuta asked him about the oiled up freak off, offering mark to use the used baby oil.

Haechan: Karaoke machine, alcohol, and vapes.

-Haechan can’t go 2 minutes without singing so he brought the karaoke machine and by the end of the night, he was the only one singing, everyone was gone and Doyoung went to sleep already. Alcohol but specifically coquito, he made himself because he didn’t trust nobody else to make it. (He also got caught selling it illegally outside.) Haechan also brought his strawberry cloud dust, sprinkled with a little bit of cotton candy juice which is his favorite vape flavor he blackens his lungs with. He kept it for himself and offered it no one, Doyoung also threatened to kick him out after Haechan peer pressured him to take a hit.

Most of the things were uncooked.. because they didn’t realize they had to cook the things at home because they hadn’t done this before and that Doyoung already had everything prepared. By the end of it let’s just say it was stressful for Doyoung. The house was trashed, Yuta left a snail trail of baby oil from Doyoung clean floors to his car that he crashed parked around the corner, and Taeyong was passed out drunk on his couch. It was more than safe to say Doyoung was never hosting again.

—

Happy thanksgiving!!

[asktheisle]

(@pokege-ne-project ; Pop) They aren't used to being too close to humans, but given the amount of Pokemon not minding, these folks seem safe. So! They ended up approaching Gabe, since it looked like he probably could understand them. "Heyoooooo, hope ya don't mind me! This place's cool as hell. What's your favorite grub for this season, if ya don't mind me askin'?"

Making them traditionally is a long process that gets everyone involved, but I personally like it that way. Outside is made of different root veggies like yautia and calabaza, plantains too. Inside is usually meat, but I also found a recipe that calls for rice for those who want to avoid that.

Some people like to wrap them in parchment paper to boil them, I like to go all the way and use banana leaves that I pick from around here and clean up in addition to the parchment.

[He seems to be incredibly happy about the subject at hand.]

I learned how to make them with my parents years ago, people love 'em. I get a nice little payment every holiday season back at Poni Island selling them to people. That and combine it with coquito sales? Hoohoo~

((1 ask until bar rotation))

@pokege-ne-project

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

✧ ━━ 𝐄𝐆𝐆'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒

Tagged by: @mxlevolence ( mmmwah! thank you! ♥

Tagging: @agonizedembrace, @aquatic-hybrid, @thegoldentigress, @songofsilentechoes, @hemoplagued, @pitgritted, @tealbeats, @hallowedhem, @burntscars, @johnnysslaughter, @manufactoredxbyxdesign, @bamsidsuperbitch

Comfort food(s): Fresh baked bread and any/all soups ( you guys have no idea how excited I am to shift into soup season ), stew is also something that's comforting to me since my Nan used to make it for me whenever she visited! And naturally with my ancestry ━

Comfort drink(s): Mate, my childhood bestfriend's mom used to get this ready for us all the time, and it quickly became something I've associated with that warm fuzzy memory! Honestly probably anything I can put in boiling water to make it taste different ꉂ (´∀｀)ʱªʱªʱª ! Oh yeah - Coquito 100% Nothing like sipping that while writing on the porch with the snow falling, a blanket on my lap, and my dog being dumb

Comfort movie(s): Fantasia! I used to watch this movie with my Nan almost everyday when she would visit me, it was always one of my favorite things to do even if I was afraid of Chernabog. It's ridiculous how deeply I've memorized it, I could probably lay here with my eyes shut and watch it in my brain without missing any sections („ಡωಡ„) NATURALLY Peter Jackson's EXTENDED LOTR Trilogy BABYYYY - I cry about 10 times each movie but Frodo is a massive role model for me and I love him a lot! When I found out that I share the same MBTI as him I was like ╭( ๐_๐)╮and then I cried. Don't get me started, I won't stop - this is for your own good. Hercules is another big one, it's just such an easy watch and it makes me happy. I have watched it an embarrassingly amount of times with @magicshadowkitten

Comfort show(s): I didn't really watch TV as a youngin, but I was able to finally get into shows during college - D. Gray Man is one of my favorites! JJBA too - I have a lot of good memories with my friends from both of these! @bells-of-black-sunday showed me Over the Garden Wall and it quickly rooted itself as one of my favorites, its the ✨whimsy✨

Comfort clothing: I really adore feminine, flowy dresses/skirts, and coordinating outfits before hand. I never really had the opportunity growing up to explore a lot of fashion, and I have found out that I absolutely adore looking like a lil fairy, so I never really learned how to put together outfits on the fly. So! I actually have outfits preplanned with accessories, shoes, and bags too because if I don't I won't know what to do. ⁽⁽ଘ( ˊωˋ )ଓ⁾⁾ Its kind of embarrassing but I've accepted it as part of my neurodivergency; its also a lot easier for me to shop for an outfit vs items that can mis and match into various ones. I also work from home so, if I can dress up I will! It makes me feel pretty

Comfort song(s): Wahh!! I listen to so many songs and my music taste is all over the place!!! If I had to pick a few off the top of my head:

Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues ━━ This song is actually one of my favorites but the reason why doesn't involve me at all? When I first heard it I was in the car driving with my mom, and she got so giddy and explained that this was the song playing when she met her ( still! ) best friend at a bar almost 25 years ago. My mom and her started singing it together and honestly that story just ? effected me so much? Whenever I'm in a pub or bar and it comes on I call my mom and tell her its playing and we sing it together too! ╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯ Entire LOTR OST ━━ I need not explain, ya'll understand. Pretty Much Anything by Pink Floyd

Comfort book(s): Lord of the Rings Trilogy & The Hobbit ━ J. R. R. Tolkien The Divine Comedy ━ Dante Alighieri ( nostalgia ) ━━ I don't really read comforting books so I don't feel like I can continue the list as the books I read have existential content that is not at all comforting! I tend to read stories like Blood Meridian or No Longer Human, and I tend to not revisit them quickly because of the content (ಥ﹏ಥ) because even if I enjoy them I'm a big baby

Comfort game(s): League of Legends ( don't judge me i play with friends and dont flame ) : tbh this is the only game I actually play the rest I mostly just watch playthroughs of because again the content I like to watch is existential as well and I am a very easily frightened person! So ━ I really liked watching my best friend play Resident Evil! I also watched @bells-of-black-sunday play Bugsnax and it is SUCH a cute game, it has amazing characters and a really interesting plotline - !

[cookietastic]

whats eggnog please this question has been haunting me for years what does it taste like is it eggs i could google it but that feels like cheating

-spirits

Eggnog is like is this drink people have during the winter and it can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic! It’s like a really creamy milkshake to the point it can be similar to custard imo. I heard other people describe it online as like melted vanilla ice-cream

If you’re Puerto Rican (Ayee) you probably might drink like coquito more than egg nog and coquito isn’t set to one season compared to eggnog/my family makes it more for events than seasons.

[bramblewatchescharmed]

What bothers me so much about the Charmed reboot is that during all the press and media before season one aired, they were all in on how this was going to be Latina representation and how much the writers wanted to explore the Veras’ culture… and then when the show actually aired, they very much Did Not Do That.

Despite Macy, Mel, and Maggie technically being first-generation Puerto Rican-Americans.

I mean, Maggie and Mel were written as such basic white girls that other than their looks (despite Maggie's actress not being Latina at all), you couldn’t tell they’re supposed to be Puerto Rican-American. There’s the flag in Mel’s bedroom, Maggie preparing coquito for Christmas, the girls casting one (1) spell in Spanish derived from Santeria—and that is it for season 1.

I find it very difficult to believe that—with Mel being a Millennial and Maggie being Gen Z—Marisol did not raise her girls to be bilingual. Where are Mel and Maggie code-switching into Spanish around each other? Where is the food their mom made from her homeland they would have growing up? Where is the music? The bright, vibrant colors in their clothing?

How come Macy is given more attention to her more obvious blackness compared to her sisters? Why is Maggie’s sudden struggle with finding out she’s biracial when applying for scholarships and what this means for her personal identity dropped after one episode?

This show hyped up its Latin American representation and then did fuck-all with it.

The writers, actresses, producers, and media promised Latin culture for season 1.

Where the fuck was it?

[fizzytoo]

few more weeks until coquito season 😋

[hayscodings]

Christmas Tag Game

It's Festivus for the rest of us so grab your Chanukah bush, your mistletoe, your pagan ritual or whatever brings you joy and come gather round the fire and celebrate your pocket friends.

Tagged by: @lovekenney

Favorite nickname you’ve ever been given? Mimi (family only)

Where are you located? NYC

What season is it where you are now? Winter

Favourite tradition this time of year? I normally visit my family for Christmas but I won’t be able to do that this year.

Favourite holiday food? That peppermint bark cake from Milk Bar.

Mulled wine, eggnog or hot apple cider? Coquito

Turkey, Ham or Nut Roast (Or Tofurkey?)? Pork

Would you rather spend the December holidays in: A cabin in the woods surrounded by snow, or a house on the beach with sun and sand? Cabin in the woods, I don’t care for the beach.

Are you pro-snow or anti-snow? Anti, mostly. It’s nice when it’s falling but gross when it’s old and full of dog piss.

Have you ever built a snowman? Not that I remember.

Skiing or Snowboarding? Staying the fuck inside.

Do you decorate for the holidays? Yes

Favourite holiday movie? National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Favourite holiday fanfic? I don’t have one.

If you were to star in a Hallmark movie, who would be your love interest? Rachel Sennott

Tagging: @ariesbilly, @fredheads, @andisitover, @ladyofriverrun, whoever else wants to do it.

[stephloverrrr]

What's a seasonal winter snack or dessert you really like to eat?

Oh some things that come to mind (not necessarily desserts):

Sancocho

Coquito

Arroz con leche

Hot chocolate (even better if it’s spiked)

Sopa de frijoles (Honduran style)

Tamales (had to edit and add this- my grandmothers were my favorite)

Thank you for the ask :)

[solangedemorizi]

Exploring Recipes from the Dominican Republic and Other Cultures

Treasures of Dominican Food and a Little Bit More, or Tesoros de la Comida Dominicana y un Chin Mas, is a book containing a number of traditional Dominican recipes for meals such as mofongo, sancocho, various recipes for goat, and much more. The cookbook also explores other iconic dishes from a number of additional cultures, including a Spanish fabada recipe and assorted pasta dishes. Treasures of Dominican Food also contains recipes for several holiday classics, including hazelnut coquitos and Christmas rolls.

Mofongo is a deep-fried dish of plantains blended together with a variety of additional ingredients. Mofongo is commonly served with seafood, such as shrimp, pork, or seasonal sauteed vegetables. Garlic and cilantro, favored seasonings in many Dominican recipes, are important ingredients, along with garlic cloves, ground cumin, bitter orange, and oregano. As is the case with many plantain-based dishes, mofongo is best served immediately after making, as the plantains can dry out if left to sit.

Sancocho, meanwhile, is another Dominican stew with flavors based in different meats and roots. Sancocho is popular throughout Latin America, and recipes vary from one region to another. In fact, sancocho may be referred to by various names depending on the location, with popular alternatives including sancocho de gallina, sancochado, and olla de carne. Individuals interested in trying their hand at a sancocho recipe should consider starting with beef, though beef and chicken and deluxe sancocho recipes, featuring a number of different meats, are common in Latin America.

Many Dominican recipes found in Treasures of Dominican Food feature malagueta pepper, one of Brazil’s most popular hot peppers. Malagueta has a rating of between 60,000 and 100,000 Scoville units, placing it on par with Tabasco peppers. Other Dominican meals featured in the book include stewed beans and pigeon peas, and a number of dishes with goat. Chivo liniero guisado picante, a curried meat dish, is one of the country’s most well known goat recipes.

Fabada asturiana, also known as Spanish bean stew, originates in the principality of Asturias, but is served widely throughout Spain and in Spanish restaurants around the world. Canned fabada is not an uncommon item in supermarkets throughout the United States. A hot, heavy stew, it is typically associated with the winter months and may be served as a starting dish or main course. In Spain, fabada is often paired with an Asturian cider. The primary ingredients of a typical fabada recipe include fabes de la Granja, a large white bean, a shoulder of pork, which can be substituted for bacon or pancetta, and chorizo, along with spices such as garlic, sweet paprika, and salt.

Christmas rolls are a popular snack and dessert at many holiday parties. Individuals can experiment with a diversity of recipes, ranging from cinnamon and fruit buns to a sweeter, frosting-based holiday treat. Other holiday season recipes in Treasures of Dominican Food and a Little Bit More range from Christmas cakes to pasteles en hoja, a traditional Dominican dish that consists of plantain and root vegetable dough, called masa, filled with various meats and served in a dough pocket.

[thisaintascenereviews]

Jimmy Fallon - Holiday Seasoning

Well, it’s November, and that means you fall into one of two camps: Christmas season is here, or you wait until after Thanksgiving to start. I used to be in the latter camp, but I’ve grown a huge liking to Christmas music the last couple of years, so I’ve decided to start listening to this music early. Coincidentally, Jimmy Fallon, of all people, dropped a new holiday album on November 1st. I say “holiday,” and not Christmas, because this isn’t technically a Christmas album. He did an interview with Paste Magazine about it, and talked about the process behind writing it, but I was oddly looking forward to this, especially for its guest spots.

The album has quite a bit of top tier collaborators, including Justin Timberlake, The Jonas Brothers, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Dolly Parton, Weird Al, and The Roots, as well as some non-musical guests, like Will Ferrell, Cara Delevingne, and Chelsea Handler. I also like that this album is solely full of original songs, and while it’s touted as a comedy album, it’s got some heart and warmth to it, too. In that Paste Interview, Fallon talks about why this album is full of original songs, because it’s harder to write original songs than it is to just recycle the same Christmas canon. There are way too many covers of the same few Christmas songs, and I wanted to hear some original songs, so this was a nice surprise.

It’s even more of a surprise when I found that this album is actually quite good. You’d think that an album like this wouldn’t be very good, or half-baked at best, but I’ll be damned, I’ve been coming back to this one a lot and having a lot of fun with it. The thing is, you can’t look too deep into this record, because it’s a comedy album. You can look at whether or not the songs are funny, but if you want a lot of meaning and depth here, you won’t get it. There are some songs that are just straight up fun, like the disco-tinged “Holiday” with the Jonas Brothers, “Hey Rudy” with The Roots that’s an ode to Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, or “It Was A… (Masked Christmas)” with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion. That latter track is an odd choice, because it came out a few years ago, so why is it here? I don’t know, but it’s got a good hook, so I have a ball with it.

The songs with a comedic bent, versus trying to just be outright fun, are a hit or miss, but there are more hits than misses. “You’ll Be There” with Justin Timberlake is a highlight, both for its acoustic R&B sound and for the joke of spending Christmas with your best bros. “Hallmark Movie” with Cara Delevigne is a fun one, basically parodying Hallmark movies and the joke “twist” is pretty fun. Even the song with Weird Al is fun, despite being a New Year’s Eve polka, but there are a few that teeter the line between being funny and annoying. “Chipmunks and Chestnuts” has a good idea for a joke, and the song is short, thankfully, but it just doesn’t work as well as other tracks. “Merry Happy Christmas” is the same way, where the joke is there, but it gets to be slightly annoying by the time the song is done.

Where the album also shines is when Fallon is on his own, especially as a singer-songwriter. “How You Know It’s Christmastime,” “Weird Cousin,” and “Thanksgiving Eve” are really good, albeit quieter and more relaxed. That makes the jokes in the latter two work a bit better, whether it’s about your literal weird cousin who shows up at holidays or a Bob Dylan song about the day before Thanksgiving. Even “Coquito” is a lot of fun, going away from the cliche of eggnog and opting for tequila. There was a lot of care and thought put into these songs, even the ones I’m not as fond of. I just really like this album, and I think this album came out at the perfect time, especially with recent news. This is a fun, warm, and inviting holiday comedy album that people can listen to and have a good time with. Sometimes that’s all we need, especially during this time of year.

[rawr-monsters]

I love getting to share my culture with people I barely know even in the really small fucking ways. bar I go to for a trivia every week put coquito on the menu as a seasonal drink. And I was talking to the head bartender, a guy I vaguely know from going to the bar a bunch over the past year for trivia, and I asked him if it's actually good and if he made it ahead of time as you're supposed to, and he's like yeah I made it Tuesday, have you had cookie dough before, and I'm like bro I'm Puerto Rican, coquito is near and dear to me. And he's like okay I'm going to get you some let me know how it is be as harsh as you feel the need to be. so I have some, and this is decent coquito, not amazing, but it's decent. so I tell him for your first batch of coquito You did a great job, but I think you want it better because I know how good the drinks in this place are, so let me tell you how to make much better coquito. any listens he gets out of fucking notepad to start taking notes as I'm telling him the basic stuff I do to take my coquito up a notch. I'm not telling him any of the family shit, just what I do. But it's really nice to be able to share even something as small as a holiday drink with people of different cultures and have them listen to you and genuinely enjoy this thing you've shared.