After NBC crushed the dreams of Community fans everywhere by yanking the series from its midseason lineup (and then promised a shaky, “undetermined” time for a return), fans everywhere have banded together to show their support. A group showed up at 30 Rock headquarters in New York today to perform “O Christmas Troy” in “darkest timeline” goatees with the hope of spreading the love. “Six Seasons and a movie!” also rang out loud. Will it help? Click through to take a listen. Read More »

Over the past 16 years, Parisian charity event Les Sapins de Noël des Créateurs has called upon lauded fashion designers, artists, and architects to put their own spin on the classic Christmas tree — for a good cause, of course. Masterminded by Marie-Christiane Marek, the yearly event is held in early December and showcases innovative tree creations by fashion’s most adored houses. The designs go on display for the public to enjoy before being auctioned off to support a children’s charity — this year’s proceeds supported Association pour la Vie-Espoir contre le Cancer (A.V.E.C.). Given full creative license, the designers have kept a basic tree silhouette in mind, but completely departed from the norm, fashioning gorgeous trees composed of an ever-expanding variety of materials, like Stella McCartney’s festive ode to knitting and Chantal Thomas’s bizarre mannequin-leg masterpiece. Check out Christmas trees by the likes of Christian Dior, Chanel, and Sonia Rykiel after the jump. Read More »

Whether they’re mass-produced and store-bought or lovingly made by hand, holiday cards generally have the same message: peace on Earth, goodwill towards men, etc. Not so the animated Christmas greeting below, from the fantastically demented mind of Terry Gilliam. In 1968 — a year before Monty Python’s Flying Circus began its BBC run — Gilliam made the video for Do Not Adjust Your Set, the bizarre children’s series that was a forerunner to Monty Python. But that doesn’t mean this send-up of Christmas cards is any gentler than his later stuff: Gilliam’s delightfully sadistic, surreal sense of humor is on full display, from a kleptomaniac Santa Claus to the murder of several adorable woodland creatures. Read More »

It’s thanks to centuries of Byzantine, Greek, and Scandinavian myths and folklore that this Christmas, some guy will put on a red velvet suit and fake beard to sit on a throne in Walmart, taking kids’ toy orders. But Santa wasn’t always the generous man in Walmart, nor is he everywhere today. That man is just one of the many evolutionary paths taken by tales of deities, sprites, animals, and St. Nicholas. In other countries, the patron saint of giving inherited different traits, leaving Santa with quite a few doppelgangers around the world, including goats, monks, and wise men who travel on camelback. Below the jump, we take you on a tour of Santa’s many representations around the globe. Read More »

Taking high-speed photos of objects mid-explosion is kind of Alan Sailer’s thing — he shoots everyday objects with a pellet rifle and documents their demises using specially designed gear he makes himself. The photographer has detonated everything from Red Bull cans to pomegranates to Barbie backpacks for the sake of art, with breathtaking results that more than justify all the destruction. While all of his work is worth checking out on his Flickr page, The Inspiration Grid has turned us on to his seasonally appropriate series The War on Christmas. Sailer’s bright, festive photos of exploding tree ornaments filled with colored sand, Play-Doh, beads, and more are sure to delight Christmas lovers and haters alike. Check them out after the jump. Read More »

Have you finished decorating for the holidays yet? If you’re planning to deck the halls last-minute this season, don’t sweat it. We’ve got you covered with fun DIY projects that’ll add a dose of cheer to any home. A quick trip to the craft store and household objects are all you need to fashion a winter wonderland out of cardboard, top the tree with a sweet felt star, or spruce up a bland wall with a lovely, Christmas carol lyrics-adorned banner. Pop open a bottle of wine and unleash your inner Martha Stewart with our roundup of simple holiday home decor projects.

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If the thought of hearing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Jingle Bells” or that godawful John Lennon song one more time fills you with the urge to kill, then relax: you’re not alone. We’re pretty skeptical about Christmas at the best of times, but if there’s one aspect of it we really detest, it’s the constant bombardment of Christmas music — you can’t step out the door without hearing some maddeningly jaunty tune that’ll inevitably lodge in your head for the rest of the day. So as a respite to the incessant bombardment of forced good cheer, here’s a selection of Christmas songs for people who hate Christmas. Bah, humbug! Read More »

The holiday concept album is a tricky and often terrible thing. Many artists at the dawn of their retirement will turn a couple of festive tricks, putting a strange spin on carols that symbolize cozy, good cheer. The results are often bizarre and embarrassing, hammering another nail in the coffin of a recording career. Novelty recordings are usually no less weird, making family-friendly standards raunchy or rip-roaringly bad in cheap and silly ways. In a few cases, though, an unusual take on holiday tunes is just what we need to reinvigorate our spirit and help us appreciate the classics once more. We’ve uncovered ten truly weird holiday albums that should get you in the mood for this season’s celebrations — or at least make you shake your head and laugh. Check them out past the break, and leave your personal favorites below. Read More »

London’s St. Pancras Station has erected a 33-foot tall Christmas tree made entirely out of Legos. The international train station’s tree is composed of 600,000 Lego bricks, 172 Lego branches, and 1,200 Lego decorations — all lovingly assembled by only two men. One of them happens to be England’s only certified Lego professional, Duncan Titmarsh. (What do we have to build to add that title to our CV?) The blocky, green tree took two months to build and two weeks to install on site. Giant garlands of LED lights add the perfect finishing touch. We’re pretty jealous, London. Carry on. [via Geekologie]

Now that Christmas shopping season is in full effect, it’s time for your Flavorwire editors to swing into public service mode. Yes, yes, all the lists and links and commentary are fun, we know you’re saying, but where are the shopping tips? What do I get my movie-obsessed cousin Donovan? Do I have to actually communicate with him to find out what he wants? Those phone calls always last twice as long as I want them to, and his breathing patterns are disturbing! Fear no more, gentle reader, for after the jump, you’ll find a collection of films and books guaranteed to warm the hearts of your film fan relatives on Christmas morning, which they’ll enjoy to the fullest before fleeing the premises to catch the 1:20 matinee of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Check them out and add your own after the jump! Read More »