Christmas Carol Derby

Friday, December 1, 2023

Derby Runners 2023

'Tis the season to troll the ancient yuletide radio waves, streaming services, and overhead music! Carol Derby is underway as of today. I don't mean to brag, but I hit 650 points by 10:30 this morning thanks to a colleague who played Christmas music on the radio while she drove me around to visit work sites this morning. I hope everyone else managed to get off to a solid start, but if not, let your heart be light. We've got tons of time left.

Thanks to everyone for playing along with the Derby name game and getting your handles to me. I now present to you the Derby Runners of 2023. We have more players than ever this year. Some folks we deeply missed last year are home for Christmas, and we've also picked up two first timers. Here's Santa's List:

Returning Runners

Carol of the Hells

Slay Belle

Hark! The Feral Angels Sing

ChrisMass Destruction

Dominick the Wonky

Silent but Deadly Night

Blast Christmas, I Gave You My Fart

O Holy Potato

Frosty the SnowMom

Holly-lujah

Stranger Sings

Cindy Lou Woo-Who

...and, of course...

We have new Runners! Please welcome...

Rudolph the Rotten Baby

Bark! The Sweatered Chihuahuas Sing

Now go crank those carols, and run, run, reindeer!

Saturday, November 25, 2023

Carol Derby 2023

Oh, the graphic design is frightful,

But the list this year's delightful.

From Cher to Sia to Bing,

Let 'em sing, let 'em sing, let 'em sing!

Welcome back to Carol Derby, elves and angels. Before we get started, please review the Rules of Play as we do have an update to bonus points this year.

Speaking of updates, this year we're giving ourselves Derby names. The only rule is that names must be a play on a Christmas song title. Why are we doing this? So I can rank winners without posting your names on this public blog. Also because it's fun. You're welcome! If you don't have an idea for a name, we will assign you one.

This year's list skews toward newer material and contains some of our most challenging selections yet. If you do not know the songs, please check out the linked YouTube videos in the text list or Google Doc. You do not have to find the exact example from the videos in the wild to get points. Any version counts unless you're chasing a specific one for bonus points, in which case you choose the version.

Note: You can use either I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas or I Want an Elephant for Christmas as your winner for I Want (large gray animal) for Christmas. For Hallelujah on the Naughty List, you may use either the Christmas version of the Cohen classic or the Carrie Underwood and John Legend duet.

Without further ado-be-doo (that's a White Christmas joke), I give you the 2023 song list in three different formats: my usual misguided stab at creating a classy seasonal graphic, a text list, and a link to a Google Doc for players who prefer to download a text copy--basically all the gifts that keep on giving. Edited to add: We have a fourth version this year as of 12/1. Former Christmas Derby champion Dominick the Wonky has blessed us this season with a very handy Google Sheet that autoscores your points for you. Now that is a nice Christmas gift, friends. See the bottom of the post for the link.

May your days be merry and bright.

Stocking Stuffers: 50 Points

O, Holy Night

White Christmas

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Write-In:___________________________

Nice: 100 Points

The Hallelujah Chorus

Snoopy’s Christmas

Purple Snowflakes

Any Trans-Siberian Orchestra song

Holly Jolly Christmas

Carol of the Bells

Ding Dong! Merrily on High

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Santa’s Beard

Write-In:__________________________

Naughty: 200 Points

Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Hallelujah or Hallelujah

Small Town Christmas

I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus

Pretty Paper

I Want (insert name of large gray animal) for Christmas

Silver Bells

Christmas Tree Farm

Santa Tell Me

Write-In:__________________________

Christmas Miracles: 300 Points

The 12 Days of Christmas (Straight No Chaser version)

Fairytale of New York

Puppies Are Forever

Dear Santa (Bring Me a Man This Christmas)

Big Bulbs

Little Snowflake

DJ Play a Christmas Song

Hey Sis, It’s Christmas

Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas

Write-In:__________________________

Click here to download the list from Google Docs.

Click here to download Dominick the Wonky's amazing autoscoring Google Sheet for the ultimate in Derby convenience.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Carol Derby 2022

Christmas is a-comin' and the egg is in the nog,
Here I am with carols so that you can keep a log.
If you haven't got a radio, the internet will do,
If you haven't got the internet, may store overhead music bless you!

Season's greetings and welcome to the 3rd Annual Christmas Carol Derby, now in blog format! That's right, Derby has finally stepped off social media and made it to the year 2009ish.

Before we get started, please review the Rules of Play.

And now, I give you the 2022 song list in three different formats: the traditional valiant attempt at a cute graphic, a text list, and a link to a Google Doc for players who prefer to download a text copy. And a partridge in a pear tree!

May the spirit of the season be with you.