Christmas pickins

I've received quite a few emails and phone calls lately (one person actually cornered me in a hallway) about what my wine picks are for Christmas dinner. There are lots of great choices out there, many European varietals I'm tempted to try, but I find myself going back to my old Ontario favourites.

Chateau des Charmes has just released its 2007 Gamay Droit, one of our household faves. It's light, it's fruity, it's perfect with dark turkey meat and thick, chunky cranberry sauce. Pair that with a buttery Chardonnay (this year, it will most likely be Tawse Robyn's Block 2004 for us) and you've got your bases covered for the Big Bird.

Speaking of which, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without the Muppets. The Doodle has developed an affinity for A Christmas Together: John Denver and the Muppets. She knows all the words to "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and particularly enjoys belting out Miss Piggy's raunchy BA-DUMP-BUMP-BUMP after five golden rings. This weekend we'll introduce her to the Muppets Family Christmas, easily the best holiday special ever created (aside from the Grinch). Kermit and the gang get together at the home of Fozzy's mom, but Piggy gets trapped out in a snowstorm. Everyone takes turns slipping on a patch of ice on the way in, the Swedish Chef pursues the turkey around the house, the Fraggles make an appearance, and all is done to a superb soundtrack of Christmas classics.

Sadly, it's the music that did the show in. Something about copyright. How the Henson folks don't have enough cash to just go ahead and pay for the rights is beyond me, or if that's even the real reason behind it being pulled from the end-of-year line-up, but all I know is that they don't show it on TV anymore and the DVD version has been severely edited. Boo-urns. (Whoops, do I have to pay the Copyright Cops for using that line?) But it's still hilariously funny and I know the Doodle will love it.