Holiday Memories
The Films I Made to Bring Some Cheer and Gloom to the World
Thank you to those of you who have contributed money to my next film project. It is a sequel to my film YUP. You can help fund this campaign at the link below by donating or sharing:
The 2025 holiday season is now upon us with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and numerous other celebrations fast approaching. As I plan for my next big film project for 2026, it is a good time to look back at some of the holiday-related short films in my repertoire.
For some years, I created short holiday films as a sort of digital greeting card for friends and family on behalf of myself, my partner MaxZine, and our housemate Spree.
First up, let’s look at my holiday foray into puppetry. I love comedy and wanted to poke some serious fun at the Christmas holiday. I came up with the idea of the White Jesus Story Hour and the story entitled The Three Mullet Queers Save Mary’s Christmas!
I filmed this in two days with a nonexistent budget, which forced me to use different pairs of socks, my own camera, yarn, a dog toy, and various other props from around the house. The film locations were my studio and different sections of our garden. I composed and recorded the piano music and sang all the distorted harmonies for the opening/closing jingle (which I hope will get stuck in your head after watching this).
The final product was this strange and possibly sacrilegious piece of film:
Another holiday film pushed me far into the craft of stop-motion filming. I looked pretty ridiculous while shooting this one, and it took me forever to edit. You cannot tell, but it was very cold on the day we captured this footage. MaxZine and Spree were all in.
Its music was composed and performed on a xylophone by yours truly:
This next film is a little dark. I had an idea for a Christmas song called “Happy Holidaze” about the reasons why it can be easy to be disillusioned by everything this season represents. While it is certainly a bit glum, these sentiments came from an honest place. I actually forgot that I wrote this song. I might formally record it as a single to put out into the world. I had fun drawing all of the images for this project.
Lastly, I made a film about Thanksgiving and the deeper, darker truths behind this complicated celebration. Millions of Native Americans were slaughtered so that white Europeans could take over as much land as possible. This is how America was founded, and it has yet to atone for such a heinous genocidal beginning. I am proud to say that many people have seen this little film.
If you have not seen it yet, watch Honor the Truth About Thanksgiving right here:
It has been a minute since I made a holiday film. If I were to make a new one, I would probably pursue another episode of The White Jesus Story Hour, but I am not sure if I have a strong enough story for it yet. We shall see.
However you are inclined to enjoy or not enjoy the upcoming weeks of cheer and merriment, I hope you find space for your own personal convictions and misgivings. You have a right to feel what you feel and certainly do not need to give in so much.
I hope to deal with the pressures of excess better than I have in the past—the drudgery of buying so many gifts and all the gluttonous food consumption. I will otherwise enjoy time spent with family and friends.
Mostly, I will make time for myself—time for rest, slowness, and my own personal contentment.
UPCOMING SHOWS
The French House
Nashville, TN
Sunday, December 7
w/ Special Guest Ellisa Sun
Project Updates
New Music:
Trying out new songs with the band
Working on my vocals
New YUP Sequel Film Project:Publicizing the fundraising campaign
Mapping out a plan for filming various scenes