Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009
Don we now our gay apparel
Yes - it's that time of year again.
The tree is up, the stockings are hung and the clamor for those of us who actually wait until December to do our holiday shopping is in full swing.
So if you're like me and still trying to figure out what to buy for that special gay friend of yours, here are a few options for you - many of which can be purchased from the comfort of your sofa. So don your pajamas, mix up some cocoa and check out these online deals.
› First off, here are a few selections for those gay movie fans of yours. TLA Video (www.TLAVideo.com), a leader in LGBT films, has many great new titles for less than $20. The site suggests purchasing before Tuesday (Dec. 15) in order to get standard ground delivery, but orders can be made until Dec. 23 if you want to pay a little extra. One of my new holiday favorites is "Make the Yuletide Gay," which came out last month.
The light romantic comedy follows a young gay couple, played by Keith Jordan and Adamo Ruggiero, as they face their first Christmas away from each other. The two are not too surprisingly thrown back together for the holidays and forced to play closet-talk with the parents. The sexual innuendos, both gay and straight, are hilarious as these two struggle through not only dealing with the ins and outs of coming out to the family, but also the growing pains of a budding relationship. The neighbor/ex-girlfriend, played by Hallee Hirsh, is a welcome addition to the trio and Jordan is delicious in his major role debut. You may also remember Ruggiero on the Canadian teen drama, "Degrassi: The Next Generation." After a 6-year stint as gay teenager Marco del Rossi, Ruggiero came out publicly last year. The film is available for $15.99 or as part of a Rob Williams (director) Indie 4-pack featuring previously reviewed "3 Day Weekend," "Back Soon" and "Long-term Relationship" for $69.99.
› Also check out "Chef's Special," another new release which can provide that perfect dose of comedy and cattiness for your holiday season. The "what does having sex have to do with Santa Claus?" quote may be the only thing this movie has in common with the previous, but it's entertaining none-the-less. This directorial debut by Nacho G. Velilla is a fun, yet serious, romp through the struggles of complicated relationships among lovers, co-workers and children. Javier Cámara as Chef Maxi is wonderful in his role as the "culinary genius/drama queen with too much on his plate," as the film's press release says. The film is in Spanish with optional English subtitles and available for $16.99 on TLA's Web site.
› Also check out new releases "Redwoods," and "Shank" and the re-released holiday-themed "24 Nights." TLA also offers some great (and hot) 2010 calendars (for adults only) and daily holiday sales through Tuesday (Dec. 15).
Perhaps your gift recipient is more of a music-lover, and then you may want to grab a few iTunes.com gift cards for your fave gays. In doing so, you may also want to suggest some of the following digital releases:
› Pet Shop Boys' "Christmas" EP, a five-song disc that includes new versions of "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" and "All Over the World," two "My Girl" tracks and a "Viva La Vida/Domino Dancing" mash-up; Another sure-to-be-heard-on- the-dance-floor hit is Mariah Carey's newly released, download-only 15th anniversary EP of the 1994 hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" with three remixed versions by Low Sunday for only $2.99. Another popular musician among the gay community is Alison Sudol, otherwise known as A Fine Frenzy, who just released "Oh Blue Christmas" available exclusively on iTunes.com and at Target stores. The 6-song EP features a bluesy, teary-eyed version of the Peanuts classic "Christmas Time is Here," the classic "Winter Wonderland" and "Blue Christmas," along with three seasonal originals.
› Another hot album this year is "A Very Special Christmas 7," part of the recording series that has been raising money for the Special Olympics since 1987. This year's collection of popular musicians includes Miley Cyrus, Sean Kingston, Carrie Underwood and Gloriana. For those English music fans, check out Sting's newly released "If On a Winter's Night" which features the performer's iconic meditative sound as he transcends to a new level for Christmas. And George Michael recently released "Live in London," a concert DVD filmed during two shows in August 2008. The package also includes a second disc with a documentary and three bonus tracks.
For other great gay gift ideas check out the following popular online shopping sites. 10Percent.com is the best place to get some great deals on a favorite stocking stuffer - underwear. And believe me, after seeing some of these models and the 25 percent off sale, holiday shopping couldn't be more fun. Also, check out RainbowDepot.com, which features one of my favorite T-shirts of the season to show off your pride and spread the word about the fight for LGBT equality. The shirt features rainbow-colored holly and includes the gay rights-based slogan: "All I want for Christmas is the same rights as you!"
Enjoy your shopping and have a great gay ol' Christmas.
OUT & ABOUT
Today, Dec. 10 - The holiday season is fully upon us and it's time for Rainbow House Bar & Grill's 2nd annual Gay-It-Forward Christmas Party. The annual charity event, which will be held from 6-9 tonight, raises money and collects gifts for needy children in the area. This year, Rainbow House has been asked by the S.C. Department of Social Services to help children that are in Intensive Foster Care and Clinical Services. Everyone is asked to bring a gift or make a suggested $20 donation. A gift wish-list is up at Rainbow House, at 815 N. Kings Highway in downtown Myrtle Beach. For more information, call 626-7298.
Make the Yuletide Gay
Chef's Special
Have a thought, comment or Out & About event? Send an e-mail to SouthernGay Writer@gmail.com. You can also follow along on Facebook.com @SouthernGayWriter for more news and events.
