SantaLand Diaries from David Sedaris' collection 'Barrel Fever.' Enjoyed it so much I went horse reading it to long suffering friends and family over Christmas.
I work at a santa set at a mall. I was working at the front one night. We were pretty slow, I was pretty bored. This guy walks up to me and asks me "Have you heard of David Sedaris?" I responded with "No." He told me that I should look him up and listen to him. He said that because I work at a santa set I might relate to this stuff. He was right. I am so glad he told me about this, becuase if he didnt I might never of found out about this. If the man who told me about this video is reading this, Thank you. I didnt want to work that night, I was tired. But after you told me about this that made my night. So again, thank you
I watch this video every year on xmas eve. I've always hated this holiday because of some stuff in my past but I like this. It's certainly christmasy but not aggressively cheerful or in your face. It's chill. Thanks for posting
I just laughed and laughed at the Away in a Manger rendition like Billie Holiday at minute 29. That was priceless. It was worth the whole listening on NPR tonight....one night after Christmas 2018. I was driving through blinding rain and frustrated, but this made my day! I would like to have heard the rest of the song sung like that!
The whole thing is pretty much comedy dynamite, but I was just about "... havin' the Big One, Elizabeth!" when he busted out in the Billie Holiday voice. This particular part never fails to make me laugh so hard that tears run down my face. The neighbors sure know when I'm listenin' to it again...
I listen to this every year on my drive home to visit my family for the holidays. It's such a perfectly sardonic read of prose and compelling wit that is the perfect antidote for the Holiday Blues. Truly a legacy of joy for my Holiday season for years and years to come.
This was a family tradition for our family as well, starting in '92 when it first aired. We later got a copy of the full version played on TAL. We still play it at family gatherings. Really captures the Christmas spirit 😫😋🎄🎅 "Oh little elf, little elf...!"🧝🏻
I LOVE THIS! It ain’t Christmas until I hear Andy Williams sing “hoop-Dee-doo & dickers-dock,” and listen or read the full Santaland Diaries ! One of the funniest stories ever! (I’ll never listen to “Away in a Manger” the same way again!)
Thankyou David you are part of my yearly Christmas "traditions".... and thank you Ri for introducing me all those years... i no ow have a disproportionate books by david compared to any othef author. Merry Christmas everyone ❤🎉 woohoo! M
I can't think of a comment that would add anything to this priceless piece of prose. David Sedaris is Christmas past, present and future. God bless us everyone...
Still can't believe my parents let me listen to this every year from the time I was six and they still don't see how odd that is. Great show, but not really your typical childhood Christmas story.
I would’ve gladly traded ... anything! ... to be a member of the Sedaris family. Satirical royalty! Since hearing Mr. Sedaris perform a reading of SantaLand Diaries at The Atlantic in '95, his sensitive, jaded gentleness has kept me in tears. Billy Holiday's "Away in the Manger" sends me to the Urgent Care every time!
I have just listened to David on Desert Island Discs. One of the nicest ones ever. Made laugh and made my cry. Lovely music selection, and very odd choice of Book to take with him to the desert Island.
Love hearing David Sedaris reading Santaland diaries. It is unfortunate that the story is cut off before the actual end however. The original ends with Sedaris leaving work to catch a flight home to see his family and he witnessed a co-worker engaging in a verbal fight with an angry customer.
Deee-umm! I've been enjoying this for at least 15 past Christmases and I've NEVER heard the ending with the co-worker and customer having a confrontation. Dammit. Am I missing much?
@@zacharyanderson3767 I will find that. I was incorrectly assuming it was part of the recording that had been cut off at the end. I never would have known the right place to look if you hadn't been so kind to answer. Happy Hollerdays.
I rather appreciate the ending as presented here, sort of left in the middle. You know there's more to be told, and you can only imagine how bad, good, or strange it's going to get.
I don't know what method Anthony Swafford used to compose Jarhead, but he was my student in a undergrad poetry class & he was already an incredibly masterful prose writer. The genius was already in him.
If you ever get hacked off at him, and you need a truce device, think of this very good favor he did for you. You'll sprout an olive branch out your @$$. Happy New Year.
David, would you please drop a Christmas Record, Billie Holiday inspired of course, including but not limited to Judy Garland's " Have yourself Merry Little Christmas" for the gays like me. just asking.
This is who Charlie Brown grows up to be---"good grief". lol lol lol OMG those poor, ghost of neurotic Christmas future, Jersey kids. The wife should have asked for the husband not to "dangle" like an elf. lol lol lol. '
