The official countdown to Christmas has begun. The week is filled with driving around looking at Christmas lights, drinking warm drinks sitting next to a twinkling tree. There is an obscene amount of baking going on and the house will have a permanent smell of cinnamon for weeks to come. If, like me, you are enjoying these last few days before the holiday in the office, then the break room is filled with everyone's favorite snacks and Christmas cards are constantly being circulated through inter-office mail. 

Say what you will about the hyper-commercialism of the season, but still at the heart of the it is spending time with those who matter most. Whether you are in the office, driving, braving the crowded airport terminals or sitting by a fire, enjoy this Christmas mix in the background. It's full of all of my favorite classics, 90s hits and folksy tunes.

If you have yet to watch T Swift's new music video "Shake it Off" then stop what you are doing and watch it. And then read this hilarious Buzzfeed article with 27 gifs of her awkward dance moves. If you need a Thursday pick-me-up to carry you on to the weekend, then this is it. I think this is going to be the song that will be blaring though rolled down windows until it gets too cool.

The question on everyone's (who lacks any sort of rhythm at all) mind is: Has T Swift now made awkward dancing socially acceptable? And now for my commentary:

1. Angry ribbon twirling is an olympic sport I could excel at. That and speed walking, but that is a different conversation for a different time.

2. Perhaps if you make awkward faces to go along with your crazy invented moves people will get the hint that you're just going to do you and they won't pass judgement. Perhaps they will laugh with you and not at you? The jury is still out on that one. 

3. When in doubt, do the Travolta like you just don't care.

4. Since when did crazy finger movements become a dance? Maybe that is something that would benefit from my years spent in band.

5. FYI to all you girls out there thinking you can "twerk"...Taylor's rendition is really what you look like as well. Hate to break it to you.

6. Is interpretive dance going to be making an appearance at proms across America?

So besides writing about travel, writing about pop culture ranks pretty high up there in my book. Entertainment Weekly is one of my favorite magazines and who can't resist the riveting newsworthiness of E! News? What do you think of a regular pop culture feature on Stamp in My Passport? Is it something you would be interested in? Because I'm simply here to give the people what they want :)

Congratulations, you have made it to the end of another week. I hope you enjoy your time off, relaxing, perhaps in a chair on your porch with mason jar in hand. And the perfect accompaniment? A blend of banjos, fiddles and twangy vocals in the best possible way.

via
The temperature is dropping,

the leaves are changing, 

which leads to long drives with the 

windows down. 

Here are a few of my 

songs for fall drives. 

                                                 

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Everyone needs a go-to Christmas playlist. 

Whether in the car, studying, or decorating your apartment

Christmas tunes are a must from Thanksgiving to New Years.

{some people think it's socially unacceptable to play 

holiday tunes year round. but to them i say "bah humbug."}

If you have overplayed your favorites by now, never fear, you can add a few of my

must haves to your mix. 

And like any good Christmas playlist, there is lots of Sufjan.

Enjoy!

-Jess

*the passion pit song is not on spotify, but is worth listening to here. 

I love music. Of all kinds.
But my favorite would be the kind
where you sit on your front porch with a mason jar of sweet tea and just listen. 
And there should be banjos. Lots of banjos.
And if you want to throw a little harmonica in there, 
well I'm all right with that too.

September saw the much anticipated release 

of two of my favorite bands. 

Along with the rest of the world, 

I'm in love with Mumford & Sons

and the Avett Brothers of course. 

Love those guys. 

After madly waiting for The Carpenter and Babel 

to download on my computer

(we have extremely slow internet at school)

they are all that have been playing on rotation 

for the past two weeks. 

And when Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Mumford 

were on SNL the other Saturday? 

My heart was fluttering like a school girl. 

Can you think of a better combination of men? 

Because I sure can't. 

In case you live under a muscial rock, 

here are a few songs to catch you back up to speed. 

Enjoy. 

-Jess