Hi, I'm Paula Sanderson

Seth Cohen. The boy of all my high school dreams.

Your holiday traditions made me love you that much more.

What’s it going to be? Do you want your menorah or candy cane?

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Dip a toe into the Chrismukkah pool as Cohen likes to say, or as I say – dive right in.

Of all the OC episodes – this might be my favourite.

The soundtrack makes this episode.

It’s so good they released an exclusive Chrismukkah album.

Iconic music moment: Ryan and Marissa go shopping – or rather shop LIFTING – to the most magical montage to Maybe This Christmas. It’s magic… until Marissa gets busted.

This is the event that pushes Julie and Jimmy to force her into therapy… where she meets OLIVER. Oliver, as many OC fans remember, is the ultimate villain. He even unites Luke and Ryan. This is the turning point of season one and I’m here for it. If anything Oliver is the reason that they all go see Rooney and that is the ultimate iconic OC music moment.

Outside of the music. We’ve got the joy that is watching Seth squirm and attempt to pick between Summer and Anna.

I related so much to Anna when I was in high school – honestly still do. She was just so much more my type of person.

Her gift – The Adventures of Captain Oats, Volume One: Confidence – was so thoughtful. She took the time to know what he cared about, wrote a killer story, and illustrated and coloured a full comic book.

This is the peak of gift giving. I don’t understand how he didn’t appreciate this more. But then he’s a boy.

He was much much more into Summer’s gift. Here’s my question – is dressing up a gift? Again… maybe if you are a boy.

Inside info from Bustle:

And according to the director [Sanford Bookstaver], Adam Brody was also more than a little excited at seeing his co-star Rachel Bilson in the famous superhero costume — apparently, his reaction in the episode wasn’t a result of acting.

“That was the first time he saw her [in costume.] Very deliberately,” he says. “His mouth literally dropped. It was pretty amazing, and Rachel really sold it.”

In my opinion of the gift-giving – Anna 1/Summer 0.

When Anna walks in on Summer’s Wonder Woman stunt – Anna/Summer realize that they are both better than this and he’s got to chose.

We won’t find out until New Year’s Eve – but I’ll wait  – that’s also a killer episode.

(But like let’s be real… Seth Cohen ended up picking Blair Waldorf and all my 2000s teen dreams came true).

For the adults watching the show… we’ve got the Sandy Vs Kirstin lawsuit over the Balboa Heights.

Kiki tries to take a break from her dad so she can ‘enjoy’ the holidays.

In true Kirstin fashion. She doesn’t really ‘relax’.  I’ll nominate this as one of the best Kirstin-Seth exchanges:

Kirstin: “I find end-of-year taxes to be relaxing”
Seth: “I hope that’s a recessive gene”
Kirstin: “You should be so lucky”

She then finds a ‘document’ that changes everything in the suit. The single paper slide on the glass table, pass the glass of wine. Such a queen.

All the while Julie and Caleb are celebrating their first Christmas. So we get a glitzy Newport party with all the vodka we could ever want.

Ugh – it was all so great. Probably because Christmukkah is a great holiday….

So Ryan – you hang your stocking and inspire the rest of us to embrace the holidays, our crazy families and everything in between. Happy Chrismukkah everyone 🙂