We are just four days away from Christmas weekend! Saturday is Christmas Eve with the feast of the 7 fishes, and Sunday is Christmas Day. Maddone, I gotta break out my Fila sweatsuit with all the food that's coming. Even though my jacket usually smells like the inside of a mussel shell for weeks after, it’s definitely worth it!

The menu is chock full of fish—yes we have seven—but usually more. Shrimp (cocktail and fried), along with fried calamari and two kinds of baked clams: oreganata and casino. More of the interchangeable fishes that come and go (and come again) are the baccala, smelts, scallops, scungeel, and the anchovies and sardines. Some years we’ve had crabs and mussels ma-dee-na (marinara) with our spaghetti, and always my mom’s homemade delicious lump crab cakes.

A few of the non-fish entrees we enjoy are my aunt’s homemade pizza and breads, stuffed mushroom caps and lots of other stuff. The dessert table with all the baked cookies, cannoli, sfogliatelle and struffoli is another magnificent spread. Pass the yummy Panettone paisan!

Now, every couple of years, new songs come out to mark the holiday to go along with the classics. Many of you know, I am a big fan of Italian-American comedic / parody style songs and my inspiration for "The Meatball Song" comes directly from the great Lou Monte, who mastered this type of genre better than anyone and did it true cugine style.

Here's a few more of my favorites, which you can find on youtube. Of course there's "Dominick the Donkey" by Mr. Monte, which is the standard in my eyes. Also search these three titles below, which are real catchy and could soon be new classics. We all need to have a sense of humor as paisans, and these are all very humorous and fun...

THE 12 GUIDO DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Joe Balls & Carmanooch is played constantly this time of year on KTU radio. It's not without its controversy as some people think it's too over the top. But their take on "The 12 Days of Christmas" (one Christmas song I never particularly cared for) breathes new life into that tired tune. Like I said, we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves a little. "A moment of silence for the Chairman of the Board!"

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS TIME by comedian Mike Kc is a take on the feast of the 7 fishes sang to the background music of the classic "Funiculi, Funicula." As you all know, my song is sang to the background of portions of "The Tarantella" so I love this technique. The sampling works great here and the lyrics are on point describing the delicious and chaotic Christmas Eve celebration.

CHRISTMAS IN JOE CAUSI'S BASEMENT by "Brooklyn's Own" Joe Causi of CBS FM is another feast of the 7 fishes jingle. His background music is the "Charlie Brown Christmas" instrumental version of "Oh Christmas Tree." Joe captured the 7 fishes in a unique and hilarious way. His voice gets your mouth watering for some calamari!

Below I am going to re-share a rhyme I posted last year at this time, which is my little ditty about the seafood fest I'll be partaking in come Saturday. Maybe someday I will record it and it will be played on the radios of paisans everywhere! Oh mama, pesce fritto e baccalà! Oh mama, almost Christmas Eve, gooomba!!!

“THE 7 KINDS OF FISHES”
We have 7 kinds of fishes on Christmas Eve,
Yes 7 kinds of fishes, we have to eat…
Everybody has a favorite—yes indeed,
Oh 7 yummy fishes, an Italian treat!
There’s shrimp made three ways, fried calamar’ too
Plus your clams oregenato, even eels to boot!
Then there’s maybe scungeel—and always baccala…
Don’t forget your spicy mussels ma-deeee-na!
Anchovies and sardines on your antipast’ plate
Count equally as much as them tasty crabcakes!
Maybe you’ll have tilapia or even bronzino…
Perhaps a whole lobster or clams caseeeenoooo!
Cause we have 7 kinds of fishes on Christmas Eve,
Yes 7 kinds of fishes, we have to eat…
And it doesn't really matter, what fish you choose
Just enjoy and mangia all the wonderful food!

Merry Christmas and God Bless from the Meatball Family!!