A different kind of Christmas ornament for the geeks.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with cute kittens dressed as Santa Claus and little elves singing Jingle Bells, everytime I venture online.

Nothing wrong with cute kittens or even little elves, of course, but since they’ve been at it pretty much since early October, it won’t be long before the sick bag comes out.

But fear not – you need not do a Scrooge and denounce all things Christmassy just yet. The overdose of tacky, thrashy, Christmas-related rubbish on the web is nicely balanced by a slew of cool festive websites with nary a costumed kitten in site.

Starting with a geeky one: www.ochristmasgeek.com. One of the biggest headaches come the festivities is the onslaught of near-blinding decorations. Golden tinsel, bright red Santa Clauses, sequins, a cacophony of clashing colours...no wonder the mere thought gives me a headache.

Thank heavens, in that case, for websites like this one – whatever you’re into, you will find its Christmas version.

The mega My Little Pony revival that has mysteriously hit geekdom is more than amply catered for; if you’re more of a swords and sorcery kind of person, you will find something appropriate for your Christmas tree too; more into steampunk? Nothing like a glittery airship deco...Unlikely as it may sound, you will even find a Walking Dead Darryl Christmas stocking.

That’s the decorations taken care of. Next – the carols. Seriously, how often can you listen to the fake jollity of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Not too often, before you start wishing for a set of noise-cancelling earphones. Hear that, shopping malls across Valletta, Sliema and Hamrun?

Whatever you’re into, you will find its Christmas version

The antidote to this one is pretty simple; all you need is access to Spotify/YouTube/8Tracks and you’re laughing. I usually simply type indie/alternative Christmas songs; the results can be either terrible (in which case simply move on to the next playlist, no harm done) or a revelation. Equally feel-good are the genuine classics, from the likes of Nat King Cole to Charles Brown and Judy Garland.

Some of you might be so annoyed at the plastic quality that festivities have taken on nowadays that they yearn for some old-fashioned fayre, in which case, believe it or not, the good old BBC is the site for you. That’s right – just add /victorianchristmasactivities to the usual URL for a comprehensive look at celebrations in old England.

The satellite sitemakes for a fun read even if you don’t actually follow through on the recipes or tips.

Should you be of an adventurous disposition, however, you will be glad to know that a decent amount of ideas from the crafts section have been tested and been found to make, indeed, original and cool gifts.

The recipes are not much different from what we tend to go for nowadays – there’s the ubiquitous pudding, turkey, mince pies etc etc. They are, however, particularly good versions of the traditional. The sugar plums and the bread sauce are quite innovative.

Finally, just for your preferred ereader, drop in to www.americanliterature.com – the stories are all family friendly classics, so it’s a good way to reel in the little ones to do some reading.

ramona.depares@timesofmalta.com