Countdown to Christmas with these fun sites

Andy Hunter created this version of the Pink Nightmare. (Draw 2D2)

As it gets closer to Christmas, my time to watch DVDs and play games I need to review dwindles, but there are a few things I spare some time for every day.

The web is full of Christmas stuff. Here are a few of my favorites:

Draw 2D2′s “A Christmas Story” / Marvel Comics mashups: There are some great artist sites out there that encourage mashups, but I really laughed out loud when I saw these, and I’m not much of a Marvel reader. I can’t decide which is my favorite: Ralphie dressed as a pink Galactus nightmare by Andy Hunter or Wolverine with his tongue stuck to Iceman by Jason Welborn. There’s also a good with with Stan Lee and the Leg Lamp.

A Cartoon Christmas: Starting December first for the past few years, this site has done a daily countdown featuring reviews of (mostly) animated Christmas specials and shorts. One day will be a classic such as the Grinch, and another it will be something more obscure, such as “George and the Christmas Star.” In between are Christmas episodes from the likes of “Adventure Time” and “X-Men” cartoons. There’s also a lot of music. A true treasure trove of holiday spirit, though there is some NSFW language.

Cat Who Laughed online advent calendars: She hasn’t done one since 2009, but artist Penelope Schenk’s work is worth visiting again. Each day uses a bit of text and animation to tell a story. She started with the Bear Family, then spun off stories of a black cat named Tate and her owner, Pierre, who live in the French village of Bric-a-Brac. (Schenk is from Maine.) My favorite is still 2004, in which Tate bops around the village “Family Circus” style.

Sugar Swings did these cool cookie heroes. (Neatorama)

Neatorama’s 15 Great Geeky Gingerbread People & Homes: OK, I don’t visit this one every day, but a Facebook friend sent it to me, and I must say it’s pretty darn awesome. I’ve done some fun stuff with my own baking similar to the superheroes on the site, but most of these take gingerbread to a new level of geekiness. Two AT-ATs, the TARDIS, Serenity, the “Up” house — they’re all great works of art.

Cake Wrecks: On a similar vein is this awesome site. Most days at this time of year, it presents a series of hysterical holiday disaster cakes from real-life “professional” bakers, many of them supermarket nightmares. A couple Sundays ago, it did a piece on great gingerbread pieces, too, and included a “Portal” Companion.

Merry Christmas, everyone. And if that’s not your bag, warmest wishes for the happiest of holidays you do celebrate.

Please share your favorites in the comments.