By Silvana Smith
For any YouTube fan, from the casual watcher to the daily binger, Vlogmas has become an important time of year. It's the time when our favorite online creators post daily videos to keep our proverbial bellies full of content and Christmas joy. Especially during this year, when Christmas will be a lot different than usual, a lot of viewers are eager to watch as much online content as possible, hoping to find some sort of connection during these isolated times—some holiday cheer, or even just some distraction. Below is a list of YouTubers and creatives that will do just that.
As a veteran member of the YouTube community, since circa 2008, I’ve had well over a decade of curating my favorite creators. On this list, I have creators that offer thoughtful discussions, book and TV recommendations, behind-the-scenes theater content, food content, and a variety of lifestyles. Hopefully these videos will help expose you to new content, ideas, and communities, or at the very least be a good time.
Quite literally one of the original YouTubers. Latina Londoner, Rosianna, has been making videos online since she was 15 in 2007 when she filmed video responses to the Vlogbrothers. With an array of content from books and literature, music and travel, fashion and tv, to growing up and losing a loved one, Rosianna has a lifetime of content on her channel to sift through and enjoy. Although she has waned from making videos consistently, as she is now a full grown 29-year-old woman (whose full-time job is now a producing partner with John Green), she still makes thoughtful and intelligent content when inspiration strikes.
She’s done daily vlogging for a month numerous times before, including Vlogmas, but she hasn’t attempted it in a while. After a break and back by popular demand, she has embarked on a video everyday again this December, tackling what is definitely a unique Christmas season. So far she has addressed grief during the holidays, her love for the band, The Killers, gift guides, and made a vegetarian roast. She is perfect for anyone looking for a range of creativity but also someone who brings a more thoughtful and complex perspective to life.
Although there is a Patreon paywall for this content, you can pay as little as $1 for the month, watch all of Vlogmas (as well as her other amazing content), and then cancel after that one month. Officially dubbed the Gumption Advent Calendar 2020, Leena makes one post exclusive for her Patreon member every day. This daily content content includes exclusive YouTube videos, media commentary, poetry, music recs and reviews, fashion, literature and more. And because of the nature of the Patreon platform, the community of a little under 2,000 viewers also participate and share thoughts surrounding each post.
With years of working in book publishing, producing podcasts, and 12 years of vlogging under her belt, Leena is definitely one of the quirkiest, creative, and intelligent creatives in media. Much like Rosianna, who is part of the same circle of YouTube friends in London, Leena is from the old world of YouTube where people used to make videos to talk about ideas and discuss interests rather than to talk about their own lives. Because of this, you can find a range of interests throughout her content and probably find new ones of your own the more you watch. Although there are hundreds of old and current videos for you to watch on YouTube, joining her Patreon (affectionately called The Gumption Club) even for one month is 100 percent worth the $1, in my opinion.
One of the YouTubers to rise to success during quarantine (shoutout to Kelly Stamps), Nicole is a soon-to-be college graduate. Her videos consist of playlists, advice, hair and skincare content, thrifting, embarrassing stories, and (most importantly) kitten content courtesy of her new kitten, Clementine. Although she was purposeful in not labeling herself as a “college YouTuber” and has never really made study content, you can tell that media is her passion by her level of editing quality and commitment to her channel. Aside from her snarky and relatable tone, her indie rock (think the Strokes and Mac DeMarco) aesthetic and authentic energy is perfect for anyone looking for that super-cool-but-could-totally-be-your-best-friend vibe.
(side note: as she is currently living with her Polish immigrant mother, her daily vlogs are also a great source comedy for other kids of immigrants who enjoy feeling seen)
The sheer amount of content these two are producing this month is hella impressive. These girls, professionally known as Carly and Erin, have a joint channel together where they post three videos a week to an audience of over a million subscribers. Their content usually includes crafty food hacks, online trends, Starbucks content, fashion, music culture, and weekly vlogs. Additionally, these women are each doing a video everyday on their own separate channels (though Carly skips Sundays). That amounts to a total of 16 videos a week from these gals. Talk about work ethic.
Anywho, both Carly and Erin are going through big life changes this December as they’ve both purchased their first homes and are beginning the process of moving, so that is sure to be documented in upcoming videos. Erin, along with her husband and co-founder of Emo Nite (who also vlogs on his channel TJ Petracca) and their two adorable pets, shares her life in LA as she combines social distancing with social influencing (lol). Carly, along with her live-in quarantine boyfriend slash indie music artist, vlogs her days as she tries almost every new TikTok trend and becomes more and more obsessed with her cat, Frank. Both vloggers are great for anyone down for super chill and lighthearted content to drown out the apocalypse happening outside.
Straight from the stages of the West End in London, Carrie Hope Fletcher (a veteran British YouTuber since 2010) is vlogging everyday as she plays Fantine in the concert version of Les Miserables (a production that is abiding by all the COVID-19 guidelines in the UK, of course). One of the most cheerful and festive cool-girls I know, Carrie is the perfect vlogger to get you in the Christmas spirit. Also, if there is any city that truly does Christmas decorations right, it's London. After doing a video every weekday with her boyfriend during the first 6 months of quarantine, she is definitely no stranger to daily video.
Along with musical theater content (she’s also set to star as Cinderella in an upcoming production), Carrie does Q&As, holiday baking, ukulele covers, and yes, more cat content. Her warm and friendly energy is perfect for anyone looking for a cheerful escape or to get in the mood for some Christmas spirit. Also, I’m sorry but there’s just something about a British accent that is so soothing to have in the background, 10/10, would recommend.
Okay, all cards on the table. The only reason I found this girl was because she used to be in a band called Cimorelli with her sisters, one of which just married (yes, a full ass wedding celebration during COVID-19) the ex-husband of my favorite artist, Hayley Williams. (Yes there is more tea on the internet to be found on that but tl;dr the ex-husband in question is lowkey predatory, and we don’t support him.) Although I’m not a fan of the Cimorelli music, the youngest sister of 6, Dani, recently left the band (we love a rebel) and somewhat distanced herself from her conservative family. (That’s a kind of personal thing and I’m unsure just how detailed she’s been about that experience, BUT a known, contributing factor has been that she has recently become more liberal in her social and political views. We stan becoming politically aware and changing your opinions once you learn more about the issues.)
Although she’s relatively new to vlogging, her editing is remarkably good and only getting better. So far, her Vlogmas content has included dyeing hair (using Good Dye Young, Hayley Williams’ hair dye company (eyeballs emoji)), road trips, advice, home improvements, and general daily vlogging. Her husband also works in music, which viewers get the occasional peek into. Although her content isn’t super unique, she has a warm personality and is great company for anyone looking for vlogs to play in the background while working from home. Truth is, I checked her out for tea on her family but stayed because of how sweet and genuinely interesting she is.
Special Mention to Lullaby Hotline - Adam Melchor
Although this technically isn’t Vlogmas, if anyone is still looking for regularly uploaded content this month, indie folk artist, Adam Melchor, texts fans a brand new song every Sunday. Although there is probably some Christmas music bound to pop up in the coming weeks, there is also a whole backlog of weekly lullabies he’s shared since the beginning of quarantine, along with numerous live show sessions of unreleased music he’s performed on Instagram and YouTube live streams. So if daily vlogs just aren't enough content for you this season, I highly recommend it. Simply text the Lullaby Hotline at 973-264-4172
That concludes my list! Go forth and do nothing but stare at screens! Lol, but seriously, there’s no such thing as too much content during a pandemic. Enjoy <3
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