CAROLING, VEGAS-STYLE

You certainly are a talented — not to mention, festive — bunch.

We asked Southern Nevadans to celebrate Christmas by rewriting classic holiday songs with Vegas-centric lyrics. In return, you gifted us with some truly novel takes on the usual Christmas tunes.

"Jingle Bells." "Sleigh Ride." "Santa Baby." Nothing was spared your creativity.

We thank you for brightening our holiday season with the gift of fun. Selecting a winner was difficult, but — cue the Little Drummer Boy for a drum roll — in the end, we chose J.J. Kingery, 37, of Las Vegas for his campy and courageous rendition of "Santa Baby." He will receive a $50 iTunes gift card.

Besides Kingery, four readers agreed to come to the R-J to sing their tunes. You can see them all online, listen to a couple of audio submissions and read more new lyrics at lvrj.com/twisted_christmas.

J.J. KINGERY, 37, OF LAS VEGAS

To the tune of "Santa Baby":

Oscar, baby, sip a martini under the tree, with me.

I need some company here —

Oscar, baby, so hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Oscar, baby, bring an Elvis convertible, too — light blue.

I’ll wait up for you, dear —

Oscar, baby, and hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Think of all the fun I’ve missed.

Think of all the showgirls that you haven’t kissed.

Next year, I could be just as good,

If you’d check off my Christmas list.

Oscar, honey, I want some slots

And, really, that’s not a lot —

Video poker is cool —

Oscar, baby, and hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Oscar, cutie, there’s one thing I really do need:

The deed —

at Turnberry is fine —

Oscar, baby, so hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Oscar, baby, and fill my stocking with Cirque tickets —

and checks.

Sign your "X" on the line —

Oscar, baby, and hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Come and trim my Christmas cactus

With some decorations bought at Neiman Marcus.

I really do believe in you —

And I really do like Sapphire, too!

Oscar, baby — forgot to mention one little thing: a ring.

Liberace’s will do!

Oscar, baby, and hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Hurry back to Vegas tonight.

Hurry back to Vegas — tonight.

MARA MANNELLA, 28, of Las Vegas

To "Sleigh Ride":

Just hear those jackpots jingling

Ring ting ting-a-ling, too

Come on it’s decent weather

For a monorail ride for two

Outside the temp is falling

And gamblers are calling, "Yahoo!"

Come on it’s decent weather

For a ride on the Deuce with you.

Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, let’s go

We’re late for the show

Can you believe how much we paid for "O"!?!

Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, it’s grand

So much cactus and sand

We’re riding along with the song of an all girl pirate band.

Our cheeks are nice and rosy

And comfy cozy are we

We’re standing close together in front of Bellagio’s tree

Let’s take the road before us

And sit at a light or two

Come on it’s decent weather

For a taxi ride together with you.

There’s a celebrity b-day party on the Strip, each day

Drinks are $20 each so close to home, we’ll stay

We’ll be hitting the local spots like PT’s Pub or at Red Rock

And we’ll watch the Champagne bottles go pop, pop … pop pop pop!

There’s a lucky feeling nothing in the world can buy

When you see you’ve won a hand by having aces, king high

It’d nearly be like a portrait of the Vegas night skyline

These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives!

Wylde Abandyn, 42, of Las Vegas

To "Let it Snow!":

The economy’s getting frightful

And the world is awfully spiteful

There’s only one place to go

Casino! Casino! Casino!

The music inside is pumpin’

And man, that joint is jumpin’

The energy’s never low

Casino! Casino! Casino!

When we finally valet park

How we’ll love handing over our keys

Stepping into the light from the dark

We might never want to leave.

The laughter is so contagious

And the fun’s just too outrageous

We’re letting the good times roll

Casino! Casino! Casino!

THE BUDESA FAMILY (Richard, 47; Elaine, 42; Christopher, 19; Benjamin, 14)

To "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer":

You know New York and Boston and Dallas and L.A.,

Phoenix and Portland and Tampa and Philly

But do you recall,

The most famous city of all. …

Vegas the famous city

Had a lot of very bright lights

The Luxor had the brightest of all of them

You could see it from outer space at night

All of the other cities

Couldn’t put Las Vegas to shame

‘Cause all of the other cities

Couldn’t stand up to Vegas’ fame.

Then one sunny New Year’s Eve

People came to say,

"Vegas is the place to go

To celebrate New Year’s Day."

Then all the other cities bowed down

And agreed to say,

"Vegas is the No. 1 city

Where America celebrates!"

MARIANNE C. LANZA, 63, OF LAS VEGAS

To "Winter Wonderland":

My slot bell rings, are ya listenin?

O, how it sings, casino’s bristlin’,

Music to my ears, I’ll clean up my arrears,

Dancin’ cause I won in Luckytown!

Just in time, Christmas a’comin’,

Now, I won’t need to go a "slummin,"

I’m happy and free, I owe no one but me,

Dancin’ ’cause I won in Luckytown!

I’m in "The Meadows," yes I’m in Las Vegas,

But for me, it doesn’t mean "lost wages,"

I’ll go ahead and spread my Christmas cheer now,

I’ll spread it ’cause I bet in Luckytown! — "Wow!"

I’m so glad I came to visit, I’m "so bad," I can pivot,

So glad I took a chance, now I can dance,

‘Cause I won my sum in lucky, Luckytown!