By Ben Levisohn

Christmas is almost here. Cold air nips at, colorful lights dangle from Brooklyn streetlamps and pine trees stand stacked in rows, ready to be taken home and decorated. It can mean only one thing – ‘tis the season to be Jewish.

At least if Brooklyn's Jacob Harris, vice president of JDub Records, has his way about it.

"Forever, there wasn't much to do on Christmas Eve," Harris, the vice-president of JDub said. "Because really the only thing to do five, six years ago, even in New York, was Chinese food and a movie."

So Harris and JDub - a label dedicated to bring Jewish music to the masses - set out to change that by hosting the annual Jewltide at Southpaw, the popular Park Slope music venue. This year's celebration, on December 23-24, featres live music, dreidels, gelts
(chocolate coins), and Krispy Kreme donuts.

Four years ago, the first Jewltide showcased JDub's most successful artist, the Hasidic dancehall performer Matsiyahu and since then the festival has only grown. It has expanded to not only two nights in Brooklyn, but to other cities as well, including Washington, Chicago and Boston.

And the parties, like the music of JDub artists, aren't just for Jews, but for anyone looking to have a good time on Christmas Eve.

”We’re promoting proud Jewish music," Harris said, "but it's within American popular culture."

A different roster of JDub artists is scheduled to play each night. For the Saturday show, Brooklyn's Balkan Beatbox perform a DJ set, alongside the Hanukah-themed indie-rock of the LeeVees - featuring members of the Zambonis and Guster- and comedian Michael Showalter, from "the State" and Comedy Central's "Stella."

Jewltide's second night, on Christmas Eve, features So Called, who combines traditional Jewish muse and hip-hop, and the Brooklyn- based band Klezmer-punk band Golem, who released their most recent album '"Fresh Off the Boat" in August.

Golem is named after the Jewish version of the Frankenstein who was brought to life to protect the Jews, but then ran amok.

"I feel like we're this monster playing nice Jewish music," said Anette Ezekiel, the band's singer and accordion player. "but treating it in a wild and crazy way."

And while the songs may come from the Eastern European shtetl, they also deal with topics that just about anyone, Jew or non-Jew, can relate to - especially Brooklyn resdents.

"There's one song we do called 'the Rent,’ where they just complain about the rent being too high.” Ezekiei said. "That could be today. It hasn't gone out of style."

Golem opened the first Jewltide concert four years ago, and Ezekiel said She's excited to be playing this year's event,

It’s more than just a rock concert. It’s happening, Ezekiel said. "It's a way for people to come together and feel like they're in community and listen to great music and drink a lot."

And what would Christmas be without a little Chinese food?

"This year we're doing latkes,” Harris said. "And on the 24th, for good measure, we’re adding [eggrolls] to the mix."

Jewltide 4 will take place on Dec. 23 and 24 at Southpaw, 125 Fifth Ave.; Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $J2 in advance, $15 day of show for the first night and $18 and $25 for the second night. Doors open at 8 PM. For more information, visit www.spsounds.com or call (718) 230-0236.