On “5 and Dime Santa,” Ron Zinski unfurls a song that is akin to sipping from a warm cup of cocoa in front of the fireplace, thoughtful, heartfelt, and soaked in that ageless sheen of days gone by. The track exemplifies that special holiday feeling that you can’t purchase, however much we may try, that of kindness, remembrance, and the simple pleasure of giving.
Zinski's hope with the song is both humble and to bring back the spirit of Christmas that he believes everyone has. It’s a wish that “5 and Dime Santa” beautifully fulfills. All the notes in it feel justified, pedaling to its natural end, similar to the message that Zinski says he’s been carrying with him for a while, after all. I never forced it, and it always stuck with me.
The result is a song that sounds fresh and timeless, a return to the days when Christmas magic wasn’t about the size of the gift but the heart behind it. To this day, the song, with its soothing tune and reminiscent lyrics, encourages everyone to take a minute to pause and remember that small-town feeling of excitement that makes Christmas special.
It’s that authenticity in Zinski that makes Bones so relatable through every chord and lyric. “5 and Dime Santa” is not just a holiday song, but rather, it’s the sentiment set to music, serving as a perfect example that often the simplest songs hold the most weight.