THE SANZ OF TIME Horatio does Christmas.

This year, Saturday Night Live alum Horatio Sanz gives the gift of laughter in the Ho Ho Horatio Sanz Christmas Special at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on Thursday 21 and Friday 22.

What inspired your special?

I’m a big fan of The Andy Williams Christmas Special, although my show is nothing like that: It might be a little tinged with dark humor. We’re not making fun of the holidays; we’re just hitting a few aspects from a different point of view.

What should people expect?

I’ll be hosting and singing. We’ll have scenes with puppets, and David Bazan from Pedro the Lion will play Christmas songs. And there might be a scene about John Wayne Gacy and G.G. Allin’s last Christmas.

You’re a fan of John Wayne Gacy?

[Laughs] No. But I do find it pretty interesting that those two guys were real-life friends. The idea of doing a Christmas scene with those two characters just seems wildly absurd. Making something funny that would otherwise be strange is interesting. But it will be very sweet, hopefully—and, you know, sprinkled with horribleness.

Does “sweet with horribleness” sum up the way you feel about Christmas too?

No, I like Christmas. I find January and the lack of sun horrific, but up to Christmas, I’m good. I’m writing the show with Brett Gelman, and he certainly has a dark sense of humor but the show will have a good outlook.

This sounds like one of the few comedy Christmas specials in NYC that will be earnest.

Yeah. There’s actually going to be some really nice carols. No Jesus in it, but, you know, Santa and elves.

It’s not even ecumenical!

No, it’s Andy Williams hit in the head with a baseball bat.

So you like Christmas. But what about the decorations?

I see it as more traditional than religious. There are always crazy people who decorate their houses to the extreme. If it keeps them out of the mental hospital, I’m all for it.

In what other projects are you currently involved?

I’ve been offered a show that’s been written and sold to Fox that’s pending approval. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll be directing a series of sci-fi shorts for an Internet channel.

What would you like for Christmas?

A cell phone that doesn’t humiliate me.

The Ho Ho Horatio Sanz Christmas Special takes place Thu 21 and Fri 22.