It's not clear what the hell is happening in this Paula Deen Christmas promo ... but one thing is for sure ... she and the fam are happy as butter-soaked clams.

Deen put out this video of her clan whipping up some holiday recipes -- but mostly it looks like they're just getting loopy on carbs and bourbon. Somehow this is supposed to be a promo for the online Paula Deen Network.

Watch as Deen cackles and spews one gem after another -- while her sons parade around like Southern gentlemen. Think "A Christmas Carol" meets "Gone with the Wind."

Weird.