Christmas Is... - Percy Faith

 Here is another holiday classic from the 1960s.  Christmas Is... is the title track from Percy Faith's 1966 holiday album.  It was written by Faith and Spencer Maxwell and first released on this album.  I first remember this being on one of Mom's Christmas records.  It was another of those albums with various artists that was put out by either Goodyear or Firestone and I have that somewhere.  But I have also since acquired the original 1966 album that this came from and it is delightful.  Percy Faith and his orchestra and chorus are always a welcome addition to my holidays and I hope they will be to yours!

Some Children See Him - Diahann Carroll

 Some Children See Him is another of Alfred Bates's yearly Christmas songs given as gifts to his circle of friends.  This song was written for Christmas 1951 and was first released by Tennessee Ernie Ford on his Christmas album in 1958.  For several years, Grants Department Stores released a Christmas album with various artists.  Volume 3 from 1969 contains this gem sung by the great Diahann Carroll.  It's a beautiful version of the song and I hope you enjoy it. 

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard

My Grown-Up Christmas List - Natalie Cole

 It's hard to imagine Christmas without music from the Cole family, both Nat King and Natalie.  Today, I am going with Natalie Cole.  My Grown-Up Christmas List first was sung as a duet by Cole and David Foster for his 1989 Christmas special.  In 1990, the solo version by Cole was released.  This is one of those songs that is poignant and relevant to our world. At least it is relevant to my feelings.  There is great nostalgia in this song for me as well and you all know I love nostalgia.  It just has such a nice, warm feeling to it and I consider it a Christmas classic.  Enjoy!

This Christmas I Spend with You - Robert Goulet

 This is the title track from Robert Goulet's 1963 Christmas Album.  While I do not have a copy of that album yet, I do have him singing this song on several Christmas albums with various other artists on them.  One of the albums we always listened to at Christmas when I was growing up contained this song and I have always enjoyed it.   The song was chosen one year as the theme song for the Christmas Seals campaign and that is the introduction you here from this 45. I hope you do too!

We Need a Little Christmas - New Christy Minstrels

 The New Christy Minstrels is another singing group that I absolutely love during the holidays. I only really know their work from Christmas albums so I should look into some of their other stuff because I do enjoy them.  But I often wonder whatever became of the Old Christy Minstrels? LOL  Anyway, they do a fun version of this holiday classic from the Jerry Herman musical, Mame.  It was a track on their 1966 album Christmas with the Christies.  I just love the album cover! Enjoy!

The Christmas Waltz - The Carpenters

 It's just not Christmas without The Carpenters.  Their album, "Christmas Portrait", was released in October 1978 and has been a Christmas music staple ever since.  There are so many great tracks on this album that choosing one each year is hard.  But one of my favorites is Karen's performance of the Christmas classic, The Christmas Waltz.  I hope you enjoy it.  Also, you can find several of their television Christmas specials on YouTube if you're looking for some fun retro holiday viewing!