O Come, Little Children

 O Come, Little Children is not a carol that one hears very often.  It's almost never played on the radio, especially commercial radio.  And, honestly, I can't recall ever singing it at church when I was growing up.  I'm sure we did, but it did not make an impact on me.  I was, ironically, listening to my favorite radio station this morning (101.7 WDFC) and they played this version.  It's beautifully sung.  A quiet, peaceful version of this carol.  Enjoy!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

 I do enjoy a good Andy Williams song and he does the holidays very well!  This is a classic and a must listen to during the season.  Enjoy!

Candlelight Carol

 Today, I'm returning to John Rutter with one of my favorite carols he has written.  I first heard this in 1993 on a Christmas at St. Olaf special on PBS.  I just loved this carol and it's something I make sure I listen to every year.  I hope you enjoy it!

That Holiday Feeling

 The Steve & Eydie Christmas album is honestly one of my favorites.  It's just fun.  And, honestly, they both have pretty amazing voices.  I like this song because it's simple and fun and bouncy and light.  A very nice holiday song!

Angels' Carol

 I have heard this carol many times on various Christmas programs and cds that I have.  And I never paid attention to the fact that it was written by John Rutter.  That explains why I enjoy it so much LOL  He's one of my favorite choral composers.  It is another beautiful piece written by him and I hope that you enjoy it. 

I'll Be Home For Christmas

 Anne Murray was a huge part of my music listening when I was a kid.  And she still is today.  I have such great memories of listening to her cassette tapes with Mom in the car and singing along.  Her Christmas album that we had played a lot during the holidays.  This is one of my favorite tracks from that album.

Lo, How a Rose

 I do love the Robert Shaw Chorale and have several of their albums, both holiday and non.  Lo, How a Rose is such a beautiful song that their rendition is equally beautiful.  I find it to be a haunting melody.  Hope you enjoy!

Some Children See Him

 Some Children See Him is another one of Alfred Bunt's Christmas card songs.  It's a beautiful song with simple and touching lyrics.  This version, by Diahann Carroll, made the rounds on Christmas albums in the 1960s.  I have it on several different ones and I always enjoy it.  We had several of the Great Songs of Christmas albums put out by Goodyear when I was growing up (and yes, I still have those) and that is where I first heard her rendition of this song.  I hope you enjoy!

The Little Drummer Boy

 It's just not Christmas without The Little Drummer Boy.  And no one does it better than the Harry Simeone Chorale.  The song was first recorded in 1951 by the Trapp Family Singers.  The Harry Simeone Chorale recorded it in 1958 and it truly became the standard version of the song, charting for several years after its release.  Enjoy!

Silver and Gold

 This is a classic holiday song from Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer from the 60's.  In that show, it was sung by the great Burl Ives.  I first heard Vanessa Williams' version on one of her Christmas cds.  I think this is a lovely, easy version of the song and I really like her take on it.  

Where Are You Christmas?

 This is one of the Christmas songs from the last 25 years or so that I really have grown to love.  Admittedly, I have not seen the movie this is from, but the song I really do enjoy.  Hope you do too!

O Holy Night

 O Holy Night is one of those carols that I go back and forth on.  It's like Amazing Grace to me.  When people sing it the way it's written, it's absolutely beautiful.  Unfortunately, most singers put there own spin on it and many times you can't even recognize the melody.  Frankly, I hate those versions because you just can't tell how special the song is due to the singer trying to show off.  This is Leontyne Price's version.  It was on one of my Firestone Christmas albums and I think it's perfection.  I truly love her version and hope you will to. 

The Star Carol

 This carol is another one that you probably will not hear on the radio.  It is one of the beautiful carols written by Alfred Burt as a Christmas card for friends and family.  If you don't know this story, do some research on it because he wrote some amazing carols as Christmas cards:  Caroling, Caroling and Some Children See Him.  I was watching a Lawrence Welk Christmas special yesterday (yes, you read that right) and the Lennon Sisters performed this and did a wonderful job.  Enjoy!

Christmas Is...

 This is the title track from Percy Faith's 1966 holiday album.  I really enjoy this album.  So much so that I have 2 copies of it.  Actually, that was by accident but oh well.  I listen to it every holiday season.  This doesn't get a lot of airtime on the radio...go figure...but it's one of those staples from the 60's that deserves to be heard.  It's just a warm, holiday song that puts me in the Christmas spirit.  Enjoy!

Let There Be Peace On Earth - Harlem Boys Choir

 This is another song I post every year.  This version by the Harlem Boys Choir is absolutely beautiful.  It's message of peace, hope and good will is still much needed today.  Carry that message with you every day!

Quote of the Week

 I have watched a lot of versions of A Christmas Carol in my lifetime.  Actually, I've watched quite a few versions here in the past week LOL  As I was searching for a Christmas quote, I came across this one from A Christmas Carol.  While I rarely hear this line in the adaptations I watch, this quote from the novel is very spot on for not only the season but for all year.  

The Bells of Christmas - Julie Andrews

 Here is another wonderful Christmas song that I have on many different records.  It's Julie Andrews singing The Bells of Christmas.  She recorded this classic multiple times over her singing career, several times for the Firestone Christmas Albums series.  It's not one you will hear on the radio very much, but it definitely deserves to be heard!

There's No Place Like Home - Glen Campbell

 This is not your traditional Christmas song but I have run across it on several different Christmas records that I have.  The sentiment of the song rings very important to me this year and I have grown to really like this song.  And Glen sings it beautifully. 

A Cradle in Bethlehem

 I think that Nat King Cole can do no wrong when it comes to Christmas music.  I've not heard any of his recordings that I just do not love.  His 1960 album "The Magic of Christmas" included this beautiful song.  It's one of my favorites and no one does it better than Cole!

Decorating the House

 

I started to decorate the house today for Christmas.  I still have a long way to go, but I'm enjoying the process.  Now that class is done for the semester and I can take a breath, it's nice to have the time to do something like this and not be stressing about other things.  And I can take my time with it.  There's no rush as I don't really have any holiday plans.  I am doing this simply for myself.  I love it and it brings me joy.  And it does take a long time because, you know me, I have to stop and go through every box and look at everything.  Oh, the memories they all bring back to me of Christmases past.  It is the wonder of the holiday season that decorating brings to me that I love.

When I was growing up in Monroe, we always decorated sometime the first week of December.  Sometimes it may have been in November but only...and I mean only...if Thanksgiving was early.  Thanksgiving was sacred to Mom and nothing was to take the focus away from that holiday.  However, the decorations were always up by my birthday.  Not always the tree, but by my birthday.  There were some years that decorating the tree occurred on my birthday, which was just fine with me.  Dad and Bill always got the lights put on and then Mom, Grandmother and I would decorate the tree.  Later on, Bill was allowed to help us decorate LOL

There was always great anticipation from me in getting the decorations out.  The nativity Grandmother painted was always a treasure to see.  There were decorations that Mom and Dad had since before Bill and I came along that were always put out.  Some were broken and mended but they still made their appearances.  Now, I have some in my house and Bill has some in his.  I love that we have taken that part of our upbringing to pass on and share with others.  There were some decorations that got tossed for reasons I don't know.  We used to have this huge set of three bells that hung on the closet door in the front hall.  They were made of gum balls. Not the kind you eat but the kind that are a pain to rake up in the yard.  I have no clue who made them or whatever became of them but they were there for years.  We also had a wax candle nativity set that Uncle Bill and Aunt Jan gave to my parents one year.  Of course, we never lit the candles, but it was put out in the front hall every year.  I remember I always loved the way it smelled.  There was also a patchwork quilted wreath that hung over the mantle.  It was very colorful and handmade and no clue what happened to it.  But these things live on in my mind and my heart.

So, as I continue to decorate the house, I will continue the trips down memory lane.  Maybe I'll get it all done by my birthday.  If not, no worries.  I will enjoy the process either way!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

 

One of the few traditions that I have created in the past few years is sharing this song at the beginning of the holiday season.  It is definitely in my top ten Christmas songs/carols.  To me, it perfectly embodies the spirit of Christmas and how we should appreciate all that has been given to us.  I heard this song every Christmas but it was not until a Christmas episode of Fame, of all things, that it pushed the right buttons for me.  Debbie Allen was seated at a piano and played and sang this.  I was mesmerized.  I did not actually see Meet Me in St. Louis until I was in high school.  It was showing on Turner Classic Movies and I honestly had no idea that's where this song originated.  Of course, I was blown away with Garland's touching and beautiful rendition of the song.  The scene with her and Margaret O'Brien is one of the all-time best in holiday cinema.  The entire movie is enchanting and one of Garland's best, but this scene....just amazing.  I was soon to bond with one of my best friends from college over this film and I gifted her the special edition VHS (remember those?) for Christmas one year.  It's a beautiful song and the perfect way for me to start the season.  Enjoy!