Thursday, November 30, 2006

Now Bring Me My Figgy Pudding!

Well, it’s officially Christmas season in my brain. I’ve been gearing up for about a week now – decided to change our house’s Christmas color scheme to robin’s egg blue and silver, have been buying a few gifts here and there, harassed SRH into agreeing to put up lights outside. You know, the regular stuff.

But the official crossing of the Christmastime line occurred when I pulled out the Christmas cd’s in my car today. Of course, I was only in the car alone for about 15 minutes, so I had to maximize the Christmas carol magic.

So naturally I chose to play “Oh Holy Night” over and over and over.

It’s my favorite Christmas hymn - and I know Kristi feels me on this one. It always has been, and I can’t imagine that this will ever change. It makes me feel all the things I think we’re supposed to feel at this time – wonder, joy, and lovingkindness.

What’s your favorite Christmas carol?

Or - if you don’t celebrate Christmas and/or don’t like the accompanying music - what song makes your spirit soar with gladness and gratitude?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Christmastime is here" theme song from the Charlie Brown Christmas. Makes me feel like a little kid EVERY time I hear it.

Anonymous said...

Oh Holy Night...same here. Last week at church we got to pick what hymn we wanted to hear play on the piano, that's what I picked.

And Vince Garibaldi's Snoopy Christmas CD gets played ad nauseum here...my fave.

Anonymous said...

"O Holy Night" is really it, isn't it?

I also have an unabashed, unhealthy love for "All I Want for Christmas is You," Mariah Carey version. That actually developed before I ever saw "Love Actually," and since then...well, I sing along at top voice if I hear it at the mall. Makes me happy every time.

Anonymous said...

It isn't a good christmas for me until i hear these 5 songs- Elvis singing 'Blue Christmas', Springsteen singing 'Santa Claus is coming to town', Band Aid singing 'Do they know it's christmas?', Bing Crosby singing 'White Christmas', and Burl Ives singing 'Holly Jolly Christmas'.

And LSIG, i do not even know you anymore. You have no idea how thankful i am that i do not know the reference to some horrible european flick. I know it can't be realistic becasue i am sure all the brits they portray have all their teeth and the ones they have are all straight. I do not mind watching british people falling in love. As long as it happens at the end of Benny Hill and it includes a chase scene, a very old man, and numerous women running around in corsetts and lacy panties. How are we even still married and have been together for over 13 straight years?

Anonymous said...

My favourite for the past couple of years has been "So This is Christmas," composed by by non other than her Evilness, Yoko Ono. Along with the soaring tremolos of Celine Dion's version, there is sweet satisfaction in remembering all the mean things that were said about Mrs. Lennon when the song first came out.
Royalties ad infinitum are the best revenge.
Atmikha

Anonymous said...

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" but only when done by Bare Naked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan, "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, and "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen. I will listen to these three ALL year round.

I.C. Yellow

Anonymous said...

Besides O Holy Night, mine are, in no particular order:

Burl Ives - Holly Jolly Christmas

Judy Garland- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus is coming to Town

Elvis - Merry Merry Christmas Baby, which my sisters and I choreagraphed an elaborate dance to one year.

Anonymous said...

This question has been following me all day. I realized I like the tender, tear-jerking ones: "Away in the Manger"(The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head!) and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." And I love "Joy to the World" but cry through that one also.

Anonymous said...

i love o holy night and carol of the bells. i also like christmas wrapping and the entire squirrel nut zippers holiday album. and, just in case you're wondering, both the johnny cash and cyndi lauper holiday albums are disappointing. so where are you? are you healthy yet? dude.

Zany Mama said...

nadolny-
Will you still speak to me at preschool drop-off if I tell you that I have never enjoyed the Charlie Brown Christmas special?

It's one of those things - like the movie Grease - that I understand that others' like, but I just don't get.

nancy-
You get to pick the songs at your church?

Damn. My church sucks. (But maybe that's because I say damn before speaking about it.)

lsig-
Mere words cannot express my love for the movie Love Actually. I watched it again this weekend.

And thanks for coming clean with the Mariah Carey stuff - her version of Oh Holy Night was the one I have been particularly listening to.

(I kind of felt like I was in 7th grade saying that, but I guess I'm in good company.)

ksig-
I believe that the better question for lsig is - "Are you really still in love with a man who has Band Aid on his top 5 christmas music list?"

I don't think you are really in a position to judge on this one, big guy.

zingerzapper-
I believe it's only respectful to refer to him as "The King".

Atmikha-
Ahhhhh...you pull out a more obscure favorite than the rest of the Burl Ives fans on this list.

Well played.

IC Yellow-
Um, so, I've never heard any of these songs or the particular versions you referenced.

Therefore, your submission is disqualified.

(And since there was no contest and this is my blog, I can do that).

kristi-
Might I suggest that you and your sisters recreate your choreagraphed version and put it up on You Tube?

I myself am considering doing such a thing for my 8th grade dance to Prince's Thieves in the Temple

zooland-
Your selections surprise me. Nay, they shock and astound me.

Who knew you were such a softie?

dude-
Ooh! Ooh! I always forget carol of the bells and then I hear it and think, "I LOVE this song."

It doesn't replace Oh Holy Night for me, but it's pretty darn good.

Sorry about the lack of contact. I'm alive - although I don't think that I feel as well as I should after 7 days on antibiotics. And I'm having wicked side effects from the antibiotics.

So that's why I've been a little out of touch.

(The drama never ends around here.)

Anonymous said...

I have never enjoyed the Charlie Brown Christmas special...I understand that others' like, but I just don't get [it].


Hm. I think the story is sweet, and the music rocks, but that's not it for me. Simply put- when Linus recites the Christmas passage from the Bible, it makes me cry. It's so simple and his voice is so innocent and matter-of-fact that the words themselves just sing.

But it's OK if you don't like it. I guess.

Zany Mama said...

lsig-
So is this where I admit that I have never watched it long enough to get to Linus part?

It sounds nice, though.

Zany Mama said...

riley-
Who doesn't like the infectious tunes of Ms. Brenda Lee? That's what I'd like to know.