Our favorite thing to do every Christmas season while our son was growing up was to tune the car radio to the station playing holiday music and drive around Phoenix looking at lighting displays. We'd eat homemade cookies, and always stop at the DQ for milkshakes midway through the evening. The guys would get chocolate, while I always opted for banana.
Another fond memory is when that same son, home from college for the holidays, joined me at the nursing home where I volunteered two mornings a week as a "friendly visitor." While I played the piano, he led the residents in a Christmas singalong. Not only was it wonderful seeing those sparkling eyes and hearing all the raised voices, one woman, who hadn't spoken for years, recognized the songs and somehow began singing along. I confess. . . I teared up.
So, what's your favorite holiday song? Three people (chosen at random) who respond will win an autographed copy of Silver Bells, the NYT bestselling anthology I was in with Fern Michaels, Judy Duarte, and Mary Burton. If you don't win, there'll be another chance when we're talking about fave holiday movies on Tuesday, Dec. 14th, so please check back!
Mystery writer Holly Berry, the heroine of my novella "Dear Santa," is who I envison the Natalie Wood character from Miracle on 34th Street might have grown up to be if she hadn't met Santa until she was an adult. Holly hates the holidays --that is until fate brings her to Santa's Village, "the most Christmassy Town in America," where lodge owner Gabriel O'Halloran and his five-year-old daughter rekindle her belief in passion, magic, and Christmas wishes...
If you'd like to read her encounter with the man everyone in town believes to be Santa Claus, here's an excerpt.
My favorite holiday song will always be The Christmas Song. Although I suspect every singer on the planet has covered it, who better sing it than the original, incomparable, Nat King Cole? Enjoy!
Posts
20 comments:
My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night,we would go to midnight service and go outside with candles and sing this song holding hands with family and friends.
This post hit the spot today, because I'm beginning to transform the house for the holiday season. You've mentioned one of my absolute favorite songs, JoAnn. Here are two more: O Holy Night and I'll Be Home For Christmas.
Now I feel all warm and fuzzy!
Cheers!!
Carole -- That's a lovely image! Thanks so much for sharing. We always went to midnight mass, too. Then when we got home, kidlet would get to open one present before going to bed.
Elen -- I'll Be Home For Christmas is pretty much tied with The Christmas Song. Also, who doesn't love O Holy Night. I also love Carol of the Bells. Actually, I pretty much love them all. Including the Celtic ones whose words I can't understand. ;) Enjoy your decorating!
My favorite Christmas is the little drummer boy. I like hearing it no matter who sings it! It makes me tear up everytime I listen to it! We stated decorating right after Thanksgiving and my husband already set the stereo system to play all the Christmas tunes! Thanks for sharing today!
evjochum@aol.com
I couldn't decide between two songs so I have to list both of them: Mary, Did You Know? and Do You Hear What I Hear?
I don't care at all for Christmas music (too much retail work in my history), however, I've done Christmas music at a nursing home before as well, and I couldn't have picked a favorite that day. They were all my favorite. :) We're scheduled to do a Christmas concert at another nursing village this year as well, and I'm looking forward to it.
Johanna -- Thank YOU for sharing! I also love Little Drummer Boy. Am starting to realize, as people mention their faves, that maybe I don't actually have a favorite. lol
Mary -- Those, too!
TS -- I often feel so sorry for retail workers at Christmas. I imagine that any song has you ready to scream the bazillionth time you hear it. I really feel sorry the clerks in our Walgreens. Every year there's either a singing fish, or dancing musical Santa, or something right by the cash register that starts making noise whenever anyone walks by it. I can't imagine having that go on all day!
Enjoy your nursing home visit. And hey, just a suggestion -- residents love to have people visit all during the year. ;)
I have two favorite - Sleigh Ride and O Holy Night. A lady that worked with my mom had a son that sang opera - no one can sing O Holy Night like he can! I love a lot of other carols, but those are my favorites - my favorite secular and my favorite religious.
O Holy Night is my all time favorite followed by this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYHT-TF4KO4
I love them all but I really like the TransSiberian Orchestra's christmas music
My all time favorie is "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree". You hear it a million times during the season but it never fails to make me smile.
One of my favorite Christmas songs is The Christmas Shoes, by Newsong. I distinctly remember being in my car the first time I heard it, because I cried and had to make sure I didn't crash the car or run into anything.
I absolutely adore this Harry Connick Jr. Christmas CD that I have but I'm not sure of the name (and I haven't unpacked that stuff yet so I can't look). He has such a wonderful voice, not to mention that he is easy on the eyes:) And he does so many wonderful things for his community. Yeah, I could gush about him for a good long while. He just always makes me smile.
Looks like I need to dig out that CD and transfer it to my iPod!
I love Trans-Siberian Orchestra, especially "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24." Everytime I hear it, I get chills.
My favorite song from childhood is Away in a Manger. As a little girl I just loved thinking of Jesus as a sweet little baby who watched over all the children of the world. I guess that song will always hold a special place in my heart along with the children.
I love Christmas Music. Last count I have 78 cd's. I try to listen to as many as I can.
My favorites songs are:
Oh Holy Night.
Angels we have heard on high.
All I want for Christmas is you.
I like Bing Crosby's version of White Christmas and Josh Groban's O Holy Night.
My favorite holiday song is O Holy Night. I particularly love it by Josh Groban, he has a fabulous voice. After that, it's The First Noel.
seriousreader at live dot com
Thanks to all for sharing. You had me getting out my CDs to begin playing, and unsurprisingly, I had all the songs y'all mentioned by most of the same singers.
The winners of this round, chosen totally at random, are -- ta dah! --
Sherri, Nari,(wow, that rhymes, lol) and Johanna. If you'll email me your mailing addresses at joann@joannross.com, we'll get your book out to you!
Also, there will be another round on Tuesday, Dec. 14th, sharing must-watch favorite Christmas movies. I suspect mine might surprise some people. So, please come back.
xo
"The Little Drummer Boy"
What a great Christmas gift it would be if the Beavers beat the Ducks on Saturday. GO BEAVS. (We live in Corvallis, a hop, skip and a jump from the stadium)
Post a Comment