Christmas Music & Such

Ok, I am done ranting about Christmas songs. No more grumpiness over here. Here is the deal; there are Christmas SONGS and then there are Christmas CAROLS. Christmas SONGS are the things that deal with Rudolph, Santa, Frosty and Silvery bells. Christmas CAROLS on the other hand are the stuff of Mangers, Stars, Jesus, Latin and that sort of thing.

I never ever find myself grumping and complaining about Carols. They are always festive, full of the spirit of Christmas and, let's face it they are what Christmas is all about. All those Christmas songs, well I suspect most of them are from the 20th century and are just money makers for whomever is the "flavor of the month" from way back when it was Gene Autry singing Here Comes Santee Claus (listen to it, he definitely says SANTEEEE, I have heard it 5,345,344,456 times already this year) to Burl Ives singing Holly Jolly Christmas back in the 60's, to believe it or don't, that twit Britney Spears or even Celine Dion belting out something so that you can NOT sing along.

But Christmas Carols, that's a whole nuther ball of wax, isn't it? I do love Christmas Carols. Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, and my favorite O Come All Ye Faithful.

There are a few that straddle the fence between traditional Carol and modern holiday song, like Mary's Boy Child. Now, that is a great song! But even with the religious tone to the lyrics, I still consider it a song because you don't really sing it in church.

The song from Sound of Music "My favorite things" has somehow become a Christmas song too.

In my house usually right after Thanksgiving dinner we break out all the Christmas dvds. We have our favorites that we have to see not just once but many times during the season. And I will now reveal our favorite Christmas movies, in no particular order: (watch a little too much DWTS, don't I???)

The Christmas Story (Ralphie, you'll shoot your eye out)

Christmas Vacation

Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas

Die Hard

Elf

Muppets Christmas Carol

Scrooged

Love, Actually

Charlie Brown Christmas

The Nightmare before Christmas

and of course The Grinch. The "real" Grinch, not that lame-ass new remade version.

Enjoy your Christmas music whether it be Songs or Carols. Enjoy your Christmas and other holiday movies. And really, enjoy just being with your loved ones no matter what you are watching or listening to.