Christmas

Last year about this time I posted a rant about the Christmas songs I just can't abide.  You can see that here if you are interested.  I just re-read it and I still firmly believe that those Top 3 songs are an abomination. Horrible crap that never should have been recorded.

So this year, I would like to focus on the really good and fabulous Christmas songs and carols.  Just as a quick little review, Christmas songs are new-ish, they are about Santa, snowmen, bells and buying crap.  Christmas carols are about baby Jesus, stars, Virgin Mary, faith and are usually found in a hymnal.  I am not saying all Christmas songs are bad and all Christmas carols are good.  There is good and bad in all these things.  There are also plenty of songs that are not recorded to celebrate anything other than the record label's ability to separate us from our folding money.

To me, the good songs are the ones that make you feel something.  Joy, love, anticipation or just plain happiness that you can remember all the verses!

And again, in no particular order, here are some of my favorite Carols/Songs.

O Come All Ye Faithful - this has always been one of my favorites.  It really makes you want to stand tall, sing out loud and feel how your soul soars.  Awesome, in every sense of the word.

Away in a Manger - One of the first carols everyone learns.

The First Noel - when you get to the "Born is the King of Is-rael!" part, you can't help but tear up, can you?

The Twelve Days of Christmas - I love this song!  My favorite version is with John Denver and the Muppets.  Such a happy song.

Silent Night - This is the traditional song to end all Christmas Eve church services with all the lights out and everyone with lit candles.  It doesn't get any more reverent than this.

Holly Jolly Christmas - It does not feel like Christmas till Burl Ives sings this one.

I'll Be Home for Christmas - When I lived in Chile our American Women's group would have a huge Christmas luncheon with silent auctions, quilt raffles and all sorts of festive things.  After we ate we would all sing Christmas carols and then finish by standing  in a huge circle holding hands and singing this song.  Never a dry eye by the end.  It was so emotional for many of the long-time residents who never got back home for Christmas.  Then of course, we would walk out into the Chilean summer sunshine and get knocked back into reality.

But for a few hours, we were all cozy wearing our Christmas finery and dreaming of cold snowy holidays.

I listen to Christmas music darn near all year long.  Actually, my home phone ringer is "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" so yeah, I do hear Christmas music all year long!

There are so many good ones to pick from that I could be here listing them all day.  And that makes it all the more ridiculous that they have to play those horrendous Top 3 Songs That Never Need to be Played Again.  Hummmppphh.

What are your favorites?  Do you have any that you despise?  Are they different than mine?

Lemme hear from you!