As I have stated in the past, my favorite holiday is Christmas. I love the holiday season - the attitudes of people (outside of stores on Black Friday), the Christmas specials, the excitement, and the holiday music. It used to be just after Thanksgiving, you would start to hear the first songs and carols. Now, it is not uncommon to hear the first Christmas song right after the last trick or treater leaves your house. Susan likes the music, but by December 1st, she is already done with it. Me, I enjoy the music no matter when or where and am sad when the music ends the first week of January.
So, I am going to list my list of the top ten songs of Christmas. You may have differing opinions, but you would all be wrong. Just like if you say the best Christmas character is Rudolph, Frosty, or the Grinch. Everyone obviously knows the best character is Bumbles. If you don't know who he is, stop reading, watch Rudolph, and then come back and continue reading.
It is easier for me to tell you the Christmas songs I dislike - "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas", "Santa Baby" and "The Chipmunk Song" get me to change the channel quickly.
Here they are:
#10: Deck the Halls - When you are little, you know the words "FA LA LA LA LA" because you can actually sing along with it. Also, there is a good rendition of it in the Christmas classic "A Christmas Story"
#9: Angels we Have Heard on High - Kind of like Deck the Halls where you may not know all the words, but you do know to sing "Gloria" over the space of several minutes. As a young person (and even now) it is a challenge to see if you could sing it in one breath. Also, you throw in some Latin words on top.
#8 - O Come All Ye Faithful - I remember this song profoundly because of the time our youth group joined the Senior Choir to sing carols to shut-ins. At every stop, the choir director led with this song each and every time. We were tired of it so we wanted to express our displeasure. So, we marched out of the van singing it. His reaction? "Good choice, lets sing it."
At the time, we laughed about it that he didn't get it. He became our school principal and much later died of a heart attack. I remembered this memory when it happened, even though I butted heads with him he did "get it". He "got it" because he loved those children in his care and served his students and teachers admirably.
#7 - O Holy Night - I didn't really like this song until very recently. I just feel it is a very powerful and haunting song. Also, it is difficult to sing along with.
#6 - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - It's the song that gets me pumped up for the season. It is rousing and puts you in the right mood. I tend to think the Christmas season truly starts when you first hear this song.
#5 - Christmas Eve/Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Its a very moving instrumental song. It has a great tempo, you recognize the songs used in it and it serves as great background music for whatever Christmas activities you are doing.
#4 - Joy to the World - Another excellent upbeat song. This was the song that ended every Christmas Eve service at my old church. I always looked at this song as a song of triumph as we walked out the door, and the music carried you out into the world.
#3 - Holly Jolly Christmas - I love this song as I feel it verbalizes the Christmas spirit. Telling people to have a holly jolly Christmas, saying hello to friends and everyone you meet conveys it. It shows niceness, friendliness, and the way we should always treat each other. Plus, its sung by a man named Burl. You don't see too many guys named Burl anymore, if indeed there were more than one.
#2 - Mr. Heat Miser - Admit it, the song is currently playing inside your head as you read this. It's a tradition in our house for Susan and I to sing and dance to this song every Christmas morning (maybe not this year as there might be witnesses). I identify because it points out the differences between my wife and I. I will let you figure out who is snow miser and heat miser. Unless you are still stuck with the image of me dancing. Yes, I know its a frightening thought but think of puppies and the feeling should go away.
#1 - Little Drummer Boy - All-time greatest Christmas song. Loved it from the first moment I heard it. Probably cause of all the "Rum-Pah-Pah-Pahs" in it. But, after years of listening to it the lyrics are so beautiful. It speaks to me of our relationship with Christ. That we go to see Him, we go to worship Him - but we don't have any gift worthy to give Him as our king. So, we use what gifts we have and give our all to Him and do our best. At the very end of the song, Jesus smiles at the drummer boy. Won't it be cool on that day when we see Him face to face and he smiles at us and says "Welcome Home"?
Well, that's my list and there are sure to be some changes you might make to it. But, its my list and I stand by my choices. Anyways, as we enter this holiday season, I hope and pray all will be well with you and your families.
P.S. Bumbles is the abominable snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I have many ornaments and other Bumbles artifacts. He's cool because he looks impressive, is able to put stars on Christmas trees without a ladder, and as Yukon Cornelius points out "Bumbles bounce".
So, I am going to list my list of the top ten songs of Christmas. You may have differing opinions, but you would all be wrong. Just like if you say the best Christmas character is Rudolph, Frosty, or the Grinch. Everyone obviously knows the best character is Bumbles. If you don't know who he is, stop reading, watch Rudolph, and then come back and continue reading.
It is easier for me to tell you the Christmas songs I dislike - "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas", "Santa Baby" and "The Chipmunk Song" get me to change the channel quickly.
Here they are:
#10: Deck the Halls - When you are little, you know the words "FA LA LA LA LA" because you can actually sing along with it. Also, there is a good rendition of it in the Christmas classic "A Christmas Story"
#9: Angels we Have Heard on High - Kind of like Deck the Halls where you may not know all the words, but you do know to sing "Gloria" over the space of several minutes. As a young person (and even now) it is a challenge to see if you could sing it in one breath. Also, you throw in some Latin words on top.
#8 - O Come All Ye Faithful - I remember this song profoundly because of the time our youth group joined the Senior Choir to sing carols to shut-ins. At every stop, the choir director led with this song each and every time. We were tired of it so we wanted to express our displeasure. So, we marched out of the van singing it. His reaction? "Good choice, lets sing it."
At the time, we laughed about it that he didn't get it. He became our school principal and much later died of a heart attack. I remembered this memory when it happened, even though I butted heads with him he did "get it". He "got it" because he loved those children in his care and served his students and teachers admirably.
#7 - O Holy Night - I didn't really like this song until very recently. I just feel it is a very powerful and haunting song. Also, it is difficult to sing along with.
#6 - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - It's the song that gets me pumped up for the season. It is rousing and puts you in the right mood. I tend to think the Christmas season truly starts when you first hear this song.
#5 - Christmas Eve/Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Its a very moving instrumental song. It has a great tempo, you recognize the songs used in it and it serves as great background music for whatever Christmas activities you are doing.
#4 - Joy to the World - Another excellent upbeat song. This was the song that ended every Christmas Eve service at my old church. I always looked at this song as a song of triumph as we walked out the door, and the music carried you out into the world.
#3 - Holly Jolly Christmas - I love this song as I feel it verbalizes the Christmas spirit. Telling people to have a holly jolly Christmas, saying hello to friends and everyone you meet conveys it. It shows niceness, friendliness, and the way we should always treat each other. Plus, its sung by a man named Burl. You don't see too many guys named Burl anymore, if indeed there were more than one.
#2 - Mr. Heat Miser - Admit it, the song is currently playing inside your head as you read this. It's a tradition in our house for Susan and I to sing and dance to this song every Christmas morning (maybe not this year as there might be witnesses). I identify because it points out the differences between my wife and I. I will let you figure out who is snow miser and heat miser. Unless you are still stuck with the image of me dancing. Yes, I know its a frightening thought but think of puppies and the feeling should go away.
#1 - Little Drummer Boy - All-time greatest Christmas song. Loved it from the first moment I heard it. Probably cause of all the "Rum-Pah-Pah-Pahs" in it. But, after years of listening to it the lyrics are so beautiful. It speaks to me of our relationship with Christ. That we go to see Him, we go to worship Him - but we don't have any gift worthy to give Him as our king. So, we use what gifts we have and give our all to Him and do our best. At the very end of the song, Jesus smiles at the drummer boy. Won't it be cool on that day when we see Him face to face and he smiles at us and says "Welcome Home"?
Well, that's my list and there are sure to be some changes you might make to it. But, its my list and I stand by my choices. Anyways, as we enter this holiday season, I hope and pray all will be well with you and your families.
P.S. Bumbles is the abominable snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I have many ornaments and other Bumbles artifacts. He's cool because he looks impressive, is able to put stars on Christmas trees without a ladder, and as Yukon Cornelius points out "Bumbles bounce".
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