The Sights & Sounds of Christmas
The radio in the library workroom has been set to the station that does "24/7 holiday music" at this time of year since the week before Thanksgiving (which in my opinion is SICK). I think what bugs me about it the most is that this is the "adult contemporary" station and they seem either to have a limited repertoire or to entertain repeated requests for the same songs all day. (Seriously, the only one that makes me happy is "Dominick the Donkey." And O.K., I think they played the "Hanukkah Song" right around the time Hanukkah started.) My desk is closest to the office door so it's not hard for me to notice there's Mariah Carey claiming all she wants for Christmas is you (whatever) or Snoopy's dealing with the Red Baron (I do not get this song for the life of me in spite of the fact that I love Snoopy) for the third time since I finished my morning coffee.
However, by some miracle, last week some sort of interference with the radio's reception cropped up, so no adult-contemporary-holiday-music for days. (Just the '70s station and I can tune most of that out.)
As a result, I finally felt like putting on Christmas music at home.
Right now, I've got in two discs from a set I apparently got in 2005 on clearance from Bath & Body Works--good music can be found in many unusual places, right? Some of the tracks are skippable, but the remote to the stereo died a while back, so I'm just pretending it's all good stuff, even if it's by a strange breathy singer I never heard of then and am surprised to see is still performing now.
After those two discs--because I have a lovely 3-disc player--comes the wonderful A Christmas Together, by John Denver & the Muppets. Freakin' awesome. A favorite of my entire family.
This afternoon while I paid bills and cleared magazines out of the living room, Miracle on 34th Street (original B&W of course, but sadly chopped up for commercials) was on the TV. I'm excited that the totally corny movie The Christmas List will be on this week--even though I have to record it because they're airing it at some ridiculous time. For some reason, the stop-motion animation stuff (other than Claymation) never really spoke to me. The Heat Miser starts singing and I'm totally turned off. I know they're widely loved, but I can't explain it so please don't think less of me!
Is there anything special you must listen to or watch at this time of year? Please share!
However, by some miracle, last week some sort of interference with the radio's reception cropped up, so no adult-contemporary-holiday-music for days. (Just the '70s station and I can tune most of that out.)
As a result, I finally felt like putting on Christmas music at home.
Right now, I've got in two discs from a set I apparently got in 2005 on clearance from Bath & Body Works--good music can be found in many unusual places, right? Some of the tracks are skippable, but the remote to the stereo died a while back, so I'm just pretending it's all good stuff, even if it's by a strange breathy singer I never heard of then and am surprised to see is still performing now.
After those two discs--because I have a lovely 3-disc player--comes the wonderful A Christmas Together, by John Denver & the Muppets. Freakin' awesome. A favorite of my entire family.
This afternoon while I paid bills and cleared magazines out of the living room, Miracle on 34th Street (original B&W of course, but sadly chopped up for commercials) was on the TV. I'm excited that the totally corny movie The Christmas List will be on this week--even though I have to record it because they're airing it at some ridiculous time. For some reason, the stop-motion animation stuff (other than Claymation) never really spoke to me. The Heat Miser starts singing and I'm totally turned off. I know they're widely loved, but I can't explain it so please don't think less of me!
Is there anything special you must listen to or watch at this time of year? Please share!
Comments
I wasn't familiar with the Snoopy/Red Baron song, so I found it online to listen to, and I agree with you, what IS that about? (I'm not asking literally, but metaphorically.)
I don't think less of you for not liking the TV specials I do. If I can't even explain why I like them, why should I expect anyone else to like them?
A version of the Royal Guardsmen continues to gig.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Guardsmen
Prof. M
CCR--can't wait for the post; it sounds interesting! And thanks for the not-judging. :)
For example, one of my favorite Christmas songs is "The Little St. Nick" by the Beach Boys. It's a car song about Santa's sleigh! That's just genius to me. The Boys' version of "We Three Kings" is worth twenty of the other (even if they leave off a verse) but Little St Nick just makes me grin every time... very holiday spirit.
My wife's family always watches Babes in Toyland (Laurel and Hardy) for the holidays. My family has no such tradition, save going full-tilt boogie on the decorations and leaving them up well into January.
One tradition that my family has thus far resisted is to add a movie to the staple of holiday specials... the MST3K cover of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." Once, apparently, was enough.