Music Monday: The Night Before...the Night Before...the Night Before Christmas

So I might have gotten carried away with the title, but I couldn't resist.  That's where we are on this Monday night, and I'm blogging in real time for a few reasons:

1) I've been scarce around these parts.  I've been trying my best to read and comment on the blogs I love, but writing my own blog posts has not been a priority for me as of late.

2) Today was my last day of work, and I'm officially on Christmas break.

3) I couldn't let it be the Monday before Christmas and not write some more about Christmas music, and this is a post I thought of a couple of weeks ago.

So I was singing away to the Christmas music on my way to work the other day, and I started to think, "If I ever got to record a Christmas album, what songs would I want to sing?"

Here's what I came up with (and in parentheses, I note my favorite versions, where appropriate):

1. White Christmas (Bing Crosby)

2. Merry Christmas, Darling (Karen Carpenter)

3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Judy Garland)

4. Baby, It's Cold Outside (Dean Martin & Doris Day) I would want to sing this with: Blake Shelton or Adam Levine....just to be clear.

5. All I want for Christmas is You (Lady Antebellum)

6. Do You Hear What I Hear (Glee Cast) This version is a gorgeous duet that wasn't featured in the show, and also doesn't seem to actually feature any of the cast members I recognize.  Anyway, I think I'd like to sing it with Lea Michele.

7. Silent Night

8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

9. Winter Wonderland

10. O, Holy Night

On an impulse, I actually recorded and posted a YouTube video of me singing "O, Holy Night" acapella. 

It is my plan to blog a bit more over the next couple of days, and definitely more over my break from work!

But just in case my plans fall through, I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! :)

Music Monday: It's that Time of Year!

Somehow, I managed to be so busy that it has been close to a month since I've written a blog post!  Sheesh.  Today, is an in-service day that we don't actually have to attend.  I know.  It makes no sense.  Long story short, we stay after school for a total of 7.25 hours over two days to do parent-teacher conferences so that we actually don't have to go to work today.

Anyway without further adieu...

Every year it gets harder and harder for me to wait to start listening to Christmas music.  I know, I know.  There are some of you out there who just cringed.  But the fact is that I love Christmas music.  It's not that I don't appreciate other holidays.  Scott and I had a great time getting dressed up and going out on Halloween.  And I LOVE Thanksgiving.  In fact, I've come to appreciate Thanksgiving more than Christmas.  There's less stress, less pressure, less disappointment on Thanksgiving.  That being said, as soon as November 1st arrives, I'm ready for my Christmas tunes.  I mean, it's not like they even HAVE Thanksgiving music.

I saw this on Facebook:

This is the truth.  The music stations on DirecTV add a Christmas channel.  Hallmark starts showing Christmas movies, and the season of love, joy, and peace begins!  

Scott is not a huge fan of Christmas music, so unfortunately, I did not get to listen to Christmas music on our way home from our Halloween night out.  

In my family growing up, my dad would start to play Christmas music on November 1st, and that was when we would start watching Christmas movies together.  Last year, I walked into my parents' home, and my brother immediately asked me to name the first Christmas album that each of us would pick to play when the season begins.  

It was pretty easy to do.  Here are my family's go-to first-album-of-the-season Christmas albums.

(Let me also be clear that these are all albums we originally listened to on RECORDS.  :)  A few years ago, my dad transferred all of the albums to CDs so now I can take them anywhere. )

Me: The Beach Boys Christmas Album

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I do actually have this on a CD my dad didn't make.  It includes bonus tracks with songs that were not from this album originally and remakes of some of the original songs.  I will not lie: I usually stop listening after the original album's concluding song: "Auld Lang Syne."

My brother, David: Merry Snoopy's Christmas

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I always tease him and say that this isn't really a Christmas album because there are "unChristmasy" songs on it.  But that doesn't mean I love it any less.  

Mom: Kenny Rogers: Christmas

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This is another one of my favorites.  Hearing the beginning notes of the first song on the album always make my heart leap because it really feels like Christmas!

Dad: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Christmas Carols

I certainly can't say that I don't enjoy any of these albums.  I love them all!  They always remind me of Christmases growing up.  We would play them while we decorated for Christmas and on Christmas morning...so many good memories.

This does not mean that I don't look for new music to listen to!  Over the past few years, I've downloaded two Glee Christmas albums and Kelly Clarkson's new album last year.  This year, I added two more albums to my collection.

Idina Menzel- Holiday Wishes

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Because, um, yeah.  Have you heard her sing?!

Michael W. Smith- The Spirit of Christmas

This is a really cool album because Michael collaborates with a bunch of other artists!  Michael W. Smith is a Christian music performer who has been making albums for YEARS.  He has a unique voice that I've always loved, and I've always had a crush on him!  If you haven't heard any of his music before, I suggest starting with his Christmas albums.  :)

So...what's your go-to Christmas album?  Have you added anything new to your collection this year?

Music Monday: One of my Favorite Christmas Songs

I'm sticking with my Christmas theme for music Monday.  My friend, Kristin at Life's an Adventure has done a couple of posts with many versions of one Christmas song, and I have been wanting to do one, too.  I already shared two of my most favorite Christmas songs in my Music Monday post with my reader's favorite Christmas songs ("White Christmas" & "O Holy Night"). 

Another one of my favorites is "Carol of the Bells".  I was singing along with a version on the way to work the other day, and I realized something.  Singing any one part of this song is super boring.  It's the same thing over and over.  haha  BUT when all of the parts come together, it becomes such a beautiful song!  Here are some of my favorite versions of "Carol of the Bells"

This is the version I chose for my reader's favorite Christmas songs.

 

Kenny Rogers

 

 

Straight No Chaser

 

 

Claymation Christmas

 

If you never saw this TV special before, you totally missed out.  This is just one of the many fun and funny adaptations of Christmas Carols performed by animated clay characters!  (Seriously, if you never saw it, you REALLY need to watch this!)

 

 

Are there any versions of this song that you really enjoy?