What Christmas/Yule/Holiday Carol do you have to hear...

[CatBoreal]

...in order to be in the holiday mood??

[Left Is Write]

1. There's no single one that I have to hear, but

I particularly love hearing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" on Christmas Eve and "Adeste Fideles" and "Angels We Have Heard On High" on Christmas Day.

Secularly speaking, it makes me feel all Christmasy to hear "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" as done by either Judy Garland or Frank Sinatra; "Sleigh Ride" as done by Johnny Mathis; anything from the Nutcracker; "The Christmas Song" as done by Nat King Cole; and just about anything done by Bing Crosby and/or Frank and Bing together, especially "We Wish You The Merriest."

If I'm on my way to my folks', or if I feel the need to "connect" with my parents when I can't be there, I listen to Emmylou Harris' version of "Christmas Time's A-Comin".

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. This year? None of 'em.

You could wrap me in tinsel and stick red and green blinky lights in my ears and put a big ol' shiny star on my head and hire the New York Philharmonic to serenade me with every carol in the book and I'd still say "Bah, humbug."

[Left Is Write]

5. Yes, but you could probably get people to pay to see that.

[CatBoreal]

3. I *MUST* hear...

The Christians and the Pagans by Dar Williams and Go Tell It On the Mountain by Mahalia Jackson.

I'm a Pagan, and I have no idea why, but that song just hits me every time.

[CornField]

4. When I was little

I caught my mom and dad dancing in the kitchen to Elvis' "I'll have a blue Christmas" -- it was a very intimate/sexy dance and they were laughing as they clung to one other. Everytime I hear it I remember how much they loved one another and how they managed to make every Christmas special regardless of how wealthy or poor we were financially.

BTW, I must have been about 11. So, that would have made my mother 57 and my father 67 when they shared that dance. :) Here's hoping I'm that lucky when I'm older.

[Left Is Write]

7. What a great story.

:thumbsup:

[Guy Fawkes]

6. All We Like Sheep by G.F. Handel (from The Messiah)

I play the Messiah downtown every year. Number 26 always gets me thinking about the winter season- and how much I hate christmas. I love the song, though...