Advent Calendar: December 3, 2015
Christmas Music: Post # 3
From now until Christmas Eve, I will be participating in the 2015 Edition of the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories by Thomas MacEntee and the Geneabloggers. If you would like to know more or even join in, please see This Link. I’d like to personally thankDawn Williams-Kogutkiewicz of Dawning Genealogy for sharing this idea on Genealogy Bloggers.
Christmas Music: Post # 3
Christmas carols, church music and even more modern novelty songs are all a big part of our Christmas memories. What songs were your favorites as a child and are they still your favorites or do you have new ones? What about your parents or family members – were there certain songs or types of Christmas music played during the season? And how would you describe the type of Christmas music you like? Write about anything related to Christmas music and your memories of Christmases past.
My Memories: I remember hearing Christmas music, but don’t remember any special songs I like hearing. The ones that come to mind are “Winter Wonderland, Jimgle Bells, 12 Days of Christmas, Silent Night, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, and Up on the House Top.” One of my favorite songs now is Ave’ Maria sung in Italian and preferably by Andrea Boccelli. I remember discovering him one Saturday afternoon in clicking through the TV channels – I quickly fell in love with his music.
I do remember opening the door one night to a group of carolers singing Christmas songs; we lived at 706 Hillcrest Ave. in Perry. I think I joined them in walking to a few more houses that night as they were from my Methodist church. Back then no one was afraid to open their doors like today; how times have changed.
Last year on Christmas Eve, at my sons house, we opened the door to a group of neighborhood children singing Christmas carols – we enjoyed listening to them. Seems we should be going back to these older customs.
This year I’m looking forward to attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve to hear my granddaughter Ella in the children’s choir.
My Husbands Memories: Everything in Christmas past was not like it is today – the music didn’t really even start until about two weeks before Christmas.
I don’t remember my mother having any specific Christmas albums years ago when I was young. We did have a Zenith Hi – Fi stereo console; it was blonde finish to match her living room. My mother played many records but they were mostly her Italian music, with Mario Lanza being her favorite.
If we listened to Christmas music, it would have been on a radio – and there was only A.M. many years ago. Today, the Christmas music starts before Thanksgiving and you’ll find the trees up in the stores, before Halloween is even over; that just ruins the holidays!
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© 2015 Jeanne Bryan Insalaco
Everyone Has a Story 
I remember our church choir would go door to door during Christmas singing. Some of my favorites are still favorites today; Silent Night, O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem. Also, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jingle Bells and such. Sometimes I wish I could afford one of those life-size yard decorations of ole time carolers for my yard. A reminder of simpler times.
Today, there are many more added to my collection; Christmas in Dixie by Alabama, White Christmas by Bing Crosby, Let it be Christmas by Alan Jackson and Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton. I used to tease my mother every year with Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Wouldn’t say that was a favorite, just that Mother hated it and I loved teasing her.
I also remember playing the Statler Brothers Christmas LP every year from its 1978 release. I now have that one on CD. Add, I Believe in Santa’s Cause, Something You Can’t Buy and Christmas to Me.
Christmas is as much, or more about the music as it is about the decorations and gifts. The best gift we were ever given is the reason we celebrate the season and so many songs to express that. A few years ago, I was introduced to a song by a group called Go Fish. The song was an instant hit for me and I play it every year. It is called, ‘Christmas with a Capital C’. Added to my favorite songs list.
Use to be that I couldn’t decorate my house without the Christmas music playing. With my husband home most of the time now, I have to play the music in my head. Maybe I should get one of those new things that records umpteen thousand songs for play back, then I could strap it on and go. Yes, the music of Christmas is just as important as the decorations and stuff.
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