Getting Into the Spirit

I'm in the process of getting all our holiday preparations underway. I've already started thinking about the menu (and about delegating dishes for willing guests to contribute), and Husband and I put every table we own (we own three, in case you were wondering) in the dining room to see if we could seat everyone who's expected for Christmas dinner (we can!). I've got a to-do list of things I don't want to forget to get done as December 25th gets closer and I feel more harried - cleaning the downstairs bathroom, cleaning the loft in anticipation of Beloved-Brother-In-Law's arrival, buying, washing and ironing table cloths, that sort of thing.


At least four of my christmas-themed CDs has come courtesy of Hallmark: James Taylor, Michael McDonald and two multi-artist collections. I went to iTunes the other day and bought a Charlie Brown Christmas album and Sarah McLachlan's holiday CD. Over the years, I've managed to collect most of the Very Special Christmas CDs, and have downloaded various classics from the likes of Burl Ives, Johnny Mathis and Frank Sinatra.

I have some favorite pieces. I love most of the Charlie Brown soundtrack, mostly because I have fond memories of watching the christmas special on television as a kid.




My appreciation of jazzy understatement is carried over in the Snowbound album by a group called Fourplay. I love pretty much everything that both Michael McDonald and James Taylor have ever done, so it's no big leap to think that their offerings of holiday music are among my favorites.



I haven't listened to the Sarah McLachlan CD all the way through yet, but the snippet of Song for a Winter's Night that I listened to while trying to decide whether to pony up the ten bucks for the download brought tears to my eyes.




My all-time favorite christmas song comes from Sting. He offered a version of Gabriel's Message to one of the Very Special Christmas CDs (I'm not sure which one, exactly), and I love it. It's essentially just his voice, layered back upon itself at least four times. I haven't figured out how to add audio to blog entries, or I'd post it for you. It really is stunning.

(Note: This is not an official Hot People post. Any similarity to a Hot People post is entirely coincidental.)