When's the last time you gathered in the freshly fallen leaves and sang Thanksgiving Carols? How many stories do you remember about the Pilgrims and Indians breaking out the bongo drums (did the Indians have instruments? I couldn't think of any, so I went bongo) and Harpsichords for a little Thanksgiving caroling? None. No carols. So you will forgive me if I cherish the experience of Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays, but move on, in spirit, to Christmas. I demand holidays with a soundtrack.
'Tis November 1st, and in my world that means the Christmas CD's come out. So far we've worked our way through Buble' and Sinatra, we are now moving into the Bing Crosby hour. Up next, Mariah Carey followed by a little instrumental action during the time I need to be on the phone this afternoon for work. New additions to this year will be "A Very Veggie Christmas" (Veggie Tales) and an old standard "Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas". Indoctrination of my son begins...... now.
In all honesty, I will grow weary of Christmas music around the middle of December, but I have to get to it before I get bombarded with it at Target and on every commercial. I have to let it feel special and allow it to rekindle those memories before it gets cheapened and commercialized. This will be the first year when Jack will be old enough to say the words "I want that!" when the commercials begin in earnest... when Christmas runs the risk of becoming about stuff.
I hear these songs and I remember riding in the car to family Christmas gatherings, being forced by Mom to sing the 12 days of Christmas. I think of gathering at Ganny & Gamp's with the whole family... gobs of food, football, post football naps. I think of Ganny and Papa in the guest bedroom on Christmas Eve and sitting on the stool in there on Christmas morning, watching them stir, bleary eyed in the pre-dawn darkness. BB guns, bicycles, Tecmo Bowl (hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Tecmo Bowl), Dad's annual "special present" to Mom that she never seems to expect. Our 1st Christmas in our apartment, with lights everywhere and my Uggs under the tree (hmmmmmmmmmmm... Uggs). Jack's eyes last year when we lit the tree for the 1st time.
I need no soundtrack for Thanksgiving... this music pretty wells covers so much of what I'm thankful for, so you'll have to forgive me for humming "White Christmas" when you see me next.
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1 comment:
hum away, honey. hum away.
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