>by Robin Schmidt
Have you hauled out the holly? Decked the halls? Do you hear jingle bells? Silver bells? Are you simply having a wonderful Christmas time?
The sounds of Christmas…music.
Music is an amazing and powerful thing. It can set a mood, or take you back in time. Words and sound combine and together give expression to our deepest emotions.
If I am alone in the house I will sit by the lit tree and play Amy Grant…Breath of Heaven, Little Town of Bethlehem, Emmanuel. I listen and contemplate and pray.
If I am out and about I enjoy Paul McCartney’s Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time, it has a cheerful energy.
Silver Bells takes me to my Grandma’s house on the east side.
Growing up I opened gifts to the sound of Johnny Mathus.
No one does Jingle Bells like Barbara Streisand (upsot?).
My favorite carols are God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and O Holy Night.
What about you? What is the Christmas music of your childhood? What is your favorite carol? Why? I would love to hear about the music that touches you.
P.S. Don’t let this Sunday, December 9th, be a silent night. Come to Grace Chapel at 7pm for One Starry Night. We will be filling the air with the sounds of Christmas.
>Mannheim Steamroller has long accompanied our decorative festivities at the Yanke household…and of course, Handel’s Messiah (and yes, we all sing along!):)
>Hands down favorite for me in the past few years is Kathy Mattea (sp?) Good News Christmas CD — her rendition of “Mary Did You Know” is amazing. Mannheim Steamfoller is also a favorite, and this cool jazzy a cappella Christmas CD that I bought at the old Dicksons and haven’t ever been able to find again. Childhood memories are of Andy Williams Christmas record. My favorite songs to sing are “O Come all ye faithful”, “O come, O come Emmanuel” and “What Child is this?”