Christmas music. It puts us in the mood. It reminds us of childhood. Christmas carols are universal, many known ‘round the world. Music “speaks” to us, and not just Christmas music, all music has a voice. How else can we explain the explosive sales of MP3 players? People all around us are plugged into music. This week it was music that inspired my Reflections.
Growing up, one musical group, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, dominated the pile of record albums stored in our stereo console. It is possible we owned every one of their albums produced in the 60’s. The few other albums might have included Dean Martin, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, and some other crooners. Throw in an album or two by Henri Mancini or the Living Strings and you have the music I heard while growing up. It is no wonder then that I love the crooners, music with a Latin influence, or instrumental movie scores, and even light jazz. It is this last category that allowed me to float back to childhood just this week.
In an effort to reintroduce dating to our 26-year marriage, my husband took me to “A Big Band Christmas” held at our church, Good Shepherd Community Church. We were entertained but such Christmas favorites as “Silver Bells”, “White Christmas”, and a very entertaining jazz version of “Frosty the Snowman.” Each of the songs is familiar. There is not a particular memory attached to each one, but together they take me back to a time; a time where tradition ruled and the weeks before Christmas seemed to be the longest four weeks of the year. Mom endeavored to keep us five kids busy.
Decorating for the season was one of the first tasks completed at our house right after Thanksgiving. This typically took place the first full weekend of December. Decorations could not be put up until the weekly cleaning was complete. I remember stacking six Christmas albums into our stereo. This would provide just enough music to complete the cleaning and decorating tasks. Even today Herb Alpert can help inspire me to clean.
Albums included Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Christmas, White Christmas: Bing Crosby, Spirit of Christmas: Living Strings, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Gene Autry, Montavoni’s Christmas, and a few others. It was an eclectic group of musicians and vocalists but there was a theme, music from a time gone by.
While these were the songs of Christmas cleaning, another group of songs remind me of time spent watching Christmas variety programs with my dad. The Bob Hope Christmas Special has to be mentioned, but I don’t associate it with particular music of the season, just comedy sketches. That guy could make my dad laugh, not such an easy task.
Musically, the season is not complete without Dean Martin singing “Let It Snow”. For me, Dean Martin is remembered with a cigarette in one hand and a supposed drink in the other. I thought him an odd man and never cared much for his program, but there are a few songs that I love sung by Dean Martin.
Andy Williams Christmas Special was my favorite holiday program. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Happy Holidays” are just two of my favorites sung by Andy. Certainly, any part of the program that included the Osmond Brothers ranks high on my list, particularly when Donny joined the group. I could never get over that he was my age, singing on national television.
Perry Como’s Christmas show is long forgotten by me, but who can forget “Do
You Hear What I Hear”, “The Little Drummer Boy”, or “O Holy Night” sung in that lovely tenor voice. I have also long forgotten Nat King Cole’s Christmas special, but no one sings “The Christmas Song” like Nat King Cole.
Bing Crosby is known for crooning many a Christmas carol, but his version of “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” are my all time favorites and I cry nearly every time I hear them. “White Christmas” probably because the movie “White Christmas” was the only show my mother actually sat down to watch, and “I’ll Be Home” because I live so far from my immediate family and trips home for Christmas are scarce. Despite the melancholy attached to these two songs, they do warm my heart.
So many of the songs of the season warm my heart, particularly when sung by the likes of Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Andy Williams, and Bing Crosby. The songs they sung helped us to really focus on the meaning of Christmas; family. Whether the song was intended to help us focus on our earthly family or our heavenly family, the season is about family. It is the traditions revolving around the family that are remembered. It is never the gifts that provide the warmth of the season it’s the togetherness. Seek to create the memories that will warm the hearts of your family for many years to come. Don’t miss what God intended with the birth of His son. He intended a way for us to be a part of the forever family. Do you know Him? If you do, don’t forget him this Christmas. If you don’t, I invite you to come join the Family and get to know Jesus this Christmas.
I am REALLY enjoying reading your Blog!! I appreciate the peek into your special family memories that in some ways are very different from my own being raised an only child. What a blessing to your kids in the future to have these things recorded while you're sharp and thoughtful about the details. It is also bringing back memories for me too that I didn't realize were there. I had forgotten about stacking up multiple records and having them drop down as they finished. Also some of the same bands - Herb Albert, Montavoni, Living Strings :) Thanks for taking me back with you!
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