Christmas Music and Festive Decorating

I have to (get to!) listen to music every day, and Christmas time is no exception. The selections are different, though. They're definitely more "Old World" traditional, and often more obscure than what most people listen to at this time of year. I savor the sounds: the somber, reflective, and sometimes melancholy music of the Christmas season, and our local classical radio station plays many of these beautiful choral pieces and the more obscure works at this time of year. They played one the other day that was music set to a Christina Rossetti poem about Winter...I wrote it down, now I can't find it. It had nice harmonies and resolutions-- Ah! Wonderful! Oh, here it is: In The Bleak Midwinter.

There are so many good CD's available for Christmas listening pleasure, that it truly is difficult to narrow down the favorites. I grew up listening to three, and only three Christmas albums: Julie Andrews, Andy Williams, and Glen Campbell, complete with his reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." It was my personal tradition from very early childhood to put an album on the record player and turn off all the lights, except for the Christmas tree, sit in the olive green rocker (sometimes with my foster sister, sometimes alone) and just listen, rock, and stare at the lights. Julie Andrews' voice was so heavenly, and Andy Williams' vocals so festive and smooth. Glen Campbell was enjoyable, too, and this was Dad's contribution to the collection, with his flare for country music.

This is what is spinning in my humble CD player right now:

Mannheim Steamroller ~ A Fresh Aire Christmas
Up Next: Andrea Bocelli ~ Sacred Arias

We've been cleaning all day so we could get the Christmas tree and Schtuff down from the attic. Hubster, aka King Kong, was home from school today as the Metroplex closes down with the hint of ice on the ground...to protect all the drivers from other drivers who are from the south and cannot drive on black ice! hehehe

So he was the taskmaster and got us in order (mostly)...enough to get out the Christmas and winter decorations. So we kept the coffee on all day, along with lots of hot chocolate, marshmallows, vegie-beef stew and cornbread.

Other favorite albums we listened to today:

Handel's Messiah ~ Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus - Robert Shaw
Michael W. Smith's Christmastime
" " " Christmas (absolutely fantastic)
The Carols of Christmas ~ A Windham Hill Collection
The Bach Variations ~ A Windham Hill Sampler
George Winston's December

Now I must get back to hanging ornaments on the tree, since I finally got all the lights to work...all 1000 of them. I know, it's a little bright in here ;-) The last two ornaments to go on are Fannieul Hall (Boston) and a clear glass ornament with "Boston Snow" crystals on dried "grass" or "brush" in it. They are both from 1987, given to me by a co-worker, and they are among our family favorites. The kiddos put their special ornaments on first, then it's a frenzy, in which Momma has to tell them (mostly Andrewcles) to slow down. Then I make sure the colors are spread out and balanced well (snicker) so there might be a little bit of last minute adjusting going on.

I enjoy the memories associated with many of these ornaments on the tree, gifts given by family...like the giant locket given to us by Hubby's Aunt Gail in 1984 that says, "First Christmas Together". there are also ornaments that are gifts from friends, students, or mementos bought on travels. It reminds me to be thankful and pray for certain people we've known, or blessings we received throughout the years. What are some of your favorite or special ornaments, and why?