Here I am sitting in California with the temps in the mid 60s forecasted for today. Not that its a bad thing... I love the temperature, but it makes it a bit hard to get into the Christmas spirit, if ya know what I mean! So, in order to get into the spirit of things, I'm listening to Christmas carols on the computer and trying to think back to childhood how I learned so many Christmas carols.
It has to be from the Children's Choir at church. At school we learned all the generic Christmas songs, but the religous songs came from church. They would pass out copies of the lyrics for us to learn and I can remember standing in front of the bathroom mirror and practicing standing up straight, and singing to the mirror... that's not an easy feat to accomplish this practice in the bathroom with seven children in the family! I never did learn to read music so never joined the Handbell Choir, but loved to listen to them play during church services.
Growing up and attending church almost every Sunday, we heard a lot of songs sung by a wonderful choir. I think my favorite Christmas carol is the "Hallelujah Chorus" and can remember hearing our adult choir singing it in church many times thru the years. I can also remember them singing "Joy to the World", "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" (another very favorite of mine), and "The First Noel". When I hear the organ music on "The First Noel", I still think of Mrs. Norman on the church organ. She was fantastic I thought.
"O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night" brings tears to my eyes now. As does the "Little Drummer Boy". There have been many artists thru the years that have sung my favorite carols, but some just do them better than others. Andy Williams, Bing Crosby and Nat "King" Cole are among the very best. And can anyone do any better than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir??? I just don't get into today's music artists doing their renditions of my favorite carols... but then again, my kids will probably remember their versions over my favorite versions! Well, maybe not MY kids since they grew up listening to my favorites, but kids in general- ya know?!
There are some newer artists that I really do enjoy listening to. Manheim Steamroller and Trans Siberian Orchestra to name a couple. As a matter of fact, TSO is going to be in concert here in San Bernadino in a couple of days. I'd love to go see them perform. I think they would be awesome!
OK, so here are some of my favorite carols- not in any particular order. Are your favorites on here?
White Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Silver Bells
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Silent Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
The First Noel
Carol of the Bells
Hallelujah Chorus
O Come All Ye Faithful
Little Drummer Boy
Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)
A Mad Russian's Christmas
ANYTHING Manheim Steamroller!
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