Thursday Thirteen

Today it's ... my favorite Christmas songs! Except for the first one, which is my favorite, they aren't in any particular order.

1. Angels We Have Heard on High. I love this song. It is so exuberant and full of rejoicing. According to this site (which has the music but not the words going) this is a French carol, translated to English in 1862. You can learn more from Wikipedia here.

2. O Holy Night. This is a quiet song that celebrates the birth of Christ. It speaks of the quiet joy and wonder at this most wonderous event.

3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This is a fun song. It makes me want to dance. I have always enjoyed Bruce Springsteen's version.

4. Silent Night. This traditional Christmas carol always makes my heart fill with love and joy. It is another song about the birth of the Saviour. Is there anything better to sing about? It was translated into English in 1859. The Wiki site is here.

5. Santa Baby. This is a very materialistic song, but I have always liked Madonna's version and the way she sings it. I like the melody, too. I don't necessarily approve of the message, but it is definitely a very telling song. Besides, 13 carols is a long list...

6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Canon Rock.

7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Sarajevo.

8. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas songs. These modern renditions of classics are among the best. Here's Joy to the World, which is another of my favorite carols.

9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Another celebration of the birth of Christ (which is of course the reason we have Christmas, anyway, if you are religious). This is an old song, dating back to earlier than 1739, according to Wiki.

10. Do You Hear What I Hear? If I were ranking these, this would be #2. I love this song as it reminds us that Christ is for everyone, from the poorest to the richest, and no one is better than anyone else.

11. Sleigh Ride. I am particularly fond of the Carpenters version. I love to sing the words to this but I always sing them incorrectly. In particular, that part where you have pumpkin pie and coffee? I tend to say "when you grab an alligator and just ... let him fly." I have no idea why. Sometimes I am just weird.

12. Winter Wonderland. This is not necessarily a Christmas song but a winter song, but you only hear it at this time of year. I love it because it reminds me of snow and quiet and solitude and having fun with someone you love. All very important things. This song also reminds me of a long-ago evening when my parents, brother and I took a long walk in a snow under a full moon. It is one of my few memories of a nice time together.

The song was written in 1934, according to Wiki.

13. Your choice! Do you have a favorite Christmas song?



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. This is number 117 for me!