Christmas Music

I listen to Christmas music all year long. I mean, not all the time, but every once in a while I'll play my Holiday playlist and I'm instantly in a better mood. Truly! What is it about festive tunes that can 'up' your spirits?

It's no secret that I totally saturate myself in every Holiday and Christmas is no exception. Actually, it's probably the Holiday I saturate myself most in (well, and Halloween - lets not get stupid). Cody always warns me that I'll get sick of my Christmas music and movies because I play them all the time. "Rubbish!" I say, "It's Christmas!"

The fun thing is, my boys are getting old enough to sing with me around the piano. My family did this all the time growing up, it's one of the reasons I wanted to learn how to play - so I could do that with my family. There was a book we sang songs out of called "My Picture Book of Songs" that has a few simple tunes for every season. Naturally, the Halloween and Christmas songs were our favorites and sung the most often. One Christmas song in particular was called, "My Christmas Stocking".

"I just hung up my stocking, the biggest I could find.

I had to use my Mom-my's, I hope that she won't mind (oh yeah, my Mom looooved that part).

I left a note for San-ta so he'd be sure to know,

I want it filled with lots of toys and candy in the toe."

It was so fun to sing and we loved singing it, but with only one verse? That didn't seem right. I don't remember how old I was, but one year my brother Marty wrote a second verse for us to sing that was totally perfect.

"Early on Christmas morning when I am fast asleep,

Santa will fill my stocking with toys and candy sweet!

He'll find the note I left him and laugh aloud with glee,

for what he brought is what I want

beneath the Christmas tree!"

Not to be outdone, my Dad also wrote a final verse to complete the song.

"After the gifts are open and Santa's on his way,

our home is filled with music

and treats and laughter gay.

It's always fun at Christmas

with trees and toys and snow,

to sneak a kiss from those we love

beneath the mistletoe! Ho ho!"

I just found the lyrics to those verses this year and the first time I sang through them I cried. Yes, cried. I was so flooded with memories from our warm little house on Center street. Singing this song reminded me what our home felt like on Christmas - the sounds, the smells. I so desperately want to create that for my kids. A warm, festive house that is filled with music. A few years ago my parents gave me my own copy of that old music book and this year I plan on writing in those extra verses!