Month: December 2011

Seven Christmas Songs I Love (Plus 2) – Part 1

I loved gregmce‘s recent series of posts about the Seven Christmas Songs that he loves. So I started compiling a list in my own head to see if I could do as well as he did – could I slim down my 1400+ collection of Christmas songs to seven? Well, no, I couldn’t. But I got it down to nine! I was impressed – I figured I’d have at least 12.

My other big issue is that the music that I love is, well, not always what others love. So finding examples on YouTube like he did – not so much luck. But I’ll do my best.

The first song I picked to focus on illustrates my love for the King’s College Choir. I suspect that my love of boys’ choirs and the like is due to seeing The Box of Delights and a PBS special on the King’s College Choir on Christmas Eve at an impressionable age. I wore out my dad’s audio tape of Christmas Eve at Kings (but not before ripping the songs from it that I can’t find anywhere else!) My last.fm Christmas account shows King’s College Choir as my most played group, which is partly due to my owning so many of their Christmas albums.

My favorite piece that they do (and I have several favorites) is “Remember O Thou Man.” Of course, YouTube doesn’t have that, nor does Last.fm. (Indeed, it’s one of the songs I “rescued” from the Christmas Eve at Kings album.) But I found a nice, rather upbeat, version on YouTube if you’ve not heard the tune before.

In addition to “Remember O Thou Man,” I recommend the King’s College Choir doing “Alleluya” and “The Sans Day Carol.” I’ll talk more about “The Sans Day Carol” in another post.

Muppets & Things

The folks and I finally got out (in the rain) to see The Muppets today. YAY! (Picture Kermit the Frog shouting that for full effect.) We all enjoyed the movie. It’s quite the love letter to the Muppets. 🙂

Yesterday wasn’t a rainy day, however, and so the folks and I spent a good deal of it shopping and stuff. They came over here and we went to the local UCC for the monthly “all you can eat” pancake breakfast. Yummy. Their arrival finally prompted me to finish decorating and cleaning.

I then drove them to Brukner Nature Center for the Winter Craft Fair, dropped them off, then parked WAY far away. I’m a good daughter. The craft fair, as usual, was fun and I found a few items to buy. Both parental units found presents for the other, so a successful venture all around.

We returned to my place and then reconvened at their place. Lunch was at 4 Starters, where I had the turkey club with a basil spread. Tasty. We also went to the Hayner Center’s open house to see how local decorators decorated the place. (It was the Troy Public Library when dad was a kid, and he had quite a few memories of Christmas parties there since his mom was a librarian in P. Hill.)

We then decided to head to Crafts 2000 in Springfield to look for “ingredients” for my Christmas Craft idea. I’ll be making something for the female relatives and it’s a bit interesting and I hope it winds up looking nifty. Mom and I found stuff we think will work, but I haven’t started crafting yet. We also popped into Hobby Lobby, but didn’t find anything there.

Once we returned home, it was Wine Time. So dad got out assorted cheeses and nibbles and I had an Oliver Wineries raspberry-flavored cider while we watched my DVD of Miracle on 34th Street. Such a lovely movie. Probably my favorite holiday flick (definitely up there with Muppet Family Christmas and Muppet Christmas Carol.)

So anyhoo, a lovely weekend with the folks followed with an evening reading with Lucy on my lap. With my Monkey Face Snuggie, pine-scented candle, cat on lap, and eBook reader (currently reading Terrier by Tamora Pierce and enjoying it), I am a happy camper. Er, reader. Or whatever.

Come back, November! All is forgiven!

I have decided that November is the shortest month of the year. I know that February has more fewer days, but it takes FOREVER to get through. And November is over nearly as soon as it began. Quite remarkable.

Was noting with my students today that any countdowns going on in the HS are “Days until Christmas Break” where any countdowns going on in the Elementary are “Days until Christmas!” Yup, Santa’s more important that vacation to the little ones. But to the high schoolers (and teachers) it’s all about the break. 😉

Speaking of the break – We’ve got 11 more school days until 2012. Wow… And 3 of those days are exam days. I’m very pleased with the extended break, but, alas, Amy and Rachel won’t be getting in until my break is nearly done – the 29th. And they go back after I return to work. It’ll be great to see ’em again. I’ve only seen Amy once since last Christmas and haven’t seen Rachel SINCE last Christmas. Too long between sisterly visits!

Originally we were scheduled to return to school on the 2nd of January, which made me sad because my birthday parade will be on the 2nd since the 1st is Sunday. But because Jan 2nd is a federal holiday, the school board decided to make that a day off as well. Make up day being the Tuesday after Memorial day. I can live with that!

ETA: Thanks scalderwood for the correction. Whoops!