Friday, December 7, 2007

Christmas Favorites

I really enjoy this time of year. I like hearing Christmas music everywhere I go and seeing all the pretty decorations. I have been surprised with how many houses in our neighborhood have lights out. It is just fun to see.

I also really enjoy listening to Christmas music. I generally try to get at least one new cd of Christmas music each year. M has been making fun of me because I have 192 Christmas songs on my iPod. That is all I will listen to between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I could sit at home in the evenings listening to Christmas music - sitting in the dark with the lights on the Christmas tree turned on. It is all still magical to me - even though I'm 30 now. Some of my favorite songs right now are "We Are The Reason" by Avalon, "O Holy Night", "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" by Avalon, "For Unto Us" by Bebe and Cece Winans, and "Worthy Is The Lamb" from the New Young Messiah cd. I am sure I am forgetting many. I really love listening to this music!

I also enjoy Christmas movies. My favorites are "Miracle on 34th Street" (both the old and newer versions), "Elf" - this movie is hilarious and genius as far as I'm concerned, "White Christmas", and "While You Were Sleeping" (M says this counts because they celebrate Christmas in the movie).

I have many good memories of Christmas. And what is really neat to me is that the things I remember most are not the presents I thought I "had to have". I remember making yummy goodies with my Mom (fudge, tiger butter, cookies, etc), listening to Christmas music while sitting in the dark in the living room on my Dad's lap, watching all the Christmas specials with my Dad (like Charlie Brown's Christmas), driving around Bishop Hills to see all the Christmas lights with my parents, the Christmas Eve service at our church when we were home for Christmas, driving to Oklahoma to see our extended family, and being out of school for a couple of weeks.

What are your favorite things about Christmas?

3 comments:

Susan said...

I love Avalon's Christmas music, too!! I love piling in a car on Christmas Eve with mugs of hot cider, Chrismas music playing, and going to see the lights. And going to see a newly released movie on Christmas Day after all the other fun is over.

Bellawhoop said...

I love Christmas music, too. Like you, I keep it on for the whole month of December. My favorite CD is one we got from Angel Tree one year with carols sung by prisoners' children. Their songs are different, so it's nice to not hear the same songs over and over.

When I was growing up, I loved putting the tree up and decorating it. Mom and I usually did it and we had so much fun. Sometimes, we made popcorn strings and we would usually have at least one new handmade ornament for the tree. I also remember driving around and looking at lights on Christmas Eve...that was my favorite part besides checking out my stocking the next morning.

Now, our only tradition is playing Christmas music, I decorate the house with garland and lights and all the little cutesy decor', and we put up the little tree from college. :) We're gonna have to think of some more traditions we can start when we have a family.

Bethany said...

I love the Avalon Christmas CD! It's in my car stereo right now. My fave song is the one that starts off "To us a child is born on earth..." I can't remember the exact name, but I always play it about 3 times when it comes on. :)