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The best thing about Christmas

Christmas is not actually my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving holds that place in my heart. But there are many things to like about Christmas.

It is the only holiday when all of our (very small) family manages to get together. There are the Christmas movies that I never tire of watching. Movies like A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, Love Actually to name just three.

There are the special Christmas foods. I will even admit to being one of those demented beings who actually like fruitcake. It brings back fond memories of my childhood and the fruitcake that my mother used to make.

Then, of course, there are the gifts. Who doesn't like to give and get gifts? Well, there probably are some such people, but their hearts are two sizes too small and they are known as grinches.

There are Christmas plants to enjoy, like poinsettias and Christmas cactus and, of course, Christmas trees. I especially love my Christmas cactus, again because it reminds me of my mother's cactus of which she was so proud.

But the best thing about Christmas for me is the music.

Christmas music should never be played before Thanksgiving and it should never be played after about noon on Christmas Day, but within that window of opportunity, I could listen to it just about non-stop without ever getting tired of it. Except for a few unspeakably trite and schmaltzy songs that don't even bear mentioning (but yes, I do mean songs like "Baby's first Christmas" - yecch!), Christmas music is the perfect accompaniment to my mood at this time of year. Whether it is "Jingle Bells" or "Silent Night," somehow it always seems just right.

Only two more days and then I have to put away all those lovely CDs for another year. I didn't actually add any to the collection this year. If I had done, it would have been Bob Dylan's album. Bob Dylan singing Christmas songs - what a treat that would have been!
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  1. Susan December 23, 2009 at 9:52 AM

    So what you're saying is... you want me to bring "Baby's First Christmas" for you to listen to tomorrow - done! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dorothy BordersDecember 23, 2009 at 12:15 PM

    Nooooooo!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete

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