Chit-Chat: What's On Your Mind Today?

[peacheslatour]

Bob Rivers radio show was on here in Seattle for many years. I listened to him every day driving to and from work. I loved him. I saw his band in concert at a festival, Spike and the Impalers. He was a local treasure.

[Acmeproducts]

I confess I find morbid humor in Grandma got run over by a reindeer. 

[annzeepark914]

My favorite Xmas song is Jingle Bells by the barking dogs.

[Caoimhe]

 

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

While I love the classics, I absolutely love Bob Rivers's Twisted Christmas songs!

My top two faves:

• "The 12 Pains of Christmas" ("12 Days of Christmas")
• "The Restroom Door Said Gentleman" ("God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman")

And now I'm listening to and getting chills and counting how many lines Simon, Sting, George Michael, and Bono have:

"Do They Know it's Christmas Time?" (Band-Aid*)

Next: 

• "Last Christmas" (There is ONLY ONE VERSION: Wham's!)
• "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (Bing)
• "The Chipmunk Christmas Song" (DON'T JUDGE ME!)
• All of the songs by Josh Groban!
• Trans Siberian Orchestra (Sarajevo-Carol of the Bells)

*Kool and The Gang were the only American artists who participated.

I’m also very fond of “O Come All Ye Grateful Dead-Heads” and “We Wish You Weren’t Living With Us”.  I have to add the late Shane MacGowan (Pogues) / Kirsty MacColl version of “Fairytale of New York” to my list as well!

Edited December 14, 2023 by Caoimhe

[Browncoat]

And of course there's the immortal "Santa Claus and His Old Lady" by Cheech and Chong.

[Mindthinkr]

Evidently I’ve been listening to the wrong Christmas songs all these years 😂

[Annber03]

Add me to the list of those who like "Do They Know it's Christmas?" It always seems to kind of unofficially signal the start of the holiday season for me whenever I hear it. 

Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over Again" gets a lot of airplay in my house around this time as well, as does Squeeze's "Christmas Day". 

As for traditional songs, I've always liked "Silent Night" and "Carol of the Bells". 

[Acmeproducts]

I’m off to watch the old 90210. 

[ECM1231]

" O Holy Night" brings me to tears any time I hear it or attempt to sing it. It was my late mom's signature Christmas song, and she had the voice of an angel.

Switching gears...do any of you tip your postal carrier at Christmas? And if so, what do you think is an appropriate gift? I've never tipped my postal carrier b/c I was led to believe federal employees don't get tips. I honestly cannot remember if my parents did, or not. I tip my newspaper carrier when I pay the bill, which comes every 8 weeks, and then a separate tip at Christmas. I wouldn't even know who my postal carrier is as I never see him or her. We give our sanitation men a tip. We put the money in a card inside an envelope and tape it to the inside of our trash can.

[SoMuchTV]

5 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

" O Holy Night" brings me to tears any time I hear it or attempt to sing it. It was my late mom's signature Christmas song, and she had the voice of an angel.

Switching gears...do any of you tip your postal carrier at Christmas? And if so, what do you think is an appropriate gift? I've never tipped my postal carrier b/c I was led to believe federal employees don't get tips. I honestly cannot remember if my parents did, or not. I tip my newspaper carrier when I pay the bill, which comes every 8 weeks, and then a separate tip at Christmas. I wouldn't even know who my postal carrier is as I never see him or her. We give our sanitation men a tip. We put the money in a card inside an envelope and tape it to the inside of our trash can.

Oh goodness, I would never have thought to tip my postal carrier or my trash or recycle pickup people or really any of the services that I pay for through my taxes or fees. For one thing, I have no idea if it’s the same person or a different crew every week. I tend to think that services (or municipalities) set their prices as they see fit, and it’s their responsibility to compensate their employees. I mean, I know there are jobs like waitstaff where tips are expected and figure into the salary, but postal carriers??

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, ECM1231 said:

Switching gears...do any of you tip your postal carrier at Christmas?

As Executive Branch employees, they're supposed to only accept gifts worth up to $20 per occasion and never accept cash/cash equivalent such as gift cards that can be redeemed for cash.  I'd be happy to ignore that and leave it up to them, and used to try figuring that out, but they walk, not drive, from house to house in my neighborhood, so if I gave a physical gift it would be a nuisance to carry.  So I just take food (from a popular local bakery) to the office serving my neighborhood, which is allowed.

2 hours ago, Annber03 said:

As for traditional songs, I've always liked "Silent Night" and "Carol of the Bells". 

"Carol of the Bells" is the only traditional Christmas song I like; it has a slightly haunting quality that appeals to me. 

I'm more a fan of things like the aforementioned "Fairytale of New York", or "Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis" variety -- I'll leave the treacle to others, as even if it's an upbeat song, I'll go for one that's about the hardship of getting through such an over-hyped holiday of forced cheer than one wholly celebratory any day.

[Annber03]

19 minutes ago, Bastet said:

"Carol of the Bells" is the only traditional Christmas song I like; it has a slightly haunting quality that appeals to me. 

Yes! That's precisely why I like that one, too. 

[Ancaster]

On 12/10/2023 at 8:36 AM, JustHereForFood said:

All the talk about gifts made me think about this video. I'm pretty sure I know it from this site, but a little repetition can't hurt, right?

 

I hadn't seen this one, and please, keep them coming.

I don't celebrate Christmas, but every year, there's a day, like today, when despite the commercials and the lights and the relentless buildup, I'll forget it's coming up on Christmas and I'll set off to do something I would do at a non-Christmas time of year, like return a random item at the mall and maybe pick up something else I need while I'm there, and then grab a pint of milk at Trader Joe's on the way home, so I get in the car and then AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH I hit the traffic (but I'm already in the car I should just get it done), then the parking (Oh God, was this a mistake, after all?), and the lines at the checkout/return counter (why, why, why?  No, I've spent this much time already, imagine what it'll be like next week, and if you wait until after Christmas it'll be past the 30 return policy).  Four hours, for a $10 kitchen gadget.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Ancaster

[Ancaster]

To all of you lovely people who don't want more stuff and who ask your children not to get you anything for Christmas but secretly would love a framed photo of them and your grandchildren, please do everyone a favour and just ask them for one.

And for those of you who really don't want anything, just tell them, "No gifts please, but I'd love it if you'd make a donation to my favourite charity (insert name here, with website if possible)."  That way, you make it easy for them, they'll feel they've done something that makes you happy, people/animals/trees will be helped, and waste will be reduced.  Win win win.

Wouldn't life be so much easier if there were a few agreed upon rules that we stuck to.

And for goodness sake, if people tell you they don't want anything, don't give them anything.  Nothing.  Nope.  Not even that cute little something that you saw because, really, you've got to give them something don't you?  You can't give them nothing?  Because yes, yes you can. You can give them nothing.  They asked you not to.  Maybe make a New Year's Resolution before Christmas this year: "I will listen to my daughter when she says she doesn't need any more crap to put away."

[Ancaster]

7 hours ago, Caoimhe said:

 

I’m also very fond of “O Come All Ye Grateful Dead-Heads” and “We Wish You Weren’t Living With Us”.  I have to add the late Shane MacGowan (Pogues) / Kirsty MacColl version of “Fairytale of New York” to my list as well!

When people talk about the early deaths of rock stars or actors or celebrities as being tragedies and it turns out they were self inflicted deaths (drugs/alcohol), I often think of Kirsty MacColl, because her early death truly was a tragedy.  What a talent.  I still listen to her albums all the time.

https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube kirsty maccoll fairy tale of new york youtube#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:cfc06445,vid:qSkN4EXhBR8,st:0

[JustHereForFood]

My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night, in any of the languages I know, or even those I don't.

Interesting trivia about Carol of the Bells: it is based on Ukrainian folk song, originally celebrating New year, with new English lyrics added later (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shchedryk_(song))

 

 

[Ancaster]

For those of you who love traditional Christmas carols, The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College, Cambridge is unparalleled.

It's an annual event with the boys' and men's choirs, and the most prestigious role goes every year to one of the boys, who opens the service with a solo first verse of Once in Royal David's City.  It's absolutely ethereal and goosebump inducing, and never fails to bring tears to my eyes (and I'm Jewish).

Here's a link to last year's.  Or maybe not.  I see you have to pay now to get a copy, but I'm pretty sure it must be broadcast live and should be on the website for free for at least a little while.  I know I've never had to pay for it before.  It's on the BBC on Christmas Eve, mid afternoon GMT if I remember correctly.

Well, it's not copying the link (possibly because I'm in the library), but if you copy and paste this it should get you somewhere.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | King's College Cambridge

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Ancaster said:

For those of you who love traditional Christmas carols, The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College, Cambridge is unparalleled.

It's an annual event with the boys' and men's choirs, and the most prestigious role goes every year to one of the boys, who opens the service with a solo first verse of Once in Royal David's City.  It's absolutely ethereal and goosebump inducing, and never fails to bring tears to my eyes (and I'm Jewish).

Here's a link to last year's.  Or maybe not.  I see you have to pay now to get a copy, but I'm pretty sure it must be broadcast live and should be on the website for free for at least a little while.  I know I've never had to pay for it before.  It's on the BBC on Christmas Eve, mid afternoon GMT if I remember correctly.

Well, it's not copying the link (possibly because I'm in the library), but if you copy and paste this it should get you somewhere.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | King's College Cambridge

Is this the link you were trying to post?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct68vj
or:
https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/a-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols

 

I used to sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" in the shower, but now I almost always take baths with the TV on.

[Ancaster]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Is this the link you were trying to post?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct68vj
or:
https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/a-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols

 

I used to sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" in the shower, but now I almost always take baths with the TV on.

Yes, thanks so much!

I've been in my new place almost a month, and I've yet to have a shower, as I'm also a bath person.  I only have one (tiny!) tv, in my living room, so I read, which I love!  My new place is a 2 bed, 2 bath apartment, just for me unless I have a guest, so I am currently enjoying having both a dedicated shower room and a bath room, no shower curtain to battle with while I read!

Edited December 15, 2023 by Ancaster

[PRgal]

Another addition to the traditional carols playlist is Christmas at Downton Abbey (this is a Spotify link).  Some of these songs were also used at my alma mater's annual Nativity production (they just had their 95th this year.  I was, unfortunately, unable to attend.  I haven't gone since before my son was born!  May take him next year).

If you have Apple Music, you (might) be able to get the full Nativity album from my alma mater that was recorded in 2016...long after I graduated).

Edited December 15, 2023 by PRgal

[oliviabenson]

Rewatching derry girls and f is for family. I need background noise. 

[Suzn]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

Rewatching derry girls and f is for family. I need background noise. 

Oh, I love Derry Girls!

[shapeshifter]

I came out of Wegmans today humming a well-known tune about Santa Claus, and continued to hum it for hours. 
Fortunately after a nap, it was gone.

Speaking of Wegmans and stores in general right now:
There were so many attractive seasonal foods and gifts that if I was either a compulsive shopper or just a last-minute gift shopper, I'd have easily filled a large basket.

[kristen111]

32 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I came out of Wegmans today humming a well-known tune about Santa Claus, and continued to hum it for hours. 
Fortunately after a nap, it was gone.

Speaking of Wegmans and stores in general right now:
There were so many attractive seasonal foods and gifts that if I was either a compulsive shopper or just a last-minute gift shopper, I'd have easily filled a large basket.

I can’t wait for our new Wegmans.  It’s looks to be a very big project.  Do they have more than one floor?  Do they have clothes, toys and furniture?  I’ve never been.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, kristen111 said:

I can’t wait for our new Wegmans.  It’s looks to be a very big project.  Do they have more than one floor?  Do they have clothes, toys and furniture?  I’ve never been.

You may need roller skates. The Manhattan store has two stories, but I’m guessing the new Long Island store will just be on one story. 

Edited December 16, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[oliviabenson]

I spent $150 on seasonal treats at Aldi/Trader Joe’s. Help lol. But I had to try cannoli dip, ginger cookies, chocolates etc. I’m not even going to count the calories. 

And for Chanukah I scarfed down donuts with coffee. 

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, kristen111 said:

I can’t wait for our new Wegmans.  It’s looks to be a very big project.  Do they have more than one floor?  Do they have clothes, toys and furniture?  I’ve never been.

Wegmans is mostly just groceries, but, as with many grocery stores, there's a "seasonal aisle," and I think you can always pick up a pair of socks.
The Wegmans in the Rochester NY area have 2-3 seasonal aisles.
They also have a lot of personal care and cleaning supplies, and most (all?) have a pharmacy.

But Wegmans is not like Fred Myer in Oregon. 
Hrmmm...
I just discovered that such stores that are both a full-scale grocery and everything else are called "hypermarkets."

Edited December 16, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Bastet]

I got about half my gift shopping done today and feel pretty confident <knocking on wood> I can finish Monday (I do not do weekend shopping ever, let alone at this time of year!).  Unfortunately, two crystal pieces I wanted at Macy's are not available at any store in my general area and shipping won't get them here in time for Christmas (at least not guaranteed).  I'll have to see if I can find them online somewhere.

[shapeshifter]

2 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I got about half my gift shopping done today and feel pretty confident <knocking on wood> I can finish Monday (I do not do weekend shopping ever, let alone at this time of year!).  Unfortunately, two crystal pieces I wanted at Macy's are not available at any store in my general area and shipping won't get them here in time for Christmas (at least not guaranteed).  I'll have to see if I can find them online somewhere.

Or save them for the next birthday/Mothers Day/whatever occasion?

[annzeepark914]

Well...can't find Holiday Inn or White Christmas on TV.  I love to watch those old movies just before Christmas. I no longer watch It's A Wonderful Life...watched it too many times over the years, I guess.  If I were smart, I'd have already bought these Fred Astaire/Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye movies 😁

My Wegmans is one floor (started out with the wine shop in the basement but eventually put it on the main floor). It's a nice size...you wouldn't need roller skates.  But I finally visited another (new) Wegmans in a nearby town, that's located on the first floor of a high rise. We parked in the garage and took an elevator up to the main level.  It looked like a Walmart supermarket...huge!  I was really surprised and appreciate my own Wegmans all the more 🧡 

[Bastet]

28 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Or save them for the next birthday/Mothers Day/whatever occasion?

Oh, I will -- if I can't get them anywhere in time for Christmas, I'll buy them from Macy's for shipping and hang onto them.  But first I want to see if I can find them somewhere else, as I need Christmas gifts!

[Acmeproducts]

2 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I spent $150 on seasonal treats at Aldi/Trader Joe’s. Help lol. But I had to try cannoli dip, ginger cookies, chocolates etc. I’m not even going to count the calories. 

And for Chanukah I scarfed down donuts with coffee. 

I was at a dinner party tonight. Very enjoyable but so many calories. 

[ebk57]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...can't find Holiday Inn or White Christmas on TV.  I love to watch those old movies just before Christmas. I no longer watch It's A Wonderful Life...watched it too many times over the years, I guess.  If I were smart, I'd have already bought these Fred Astaire/Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye movies 😁

White Christmas is on Netflix.  Also coming up on AMC and Sundance if you have those channels available:

Sun, 12/17, 6:15 AM

AMC

Tue, 12/19, 2 AM

AMC

Sun, 12/24, 6:30 AM

AMC

Mon, 12/25, 8:15 AM

Sundance

Mon, 12/25, 1:15 PM

Sundance

 

I like Holiday Inn well enough, but I love White Christmas and must watch it at least once a year.

 

[theredhead77]

I hate "Do They Know it's Christmas Time". The song is highly problematic (Google can help out there) and, in addition to the highlighted problems (via Google), not everyone celebrates Christmas or cares that it's Christmas.

As someone who didn't get to celebrate Christmas or Christmas aspects in the house*, as a kid, but was dragged around to look at the lights and forced to participate in the "Christmas play" at school (lookin' at you, 1980s) and got to see all my friends open presents and have pretty lights & trees, I have a pretty poor relationship with the "holiday season".  I'm trying to change but this song and it's assumption that everyone cares that it's "Christmas time" rubs me the wrong way. 

*I grew up Jewish, we did Hanukkah but there was no "Hanukkah Bush" or "Hanukkah lights". My mom was staunch "those are Christmas things". I also wasn't allowed to have Cadbury Creme Eggs or other "Easter Candy" but there are plenty of pictures of me with the Easter Bunny. Therapy (and adult money) helps but I'll never change my mind about this song.

[kristen111]

16 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...can't find Holiday Inn or White Christmas on TV.  I love to watch those old movies just before Christmas. I no longer watch It's A Wonderful Life...watched it too many times over the years, I guess.  If I were smart, I'd have already bought these Fred Astaire/Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye movies 😁

My Wegmans is one floor (started out with the wine shop in the basement but eventually put it on the main floor). It's a nice size...you wouldn't need roller skates.  But I finally visited another (new) Wegmans in a nearby town, that's located on the first floor of a high rise. We parked in the garage and took an elevator up to the main level.  It looked like a Walmart supermarket...huge!  I was really surprised and appreciate my own Wegmans all the more 🧡 

To the Rescue .. You can watch Holiday Inn on Prime Video for $2.89 for 48 hrs.  Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire.   I watched it 3 times already.  😃

1 minute ago, kristen111 said:

To the Rescue .. You can watch Holiday Inn on Prime Video for $2.89 for 48 hrs.  Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire.   I watched it 3 times already.  😃

White Christmas is on Netflix or Tubi (free).  I think.  Probably Netflix.

[kristen111]

5 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

To the Rescue .. You can watch Holiday Inn on Prime Video for $2.89 for 48 hrs.  Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire.   I watched it 3 times already.  😃

White Christmas is on Netflix or Tubi (free).  I think.  Probably Netflix.

Yes, Netflix, but said it’s leaving soon.

[annzeepark914]

19 hours ago, kristen111 said:

I can’t wait for our new Wegmans.  It’s looks to be a very big project.  Do they have more than one floor?  Do they have clothes, toys and furniture?  I’ve never been.

Forgot to answer--no, they don't sell clothes, toys and furniture. When Wegmans first came to our area, the middle of the store looked like a nice dept. store's household section.  Round tables were set in seasonal colors with pretty china and glassware.  All that disappeared when they needed room on the main level for the wine dept. Their prices are the best of the 4 major supermarkets in my area. But I visit all of them as each supermarket carries some things the others don't (e.g., only Safeway now carries Dannon's Oikos lemon meringue, and Key Lime yogurts, and those are the only flavored yogurts I like).

[kristen111]

16 hours ago, ebk57 said:

White Christmas is on Netflix.  Also coming up on AMC and Sundance if you have those channels available:

Sun, 12/17, 6:15 AM

AMC

Tue, 12/19, 2 AM

AMC

Sun, 12/24, 6:30 AM

AMC

Mon, 12/25, 8:15 AM

Sundance

Mon, 12/25, 1:15 PM

Sundance

 

I like Holiday Inn well enough, but I love White Christmas and must watch it at least once a year.

 

Danny Kay and Vera Ellen doing the dance on the patio .. perfection !  I watch at least three times a week around this time, lol.   Plus when they dance to “Sisters” in the blue dresses.

 

[annzeepark914]

Lord help🎵 the mister, who comes between me and my sister

And Lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man!🎵

[SweetieDarling]

3 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I hate "Do They Know it's Christmas Time". The song is highly problematic (Google can help out there) and, in addition to the highlighted problems (via Google), not everyone celebrates Christmas or cares that it's Christmas.

As someone who didn't get to celebrate Christmas or Christmas aspects in the house*, as a kid, but was dragged around to look at the lights and forced to participate in the "Christmas play" at school (lookin' at you, 1980s) and got to see all my friends open presents and have pretty lights & trees, I have a pretty poor relationship with the "holiday season".  I'm trying to change but this song and it's assumption that everyone cares that it's "Christmas time" rubs me the wrong way. 

*I grew up Jewish, we did Hanukkah but there was no "Hanukkah Bush" or "Hanukkah lights". My mom was staunch "those are Christmas things". I also wasn't allowed to have Cadbury Creme Eggs or other "Easter Candy" but there are plenty of pictures of me with the Easter Bunny. Therapy (and adult money) helps but I'll never change my mind about this song.

For me it's "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Andy Williams) with it's upbeat chipperness. I despise that song after having worked retail for many years, where we were prohibited from taking any time off between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, and required to work extended hours, offering refreshments, etc to our customers. I've come to loathe most Christmas music, but have a few exceptions; And since the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line has been putting out (impressive) Christmas albums for charity, I've softened a bit.

No burning Hannukkah bush? My sympathies 😉

and, a belated happy Hannukkah!

Edited December 16, 2023 by SweetieDarling

[Annber03]

19 minutes ago, SweetieDarling said:

For me it's "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Andy Williams) with it's upbeat chipperness. I despise that song after having worked retail for many years, where we were prohibited from taking any time off between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, and required to work extended hours, offering refreshments, etc to our customers. I've come to loathe most Christmas music, but have a few exceptions;

I can't hear that song without thinking of an old back to school commercial that played it (or some version of it, at least) while a dad was happily skipping down the aisle throwing school supplies into the shopping cart, and his kids were just standing there glowering at him :p. 

But yeah, having also worked retail, I can sympathize with the whole, "This song again?" sentiment, especially with Christmas music. I worked at a bookstore, and we one of those sampler CD racks, the ones where you can press a button and hear snippets of songs from the various racks. So of course, for Christmas one year, we had that set up with some Christmas/holiday-themed CDs.

Well, after the holidays, there was a delay in getting our new batch of CDs sent in to replace the holiday/Christmas ones we'd had, so we got to hear that music all the way up through February. I lost count of how many times I had some variation of a conversation with a customer where they'd come in all, "Hey, did you know you've still got Christmas music playing?" and I'd just be like, "Yes." IT wasn't a big store and I worked there regularly, trust me, I knew :p. 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, SweetieDarling said:

For me it's "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Andy Williams) with it's upbeat chipperness. I despise that song after having worked retail for many years, where we were prohibited from taking any time off between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, and required to work extended hours, offering refreshments, etc to our customers. I've come to loathe most Christmas music, but have a few exceptions; And since the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line has been putting out (impressive) Christmas albums for charity, I've softened a bit.

No burning Hannukkah bush? My sympathies 😉

and, a belated happy Hannukkah!

It's not played only at Christmas time any more. Some allergy company is using it year round in their ads. And I hate it!

[SweetieDarling]

12 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

It's not played only at Christmas time any more. Some allergy company is using it year round in their ads. And I hate it!

I know, and it causes a visceral reaction that I can't put into words -like shopping in the mall (in the before times), walking past a store whose phone has the same ring tone as the store you work in. Deep breaths, deep breaths,..

 

[annzeepark914]

There's one Xmas song I cannot stand.  Don't know the name of it but I call it "The ADD Xmas Song". It's got a jumpy beat.  I think the refrain is, "Christmas, Christmas, a wonderful time of year".  Now the opposite would be Karen Carpenter's "Merry Christmas Darling"...very calm, very serene.  It's about time for me to allow Xmas songs on my car radio (two of my set stations started playing them on November 1st 😬). I did listen to Christmas music while decorating our tree right after Thanksgiving: a Swedish Xmas album and Jackie Gleason's Merry Christmas album, both bought by my parents back in the 60's. They bring back such nice memories of decorating our family tree ❤️💚

[kristen111]

Lots of musicals on this week.  High Society, Meet Me in St. Louie, etc.  Plus Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase.  

[PRgal]

On 12/16/2023 at 1:04 PM, theredhead77 said:

I hate "Do They Know it's Christmas Time". The song is highly problematic (Google can help out there) and, in addition to the highlighted problems (via Google), not everyone celebrates Christmas or cares that it's Christmas.

As someone who didn't get to celebrate Christmas or Christmas aspects in the house*, as a kid, but was dragged around to look at the lights and forced to participate in the "Christmas play" at school (lookin' at you, 1980s) and got to see all my friends open presents and have pretty lights & trees, I have a pretty poor relationship with the "holiday season".  I'm trying to change but this song and it's assumption that everyone cares that it's "Christmas time" rubs me the wrong way. 

*I grew up Jewish, we did Hanukkah but there was no "Hanukkah Bush" or "Hanukkah lights". My mom was staunch "those are Christmas things". I also wasn't allowed to have Cadbury Creme Eggs or other "Easter Candy" but there are plenty of pictures of me with the Easter Bunny. Therapy (and adult money) helps but I'll never change my mind about this song.

This sounds like my MIL who freaked out when my husband had to hold a wreath at a school holiday performance when he was a child (it was the 80s).  I'm a firm believer of sharing all cultures and had trouble understanding why it was even an issue.  I suppose it's because Chanukah wasn't even acknowledged much in the 80s?  Truth be told, "winter" (or ANY season) wasn't acknowledged at all at my son's recent school concert.  For us as a family, we do "Christmukah" and next year, it'll truly be Christmukah since the first night is December 25th (so yes, this means 2025 will see two Chanukahs).

[annzeepark914]

27 minutes ago, PRgal said:

This sounds like my MIL who freaked out when my husband had to hold a wreath at a school holiday performance when he was a child (it was the 80s).  I'm a firm believer of sharing all cultures and had trouble understanding why it was even an issue.  I suppose it's because Chanukah wasn't even acknowledged much in the 80s?  Truth be told, "winter" (or ANY season) wasn't acknowledged at all at my son's recent school concert.  For us as a family, we do "Christmukah" and next year, it'll truly be Christmukah since the first night is December 25th (so yes, this means 2025 will see two Chanukahs).

I love this...Christmukah!  And I'm so glad to see that Hanukkah (in North America at least) has taken on a bit of holiday sparkly festivity-ness.  Back when I was a kid, my best friend tried to bring some fun to Hanukkah by creating a Hanukkah Bush (she placed her gifts around a hassock). She would come over & help us decorate our tree. December can be dark & dreary so a bit of sparkle can be uplifting no matter which winter holiday you're celebrating.

[PRgal]

9 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I love this...Christmukah!  And I'm so glad to see that Hanukkah (in North America at least) has taken on a bit of holiday sparkly festivity-ness.  Back when I was a kid, my best friend tried to bring some fun to Hanukkah by creating a Hanukkah Bush (she placed her gifts around a hassock). She would come over & help us decorate our tree. December can be dark & dreary so a bit of sparkle can be uplifting no matter which winter holiday you're celebrating.

We have an electric menorah.  I'm wondering if they should start selling menorahs blue and "regular" coloured bulbs just to add some colour to the eight nights.  And more rainbow sufganiyot! 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, PRgal said:

I suppose it's because Chanukah wasn't even acknowledged much in the 80s?

When I was in elementary school in the late '70s and early '80s, we did a Christmas play and a Hanukkah play each year -- we were divided up into three classes, so one class got assigned the Christmas play, one class the Hanukkah play, and then the third class got divided in half, with half the kids assigned to each.  I don't remember if anyone ever requested to do a different one.  I did the Hanukkah play a lot, so still remember some of the songs.

It was a private, secular school, and I know both plays explained the religious stories behind the holidays, but I recall the Hanukkah play as more about cultural tradition and the Christmas play as more about the Santa version of Christmas.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Bastet

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

When I was in elementary school in the late '70s and early '80s, we did a Christmas play and a Hanukkah play each year -- we were divided up into three classes, so one class got assigned the Christmas play, one class the Hanukkah play, and then the third class got divided in half, with half the kids assigned to each.  I don't remember if anyone ever requested to do a different one.  I did the Hanukkah play a lot, so still remember some of the songs.

It was a private, secular school, and I know both plays explained the religious stories behind the holidays, but I recall the Hanukkah play as more about cultural tradition and the Christmas play as more about the Santa version of Christmas.

I spent most of elementary school at a Catholic school, so of course, it was religious.  We sang more 20th century, "commercially" type Christmas songs too, but it was mostly traditional and religious ones like Silent Night and Away in a Manger.  Middle and high school was at a historically Anglican school, so again, more of a religious focus even though the student body was more religiously diverse than the Catholic school.  I know that some non-Christian students were involved with the school's annual Nativity, whether it be the choir, as actors or as crew.  As far as I was concerned, no parent of a choir member (the entire choir was involved, regardless) objected and asked for their daughter to be excused (probably because the kid wouldn't have joined to begin with).

Edited December 17, 2023 by PRgal