From My Favorite Tunes to Yours

Gosh, Christmas Eve is a week from today. How is that even possible? The good news is I'm nearly ready, though I have several post office trips to make this week. And a few last minute goodies (aren't there always last minute errands?) to grab, including one stop actually on Christmas Eve. Yikes. Fingers crossed Hayley will cooperate...

In the meantime, I thought a few fun, festive posts would be a good change from the serious and the stress. So, I'm sharing one of my sanity-saving secrets for the holidays: feel-good tunes. I love Christmas music. I'm always ready to give it up by Christmas, since we listen to it nonstop. But, it's also bittersweet to know I won't hear it again until after Thanksgiving. So here is a list of my favorites. You know, those songs that I crave and can't help but sing along to while decorating, wrapping, or recovering from the store crowd battles. Pipe in with some of yours. Happy Howling!
 

Thanks to Scribbles from Emily for free image

• Christmas in Dixie :: Alabama
• Tender Tennessee Christmas :: oddly, also Alabama
• All I Want for Christmas :: Mariah Carey
• Miss You Most at Christmas Time :: Mariah Carey (she might be one of my fave holiday singers)
• Baby, It's Cold Outside :: So many good versions (and some not so good) Leon Redbone + Zooey Deschanel (Elf) is great, and you can't go wrong with the classic Dean Martin
• It's a Marshmallow World :: Dean Martin
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) :: Mariah Carey (told you)
• A New York Christmas :: Rob Thomas
• O Holy Night :: As long as a person can sing, it's hard to find a bad version. Here's a poll on this http://popwatch.ew.com/2013/12/14/o-holy-night-best-version-christmas/
• Merry Christmas, Baby :: Ray Charles
• That Spirit of Christmas (featured in Christmas Vacation) :: Ray Charles
• Grown Up Christmas List :: I like Amy Grant's & Kelly Clarkson's versions
• Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays :: N Sync (don't judge)
• I'll Be Home for Christmas :: Oodles of versions, but Bing is original
• Someday at Christmas :: Stevie had the original, but Jackson 5 also did it justice. Justin Bieber can stop ruining Christmas songs anytime.

I love so many other songs during the season, but these are the ones I long for in July and can't stop singing between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If Graham hears All I Want for Christmas, or sees me watching Love Actually, one more time, he might hand me divorce papers for Christmas. I'm kidding (I hope).

As a special bonus, here's an oddball song you might not know. It's quirky, fun, and will absolutely invade your brain (and a funny video parody): Dominic, the Christmas Donkey. You're welcome.

Merry Christmas singing!