by compound complex 28 Replies latest forum announcements
I have a station on Pandora that is Christmas music and I love playing it during that time of year (or anytime I feel like it). It just isn't Xmas for me until I hear Donny Hathaway's rendition of 'This Christmas' and The Temptations singing 'Silent Night'.
Adiva
It seems to me that Christmas is more a cross cultural service than any other. Our priest gave an ok sermon about the Christmas Truce during WWI. The trench warfare was beyond inhumanity. HIding time deep in the trenches, the armies could hear their favorite Carols sung by their enemies. All these armies were Christian with religious leaders endorsing the slaughter. One drunk soldier stood up on a trench and sang a Christmas hymn. Rather than being mowed down with gunfire, all up down the line, all the enemy soldiers started serenading the others with Christmas songs in the spirit of Christmas. Before long, they were visiting the enemy trenches. They sang rounds with each country singiing a part. Enemy solides started to visit their enemy treanches, bringing precious champagne to toast them and showing photographs of their families. Sports games ensued.
The leaders of the war were appalled and decided to punish anyone with Christmas cheer toward the enemy. There was talk that they could retake the situation and peace would be renegotiated. Death threats were administered. The celebrations ended. Soon all these friends ( almost all with invitations to visit the enemy after the work) were slauhtering each other again. We sang Silent Night in alternative verses of English, German, and French.
Until a recent film that was well done, this incident was largely buried.
I don't need to know Modern European History or any other field to enjoy Christmas songs. Art masterpieces, such as Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, bring me to tears without knowing any composition details. It affects my whole being. I feel these painters/scultptors reveal more of the holy than a million religoius thesis. The same is true of music. I don't need to know the libretto or the history. My whole body is overcome by wonder.
There's a first time for everything.
Good for you, CoCo! 
(I've sent you a PM.)
Christmas christmas time is near time for toys and time for cheer
we've been good but we can't last hurry christmas hurry fast
want a plane that loops the loop me i want a hula hoop
we can hardly stand the wait please christmas don't be late
Alvin and the chipmunks
Ah, it would not be Christmas without Alvin and the Chipmunks. I had hulu hoops.
Bonjour CoCo! C'est manifique! (i don't know why CoCo, but you always make me want to speak French, but that's about the extent of it)
Sounds wonderful! I had a similar experience this year. I love the holiday music and have been playing it every year; maybe even secretly the last year or so I was "in". This year I went to a Xmas eve service at a Unitarian church with several apostates from the board. The music was beautiful, lots of traditional and some old pieces I of course never hear. Eventually we invited to light our candles and stand and sing "silent Night," my favorite. So a first for me as well, and loved it.
We're breaking out CoCo!!!!
I don't like singing Christmas songs... not because of being a JW but because they are just so darn corny.
