Holiday Traditions, huh?

I never really thought I had any, just the usual stuff everyone else does.  Decorating a tree, wrapping presents, you know “the usual”.  But this year, as I’m merging my holiday traditions with The Scientist’s holiday traditions…  Well, there are definitely some differences.

ONE – The Stone household has always had a “fake” tree. (This is my Scottish roots coming out…Why buy a tree each year? Buy a good one once, and you’re set.) The Scientist’s household always does a “real” tree. I was told that Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the smell of a real tree. When I said candles had the same scent, I was met with a death stare.

FINE – “REAL” TREE it is.

TWO – The Stone household always goes out for Chinese food for Christmas Eve dinner. (Actually, I’d go out every night of the week if I could avoid cooking.  And who wants to cook at Christmas?  There are too many other things to do.) The Scientist’s household has always had a traditional Christmas Eve dinner – roasted goose and the whole nine yards.  Of course, my teen is quite upset at the prospect of not having Chinese for Christmas Eve this year, even though he doesn’t like Chinese food. “But, Mom, it’s my tradition.”

FINE  – ROASTED GOOSE for 3 and TAKE-OUT CHINESE for 1 (who doesn’t like Chinese.)

THREE – The Stone household loves happy, cherry Christmas songs. (I’m very partial to Bing Crosby’s crooner voice.  He should have sung every Christmas song.) The Scientist’s household has always listened to religious carols (Apparently, it’s a German thing.)

FINALLY I WON ONE – CROSBY’s WHITE CHRISTMAS it is!  And Peggy Lee’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, and Gene Autry’s Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

Growing up, we always opened one gift on Christmas Eve (which was usually some sort of Christmas pajamas, until I caught on and pitched a fit and refused to play along) and the rest of the presents on Christmas Day.  But in the world of split families, children must be shared. So, this year we will open all of our presents Christmas Eve, and the next day my son and his daughter will go see their other parent to open those sets of gifts.

And what will we do on Christmas Day without children?  I guess we’ll have to come up with some new holiday traditions!  Left over goose?  A little more Crosby, anyone?  Have you ever merged your holiday traditions with someone else’s?  How did you do it?  Do you miss the old traditions or have you embraced the new ones?

*Originally posted at Jerrica's Regency England December 17, 2012

"I'm dreaming of a..."

Anyone who knows me will be shocked SHOCKED that *I* of all people am writing about music. Usually I couldn’t care less about music in anyway, shape or form. Chalk that up to having been married to a composer for 13 less than stellar years, and I dare anyone else to feel differently. And just that fast I've gotten off topic.

Let's get back on track, shall we?

I do happen to love Christmas music. Well, some of it. And that shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, I am rather high maintenance from time to time. (Or always.)

So let’s get specific about Christmas music, shall we? I usually start to listen to holiday music the 1^st or 2^nd week of November. And no matter how many times I hear certain songs, I could always listen to them again:

White Christmas * Bing Crosby

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer * Gene Autry

Holly Jolly Christmas * Burl Ives

Blue Christmas * Elvis Presley

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree * Brenda Lee

Hanukkah Song * Adam Sandler

I could go on and on. Did you notice I didn't just list the song, but included the performer and the performance as well? There’s a reason for that.

Those songs are taken.

I don’t want to hear anyone other than Bing Crosby sing White Christmas. I just don’t. That song is spoken for. Gene Autry sings Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and he’s the only one who should.

I don’t want to hear Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, or Kid Rock sing any of those songs. I just don’t. Not now. Not ever.

These songs are classics. We all know them. We all sing along with… Bing and Gene and Burl. But these songs weren’t classics until these greats sang them (being loose with the term ‘great’ in regards to Adam Sandler – but no one else should sing his Hanukkah Song ever. It’s his! And it’s hilarious.)

I’d love to hear new classic holiday songs come to fruition by contemporary artists, something future generations will look back on with nostalgia. But there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel, no reason to cover these classic songs. They’re perfectly fine the way they are.

What is your favorite holiday song? Do you like to hear covers of the old classics or do you like them the way they are?