A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2
Written by Helga
Friday, 10 December 2010 01:44
So I already went on about some ‘stuff’ I do buy and enjoy. How about some stuff I enjoy for free around the holidays?
While I do not appreciate the fact that one of the local radio stations started playing Christmas carols 24/7 on November 1, I do enjoy a few choice festive tunes.
- “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” – my kids sing along and laugh themselves silly over this song. It’s funny to see them get so worked up over it!
- Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” – it reminds me of when I was a kid
- The Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping” which came out in 1981. I love this song, it reminds me of some fun moments with my sisters in the early 1980′s. It’s a mixed bag of emotions, though, because it also reminds me of one of my sisters that I haven’t had a relationship with in 7 1/2 years. I miss her but she has her reasons for the split, not all I can understand but have no choice but to respect. (Note: I only just recently heard that the lead singer Patty Donahue passed away in 1996 after a brief battle with lung cancer at age 40.)
- “Jungle Bell Rock” by Hall & Oates. Another one of those 80′s favorites that brings back fun memories.
- Madonna’s “Holiday“. Again, that 80′s thing.
- “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid, written by Bob Geldof & Midge Ure, 1984. One of those iconic songs from the 80′s that never sounds dated thanks to all the talent that contributed, and the first song, I think, that made me realize at age 14 that it wasn’t all about me - even though I certainly thought it was. There were rare moments when I would be at a friend’s house and catch the video on MTV, score! I would eagerly watch the different artists wearily give it their all in sweats & ponytails, smoking cigarettes while singing (!) looking very un-glamorous. I would pick apart the video (why does the camera fall on Sting as he sings the line ‘bitter sting of tears’? Hmm?) like teens obsessively do. I read somewhere that it took something like 20 hours in a row to get it all sung & filmed, since getting all these stars together in one place in one city for a project like this is no small feat. My kids love this song as well.
I love the Charlie Brown Christmas special. How can you not feel a bit wistful and nostalgic when you hear ‘Christmastime is Here“? You would have to be a rock not to be moved by it, religious or not. And it was always on CBS (channel 4 in Dallas, Texas!) precluded by this, which let you know sumpin’ special was coming on:
I love sitting by the fire or wood stove on my duff allowing myself to do nothing productive, to clean not a thing, fold not one piece of laundry, just reading and lazing. I don’t know why I wait until the holidays to do this. I’m learning.
I am also enjoying watching my kids play together. They are very close and while they have plenty of moments where they bicker, or have had enough of each other’s company for a while, they just love to play endlessly. They play with Legos & Playmobil, building cities and stories, read together, have a sleepover every Friday night where they stay up way too late chit-chatting and laughing. I feel very, very fortunate that they like each other so much. My three sisters and I fought so much, we were hardly ever on each others side. My husband is baffled by this, he and his sister were always looking out for each other, even when they weren’t necessarily getting along. I kvell when I hear Max from another room just say out of nowhere, “I just love you, Sophie” and then they continue on with whatever they were doing. That is a blessing.
Happy holidays, however you celebrate.
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A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 – http://bit.ly/f8SjGb Nothing to buy, just enjoy
A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 – 80's memories http://bit.ly/f8SjGb
A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 http://bit.ly/f8SjGb
A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 http://bit.ly/f8SjGb (a good 80's holiday tune is always welcome1)
A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 – http://livegreenmom.com/2010/12/few-favorite-things-part-2/
Being a Houston,Texas girl, living in NE, teen in the ’80′s, I could sooo relate to your post! It all came flooding back. The Waitresses (a favorite for me and my sis). Band-Aid…yelling for everyone to come to the den when the video came on MTV. And, it isn’t Christmastime for me until the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is playing through the house. As Linus so humbly says, “…and that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” thanks for the memories!
Ahhh, another Texas teen of the 80′s! Then you get it! I knew I wasn’t the only one! Thanks for sharing the moment with me. Vivid days!
Christmas music is one thing that I cherish every year. We play it on almost a constant loop at this house. I grew up with certain CDs playing and those are still the ones that mean the most to me today!
Great list, thanks for sharing.
I cannot listen to it constantly but I feel like I won something when I turn on the radio and catch one of these songs. Score! Thanks again for stopping by Abbie!
A Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2 http://bit.ly/f8SjGb The stuff you can't buy. Well, I guess you could…
What a great list! Thanks for sharing.
It is so rare for my kids to have those tender moments -when they do happen it makes up for all of the bickering and other stuff that comes along with sibling rivalry. I didn’t get along with my siblings growing up and now I can say they are my closest friends. I have to remind myself of this several times a day!! Happy Holidays.