Treeless…

It’s the first year in many that I elected not to put up my trees. It’s seemed a little odd but after opening my home to some friends today, I don’t regret the decision. It’s been the company that has made me feel the spirit of the season and I’m glad for that.

I’m also happy to have had the money to make a home improvement that has been on my mind for almost as long as I’ve been in this apartment: I installed a new medicine chest in my bathroom. The fact that people were coming over pushed me to take care of it.

Good talk, good food, relaxed times. Certainly I get wound up hoping everyone will get along, that there will be enough of everything. But when I sit back and relax, it’s all already happening. And in the aftermath I’m relieved and drained all at once.

Happy Holidays Y’all…

Got this dvd at the TES gift exchange and not only does it have completely acceptable holiday music (played on solo acoustic guitar), but it’s the first Yule log video I’ve ever seen with footage of someone adding wood to the fire. Usually the loop is so short you never see the fire being tended to ( the classic WPIX log is about six and a half minutes), but while I was watching, somebody just tossed a log on! I don’t know why I find that so satisfying.

here’s hoping that all the rest of your experiences make you feel as good.

New Worst xmas song ever?

Yes, we’re hating all xmas music right now but this season I’ve fixated on one hideous song in particular to rant about: Sir Paul McCartney’s “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time”. Since contemporary stations can’t wait around for James Ingram to cover the entire Andy Williams songbook, they play crap like this. Why do I hate it? Flabby trotting melody, lyrics that recreate someone looking around the room and finding nothing remarkable in the act, gratuitous-counterpoint-singing children’s chorus. Beneath it all is my sneaking suspicion that Sir Paul only wrote it because he couldn’t stand that John Lennon’s Xmas song grows more popular every year, even with an overwrought cover by Melissa Etheridge.

I wanted to list my favorite xmas songs here but my mind is so befuddled that I can’t even remember them. Hmmm – “Mambo Santa Mambo” “Holly Jolly Xmas” (which I used to freak out my ex with by chasing him around the apartment and singing holly jolly holly jolly over and over again) National Lampoon’s “Kung Fu Christmas” “Good King Wenceslaus” and there are another couple in there some where.

Ah! on reflection I’ve figured it out – my fave is “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” for it’s melancholic undercurrents and time skipping lyric.

Another Seasonal Musing – Ask people what is the most popular Xmas carol and most folks will say “Jingle Bells”. But the lyrics never…mention….Xmas…at…all! OOOOOOooooooo weird eh?

(Ok I’ll admit it, I’m bored and resentful here at work)