After driving around looking at Christmas lights (while listening to Christmas music) we are home for a quiet evening. There will be a reading of 'It Twas' the night before Christmas' and then we will wait for Santa to arrive! I hope I get that underwear I've been asking for.
So, once again it's time for those Holiday tunes to filter out of store speakers and radio stations across the country. Here are my top ten for this year. These are songs I've been listening to a lot this year.
10 - Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg. Everytime I hear this song it brings a tear to my eye and especially this year with the passing of Dan Fogelberg. I was actually watching a video (of this song) the night before he passed away. One of those songs with a great story. I've only heard this song once this year on the radio but thought I had to include it since I never tire of this classic.
9 - Bringing in a Brand New Year performed by BB King. A song worthy of playing as the first song of the new year. Very festive and a new favorite of mine!
8 - 2,000 Miles by the Pretenders. I've always been a fan of the Pretenders and love Chrissy's saddened vocals on this one.
7 - Zat you Santa Claus? sung by Louis Armstrong. Can't go wrong with this Holiday classic and it always makes me smile when I hear it. Louis Armstrong is just one of those people that make you wish you were born in a different decade.
6 - River sung by Sarah McLachlan. I first heard this song last year and yet another one that made me teary (a real man admits he tears up!). I also like the James Taylor version but Sarah sings it far better and makes it seam sadder for some reason.
5 - Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley. The Elvis Christmas album was the first Christmas album I ever heard (back in the early 70s when I first noticed a thing called 'music') and it gets played every year many times over. I've always wondered how the backing vocalists got there voices to do those weird harmonies. But that's for another day.
4 - Christmas (I remember) by the Smithereens (sung by Dennis Diken). A fairly new Christmas song that sounds old. US Weekly voted this song #5 of new Christmas Songs for 2007. I urge everyone to go out and buy 'Christmas with the Smithereens'!
3 - Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight) by the Ramones. Great song by a great (and missed) band. It's hard to think I'll never get to see these guys perform again.
2 - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year sung by Andy Williams. I re-discovered how great of a holiday song this was a couple of years ago (thanks Tim!) and besides (Andy and I) we share the same birthday.
1 - Baby it's Cold Outside sung by Dean Martin. Just a feel good Holiday song and one I've liked for a long time. You can never go wrong with a little Deano for Christmas.
In years past I used to start my Christmas shopping in September and ended up finished right around the week after Thanksgiving. For some reason this year I put off some gift shopping til' tonight. I finished shopping for my wife several weeks ago and did most of it online. Over the last 5 years I've grown to really despise the big mall. It's not the mall itself (I love a square building with a sexy marquee) but the people that filter around me. Some of them smell, some are rude, some ask you questions (I was taught not to talk to strangers) and some need a good foot stompin'!
So, maybe that is why this was the first year I did 90% of my shopping online. If you can find online stores that offer free shipping this turns out to be a pleasant experience. No pushing, no shoving, no foot stompin'! And how lovely is it to shop nude.. I suggest everyone try this next year - let's make it a naked Christmas party.. well, on second thought let's not.
On Black Friday I decided to go shopping at Toys R' Us... BIG MISTAKE... I went in thinking.. "I'm going to get some great bargains today!" I walked out empty handed asking myself why I thought this was a good idea. After only finding two out of the ten items I went in for I figured out it was easier to go home and go online than stand in the back of a line that wrapped around a store. It literally took me 10 minutes to find my way out. There were aisles blocked off so customers didn't feel the urge to butt in line. So, you were forced to walk all the way around the store, the line, the carts, people getting ready to hand out a good foot stompin', just to get back out.
I came home, went online, and ordered a ton of toys. I had to pay shipping but it was worth it.
So now I sit here relaxed and ready to conquer Christmas morning like only a Father can! I will have one thing to put together Christmas Eve and a couple things to assemble on Christmas morning. I wonder what it's like to be 4 again?
Hope all of you are close to being finished with the awful task of Christmas shopping! And watch out for carts careening towards your ankles.
After public demand became too much too handle I decided to bring my page back. There is too much to tell not to do a blog. I will bring many stories of hope, salvation and beer back to the blog.
So, sit back and stay tuned..
PS: I am so happy the Back Street Boys have decided to bring us new music for the new year. There is so much to look forward to.
I was born in a little town in NJ and now I'm living in a small town in PA.. sort of in the country (far enough away from any major highways). I was in a band in the late 80s; we weren't on MTV, we didn't sign a record deal, we played 4 shows, I played the keyboard & some guitar and once got on stage and performed a Village People song with the infamous TRAP DOOR. I've been working in the same printshop for the last 22 years (yes, I live an adventurous life). Now I fill my leisure time by doing activities with my son, my wife, friends, and various family members (in good standing)... the remaining time is spent blogging, reading & talking to the cat. Most adventurous of me are the following: I have been known on occasion leave the house without pants, root for THE EAGLES and THE PHILLIES, eat cold cooked craw daddies, perform karaoke (Timmay does a mean 'mack the knife'), watch every Stephen King movie that comes out (no matter how bad), and if I'm driving and see a squirrel I WILL SPEED UP! They are evil little creatures and are not to be trusted. Remember they love nuts!
9 - Bringing in a Brand New Year performed by BB King. A song worthy of playing as the first song of the new year. Very festive and a new favorite of mine!
5 - Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley. The Elvis Christmas album was the first Christmas album I ever heard (back in the early 70s when I first noticed a thing called 'music') and it gets played every year many times over. I've always wondered how the backing vocalists got there voices to do those weird harmonies. But that's for another day.
4 - Christmas (I remember) by the Smithereens (sung by Dennis Diken). A fairly new Christmas song that sounds old. US Weekly voted this song #5 of new Christmas Songs for 2007. I urge everyone to go out and buy 'Christmas with the Smithereens'!
1 - Baby it's Cold Outside sung by Dean Martin. Just a feel good Holiday song and one I've liked for a long time. You can never go wrong with a little Deano for Christmas.
In years past I used to start my Christmas shopping in September and ended up finished right around the week after Thanksgiving. For some reason this year I put off some gift shopping til' tonight. I finished shopping for my wife several weeks ago and did most of it online. Over the last 5 years I've grown to really despise the big mall. It's not the mall itself (I love a square building with a sexy marquee) but the people that filter around me. Some of them smell, some are rude, some ask you questions (I was taught not to talk to strangers) and some need a good foot stompin'!
