Monday, 8 December 2014

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

With only four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas the season feels a little rushed. Granted, most years it feels rushed because of trying to coordinate parties, gifts, time off, etc. But this year in particular feels like there isn't as much time. I'm just glad that there should be enough time to listen to the music, sign the songs, watch the movies, and read the stories that make the season special.

Once tradition that I started last year was listening to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. While I can usually remember all the important bits when it comes to plot and character, I forget the subtle tidbits that really bring the story alive. I find my eyes filling with tears as Scrooge witnesses the grief of Tiny Tim's family and I cheer at his transformation from wretched miser to loving caretaker. It is a great reminder that "mankind is our business" and we are to mind it as carefully as we would any financial undertaking which would bring us gain. We've already watched one version of the movie together as a family (the Muppet Christmas Carol) and it was fun to watch Kanga as she began to realize what the story was about. As we explained a few things we could see the wheels turning. She
might be ready to watch the George C. Scott version soon (my personal favorite version).

Something else I'm looking forward to is watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert from 2004 with Frederica von Stade and Bryn Terfel. My grandmother gave us the DVD of the concert the for Christmas in 2006 and I look forward every year to watching it. The music is so wonderful and it's a fun performance to watch. None the least because of Bryn Terfel's Welsh flag. The whole production is fantastic.

I also enjoy the music. Most of the stuff on the radio is okay. I do hate the song "Christmas Shoes." What I really like is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Josh Groban, and The Piano Guys. I realize that all of those groups have non-Christmas albums and I like those too, but I really like their Christmas stuff. Particularly The Piano Guys. There is something about sitting on the couch with the tree lit reading a book while soft piano (and cello) plays. Such are treasured moments.

I really love the Christmas season and am glad that I can spend it with my family.

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