Remember December: J is for James Taylor

Many of you know that James Taylor is one of my favorite singers. I was so excited a few years ago when the Hallmark holiday music album for the season featured JT. He went on to re-release this album as "James Taylor A Christmas Album "with additional songs. With Dave Grusin producing and arranging the album you can also enjoy him on piano along with Chris Botti playing trumpet on "Winter Wonderland" and Natalie Cole joining James in a duet with "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

" Christmas holiday music is a rich and varied bag. It's true. These particular songs have lived in my head ( I guess it's my head) lo these many years. I'm lucky and happy to have the chance to put them down. And what a delight it's been to work ( play, really) with Mr. Grusin. " James Taylor

I knew James Taylor would be suited for a Christmas collection because on an earlier album "October Road" his last track was "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I loved his version of one of my favorite Christmas songs. When James Taylor re-released his Christmas album this is one of the songs he added. Listen to the timeless James Taylor sing this timeless classic. Enjoy!

Wonder

Wonder

There is faint music in the night,
And pale wings fanned by silver flight;
A frosty hill with tender glow
Of countless stars that shine on snow.
A shelter from the winter storm,
A straw-lined manger, safe and warm,
And Mary crooning lullabies,
To hush her Baby's sleepy sighs.
Her eyes are rapt upon His Face,
Unheeded here is time and space;
Her heart filled with blinding joy,
For God's own Son--her little Boy!

Author Unknown

Remember December: H and I are for Holly and Ivy

The Holy and the Ivy
a traditional Christmas song

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly wears the crown.

[Chorus:]
O the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour

[Chorus]

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.

[Chorus]

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn

[Chorus]

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.

[Chorus]

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly wears the crown.

[Chorus]

Sibling Assignment #84: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

I came up with the sibling assignment this week in keeping with a holiday theme.
" When we hear certain songs they take us back to a time and place in our past and stir up memories. Pick a Christmas song and reflect on the time and place it takes you." Silver Valley Girl's poignant memory of singing while driving home with my parents is here and Raymond Pert's will be posted soon.

I don't remember how young I was when I started watching the movie White Christmas, but the movie and songs are vivid memories. It seemed like in the '60's everyone in north Idaho had a white Christmas. Every old photo of winter shows snow. I remember traveling on slick, snowy roads to get to Grandma's house close to Christmas back then. I couldn't imagine the cast in the movie when they arrived in Vermont with no snow.

Back then the movie would only be shown once during the holidays. When it came on I felt like the holiday season had really started. Later it was replaced by Charlie Brown, Grinch, and Rudolph in prime time, so I had to stay up really late in order to see it. I remember one Christmas Eve sitting up after everyone else went to bed to watch White Christmas.

What brings back fond memories is the title song "White Christmas" . Partly because it is from this movie and also because Bing Crosby was attached to Spokane and Gonzaga University . We thought of him as some Spokane Saint or something. My grandmother held him in high regard. My dad loved to sing with Bing when he heard this song. Any time I hear the song now I picture Dad or Grandma loving up the hill from Gonzaga or the scene in the movie when Bing is singing to the soldiers.

Later when I owned my own VHS copy of the movie I created a tradition of viewing it while doing my Christmas baking. I moved up to this century last year when RP gave me a DVD copy of the film. All I need now is surround sound. Take a few minutes and enjoy Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas".

Remember December: G is for Gingerbread

Gingerbread cookies are another Christmas tradition. Whether the gingerbread boys are dressed up with raisin buttons or the girls have stripes piped on their skirts gingerbread people bring a whimsical flair to Christmas baking. I also collect gingerbread ornaments for a small tree in my kitchen.
My niece Molly made me a handmade ornament years ago that looked like gingerbread, but was a dough mix that was cut out, then baked. I know the dough had ginger in it. The ornament hung on my tree each year until my dog Emily decided it smelled just too good to resist. I came home from school one day and Emily had eaten the ornament! I guess if it gave her a tummy ache, the ginger in the ornament would help settle it.

Then there are the amazing gingerbread houses creative people make all over the country in contests each holiday season. Click here to see other gingerbread houses in a contest with the one above. Truly amazing!

Remember December: F is for Flocked and Frosty!

Although our area hasn't seen much snow yet, I look forward to the simple, quiet beauty of winter. I really like to capture images of trees that look like they have been flocked with snow. Enjoy a collection of photos from December of 2007. The sun caught this group of trees on a frosty morning on Highway 395 perfectly. The snow in the yard made everything look flocked. When the frosty night came the flocked trees were illuminated with a dark sky as a background.