~Christmas Favorites: Carols~

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear"

~ Buddy the Elf

I thought it would be fun to make a list every week from now until Christmas of some of my FAVORITE things about Christmas! I LOVE Christmas, and truly feel like I get as excited as the kids! I don't so much care about the gifts (anymore;), but just LOVE the decorations, food, music, events, shopping, wrapping, food, movies, family time, etc.... Today is all about Christmas music! I am one of those people who start listening to it as soon as it hits the radio -right after Halloween (my dad would be SO disappointed! Along with morals and good behavior, NO Christmas till after Thanksgiving was something he made sure to drill into his girls-ha!), usually I get tired of it around end of November, and then listen full force till Christmas! These are my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!

• Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel- I love EVERYTHING about this song! I have talked before about living in bondage and captivity. For me it was alot of bondage to perfectionism, self-hatred, and striving to earn salvation. What a wonderful moment when the true nature of Jesus' love and cross dawned true! "REJOICE, REJOICE-Emmanuel has ransomed captive Israel!" I like this version by SELAH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfdD3pBUig
  
• Oh Holy Night-( song by someone who doesn't' put in all the fancy voice modulations-just sings it plain and beautifully-sound like a cranky old man-ha;) Just makes me feel in awe of what the LORD accomplished!
  
• White Christmas-Bing Crosby version! TRUE STORY: back before Thanksgiving Jennifer and I were walking through Kohls and this song came on, and NO LIE I was immediately in tears-ha! I am NOT a big crier, so it was a little unusual. This song just brings back SO many Christmas memories, and I think I was feeling a tad homesick;)!
  
• Little Drummer Boy-Jars of Clay! LOVE! This was always my FAVORITE song when I was a little girl...maybe cause I thought the little drummer boy was just a kid like me:).
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lasUhPa07w
  
• Carol of the Bells-Cause it's just pretty.
  
• I'll Be Home for Christmas- Harry Connick Jr. (spelling?-I'm too lazy to look it up-ha). LOVE, and this year I am SO ready to be home!
  
• Walking in a Winter Wonderland-makes me thing of decorating the tree when I was just a little girl-I like the Nat King Cole version.
  
• What Child is This?-a different perspective on the nativity.
  
• Silent Night-again, awe inspiring for me!
  
• Away in a Manger- sang by My Mother! I have vivid memories of her attempting to sing this song while our family drove around looking at Christmas lights! Let's just say there was a lot of starting off, stopping because the song had gotten too high or too low, and beginning again-ha! In her defense, that is a TRICKY little song to try to sing!

*That's my list....what are your favorite Christmas Songs?*