My season of celebrating Christmas has begun. This year I thought it would be fun to document exactly how I usually get into the spirit of the season, through music, movies, and rituals. I’ll update this post as I go.

Friday, November 23

• Listened: Season’s Greetings by Perry Como, Christmas Party by She & Him, Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs by Bing Crosby, At Christmas by James Taylor

Saturday, November 24

• Listened: Let It Snow, Baby… Let It Reindeer by Relient K, Christmas Songs by Jars of Clay, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra by Frank Sinatra, Christmas radio
• Watched: Grumpy Old Men
• Did: put up decorations at my parents’ place

Sunday, November 25

• Listened: Christmas with the Rat Pack, Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens, Under the Mistletoe by Justin Bieber, Christmas radio
• Watched: Elf (first 30 minutes)
• Did: put up decorations in our apartment

Monday, November 26

• Listened: Songs for the Season by Ingrid Michaelson, Christmas is Here! by Pentatonix
• Watched: A Charlie Brown Christmas, remainder of Elf
• Did: enjoyed the first Chicagoland blizzard of the season, first ceremonial snow-scraping of the cars

Tuesday, November 27

• Listened: Christmas Portrait by The Carpenters, Snow Globe by Matt Wertz, Come On, Ring Those Bells by Evie, The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs

Wednesday, November 28

• Listened: “All I Need Is Love” by Cee-Lo Green & The Muppets, Light of the Stable by Emmylou Harris, Merry Christmas Good Night by Morning And Night Collective.
• Watched: Holiday Inn

Thursday, November 29

• Listened: Blood Oranges in the Snow by Over the Rhine,  Merry Christmas Good Night by the Morning And Night Collective
• Watched: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Friday, November 30

• Listened: Christmas with Johnny Cash by Johnny Cash, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald

Sunday, December 2

• Listened: Christmas Favorites by Nat King Cole

Tuesday, December 4

• Watched: The Family Stone

Friday, December 7

• Listened: Home for Christmas by Hall & Oates, Songs for the Season by Ingrid Michaelson

Sunday, December 9

• Listened: Jingle All the Way by Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, Advent Christmas EP by Future of Forestry, “Mittens” by Carly Rae Jepsen, Stan Boreson Fractures Christmas by Stan Boreson

Monday, December 10

• Listened: Advent Christmas EP Vol. 2 by Future of Forestry

Thursday, December 13

• Listened: Christmas Collection, Volume One by Sleeping At Last

Friday, December 14

• Listened: Oh For Joy by David Crowder Band, Pretty Paper by Willie Nelson

Sunday, December 16

• Listened: Christmas Party by She & Him, Snowfall by Tony Bennett, Songs for the Season by Ingrid Michaelson, The Songs The Season Brings by Beta Radio, Ultimate Christmas Collection by The Jackson 5

Thursday, December 20

• Listened: A Very Rosie Christmas by Rosie Thomas, Holiday Songs and Lullabies by Shawn Colvin, Family Christmas Album by The Oh Hellos

Friday, December 21

• Listened: Christmas with the Rat Pack
• Watched: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

Saturday, December 22

• Listened: Snowed In by Hanson, Rocky Mountain Christmas by John Denver, O Come All Ye Faithful by King’s College Choir

Sunday, December 23