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
But it isn’t even Advent yet! Let alone Christmas.
True enough – I updated the post to “Christmastime” to be slightly more accurate. As for the early start, living with a Yuletide hedonist (as I call my wife) has compelled me to move up openly celebrating Christmastime to the day after Thanksgiving. So I’m just embracing it.