Christmastime, Y'all!
I love Christmas. I think most people like it enough, but I love, love, love Christmastime. Admittedly, this year has been tough. I’m definitely not feeling my happy elf-like self. Probably for more than one reason, but definitely because it’s the first Christmas without my dad. He loved Christmas too. He would drive my mom crazy making her run out for last minute gifts, stocking stuffers, or God forbid if we didn’t have an assortment of nuts and clementines for the dining room table. His motto was you’re not done shopping until that last store closes. And since 7-11 is always open, he was never done. Or rather he was done when my sweet-as-raindrops-on-kittens mom would finally put her foot down and tell him, “No, damnit!” <GASP!> Mom doesn’t cuss and she was the one to always make sure we remembered the true meaning of Christmas.
I guess I get my Christmas spirit from my dad. I’m that annoying person to play Christmas music the day after Halloween (or secretly in July when I’m feeling sad). I’m also that annoying person who gets stupid excited for the release of the Starbuck’s holiday cup (and the same annoying person who gets sad when they decide to not give us a holiday cup design and instead gives us a solid non-Christmasy red cup for the holiday season. circa 2013).
I love decorating, writing out Christmas cards, planning our Advent calendar, driving to Hampden to see the Christmas lights, shopping for presents, the search for and finding my very best holiday wrapping, wrapping each present perfectly, watching all our favorite Christmas movies/shows, and baking cookies.
....and yes, Christmas music is definitely always playing. And this year, it's been these Christmas tunes that have made me feel like my dad is close. If there's one thing that would surely disappoint Pop, it would be to half-ass Christmas. So I soldier up in my best nutcracker gear and march on! Today I give you my Top Ten Christmas/Holiday songs. Now I have to tell you in advance that this top ten was super-hard for me because I have about 5 hours of Christmas music in my iTunes and currently working towards that in my Spotify.
Anyway, here it goes:
I hope you're listening, Pop.
