LIFE FROM THE ROOTS: Advent Calendar - December 21, 2009 -- A Church, A Chapel and Music

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Advent Calendar - December 21, 2009 -- A Church, A Chapel and Music

This post was originally going to be the photos of the Church and Chapel my grandfather designed, but I always think of music in them year round, but especially at Christmas. So, this has become my creative way of combing the two. I have no memory of my immediate family ever listening to holiday music, but I sure do now.

Ah, the music, one of my most favorite things about Christmas. And, way before the month of December, you will find me playing my Christmas music. There is no one favorite song, I like the traditional, as well as the more modern songs. I usually start with my record (yep, a record) and play Handels "Messiah." Then move on to a few cd's, and for a number of years, I would buy a new one each year. I have ones by Neil Diamond (2), Elvis, John Tesh (2), Celine Dion, Dolly Parton, Charlotte Church, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Sanders Family Christmas, and throughout the year I will play Trans-Siberian Orchestra music, really, really loud. The Sanders Family Christmas album is actually from a wonderful Christmas play, a musical. The play was presented at our local Repertory Theatre about seven years ago, and was so popular; it was brought back the following year. The neat thing, for me, was at that time I was a volunteer usher, and ended up seeing it about 12 times!

Recently, a friend said she doesn't like Christmas music! That is hard to understand, I can agree with not liking snow, the shopping or the cooking, but music…it is so innocent, and best of all, it is free. Our local radio station plays it 24/7, and wherever I drive, I am in heaven.

While I can't carry a tune, and never sing in front of anybody, I belt out the tunes, esp. when I am at my beloved computer listening to my Christmas tunes on ITunes...what an invention is that. Several years ago, I got out a lot of the Christmas cd's from the local library and copied them to the computer, saved a lot, and had a ball. Now, I will pay for some, and recently added "White Christmas" and "Last Christmas."

Whenever we visited my grandparents, classical music was always on. No wonder, he was an organist at his church for many years. And, he could repair them as well. Truly, a man of all trades. I got my love of classical music from his house.