Good morning everyone and welcome to week number thirty-three of Morning Cup of Coffee. Only seven more shopping days until Christmas!
Ok, the weather here in SoCal has been a little schizophrenic the last week. We had warm weather in the low 80s during the day that dropped to the high 30s at night. Then we had thunderstorms. There was frost in parts of Long Beach. IN LONG BEACH! It’s the beach!
I don’t get it.
Oh, before we get started, a very Happy Birthday to my nephew Justin Allen
I hope you are all dong well around the country in this week before Christmas. Our discussion last week centered on this question:
What Does Christmas Mean To You?
I think this time of year brings out the soft spot in all of our hearts. All of the responses were great, but I really like this one from Mary Ready:
“Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I have such wonderful memories of Christmas as a child (thank you mom and dad). From going to the train station to pick out a tree - to the home made tree decorations. The smells of all the goodies mom would make. She cooked for days since we usually had anywhere from 30 to 60 people over for Christmas dinner. I keep those memories alive and have created a ton more. I usually have my house decorated, cards out and most my shopping done by Dec 1st so I can enjoy the holidays and not be stressed out. I have several friends I love to get together with thru Dec and we try to take in a play or two. We will go see all the lights and watch all the Christmas shows on TV. But my favorite part is when Mike and I sit in the front room, look at the decorated tree and talk about what this time of year means to us. How blessed we are to have Christ, family and friends. Merry Christmas to all of you and I hope everyone truly knows how blessed they are.”
Well said, Mary. Well said…
Ok, now it’s onto today’s topic. First, the rules:
Rule #1 – Absolutely no politics allowed
Rule #2 – ABSOLUTELY NO POLITICS ALLOWED!
Since most of us are going to be eating big next weekend, let’s take it easy today. We are going simple with an English muffin or bagel. For coffee, my wife turned me on to this holiday flavor at Starbucks called Gingerbread Latte. And it is absolutely delicious. So, take a bite of the muffin or bagel, take a good long sip of the Gingerbread Latte and let’s get started on this eighteenth day of December 2011.
We are going to stay with the Christmas theme. This was inspired by my sister-in-law Linda Connally.
Part of the sounds of this time of year is Christmas songs. You walk into a department store and you can hear the songs playing. You begin humming the tunes and you don’t even realize it. Now, if you listen to the radio (and some stations around the country change their formats to all-Christmas-music-all-the-time), you would believe there are only about six Christmas songs. They play the same ones over, and over, and over again. Then they try to fool you by playing different versions of the same song by different artists. The other day on the way home, I heard “Santa Baby” by Ertha Kitt, The Ronnettes and Rickie Lee Jones all within the span of 45 minutes.
Of course I am being a little sarcastic. Actually there are many songs that really capture the season. Here are a few of my favs (am I too old to use the term favs?)
The Christmas Song – Mel Torme says he wrote this song in twenty minutes and it became a classic once Nat King Cole added his velvet voice. You can smell the chestnuts roasting on an open fire….
Go Tell it on the Mountain – My mother actually taught me this song. This is an African-American spiritual that dates back to the end of the Civil War. You don’t hear this song often, but when it is done right – especially by a gospel choir - it can be simply awesome.
Carol of the Bells – This one means a lot me because back in the day when I was a youngster singing in the school glee club (ok, you guys can all stop laughing – there was a time when I could carry a tune), this was one of the coolest songs to sing.
Hark! how the bells
sweet silver bells
All seem to say
throw cares away…..
When you hear it, you know it is Christmastime.
Angels We Have Heard on High – This is one song that for whatever reason I really like to listen to. This is another song you don’t hear it often, but it is a beautiful piece. I especially like the Glo-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-ri-a, Hosanna in Excelcis!
Christmastime is Here by the Vince Guaraldi Trio – Most of us first heard this in the movie A Charlie Brown Christmas. The mellow, jazzy arrangement just makes you feel like having a warm cup of hot chocolate (or as you know I prefer – coffee) in front of a crackling fireplace with the tree decorated and all of the wrapped presents….and I think the song title is perfect.
Ok friends, now it your turn. I know you have a favorite Christmas song. Is it We Wish You a Merry Christmas? How about O Come All Ye Faithful? Perhaps it’s Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmas Time. Or Joy to the World (not the Three Dog Night version). Whatever it is, write it down and share with us in this last week before Christmas. So, take one more bite of the English muffin or bagel, take another long sip of the Gingerbread Latte and start writing. Well, start humming and then start writing.
Remember that MCOC is now available on my blog INDEPENDENT WRITINGS at http://glenn-wilson.blogspot.com. Signup to follow the blog and pass it on.
Catch you all on the flipside…..
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