Music (and Beer) to Make Spirits Bright

At Christmas, we all get our ears blown out and go a little bit crazy by hearing the same holiday tunes over and over. We hear more renditions of Jingle Bells and Joy to the World than any sane person would want to hear in a month's time. Yes, some of those versions are really good. But certain songs still don't get enough play on the radio, in department stores, or on elevator Muzak.

Spousal Unit insists that being forced to listen to nothing but Christmas music for eight hours straight - as many retail employees are - would be considered a form of Cruel and Unusual Punishment, by military standards. I agree, which is why we should at least switch it up a little, please. Managers, owners, head honchos: why not add these songs to your holiday play?


  • 12 Days of Christmas by Bob and Doug McKenzie - Some of you may think this song is simply irreverent, inappropriate, or too ridiculous to be considered an actual Christmas tune. Au contraire, mon frere. This song provides enthusiasm for the holiday, and a broader cultural appreciation. People in Canada celebrate Christmas a bit differently from those in the U.S., and those variations are important to learn about. Plus, who has the patience for each of those days, anyway? We all have favorite verses; why can't we just sing our favorites? (And if everyone had a beer on Christmas, I'm sure it would be a much more relaxed holiday.)

  • Someday at Christmas - Seriously, this is the message everyone should think about a little more at this time of year. Someday, there will be peace on Earth. It's not going to happen in our lifetimes, most likely, but that doesn't mean we can't try. This song gives us pause to consider things that can't be put under the tree - the far more important things. I especially love Jack Johnson's version, which I heard a week ago - at a Saver's, of all places. Way to play some good holiday tunes, Savers.

  • You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Everyone loves this song, about the grinchiest Grinch there ever was. Why don't we hear it more? He has "all the lovingkindness of a seasick crocodile," a pleasant reminder to be in higher spirits than that at this time of year. Supposedly, it's not hard, as I doubt many of my readers have ever stolen Christmas presents. (Unless Mac of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia reads this.) Here's to less garlic and more candy canes in our souls.

  • Carolina Christmas by the Squirrel Nut Zippers - This is one of the cheeriest tunes out there. We get a delightful big band sound, giving us some respite from the organs and sleigh bells and high-pitched soprano squeals. No children's choirs, no deep messages; this is just a chance to revel in the fun parts of Christmas.

  • Here's a wild idea: how about we play a song that has nothing to do with Christmas? If we're going to practice any kind of religious tolerance and acceptance, shouldn't we listen to some Hanukkah songs too? Maybe The Hanukkah Dreidel song, or I Light It, which is an awesome Hanukkah version of Justin Bieber's song Baby (yeah, hard to believe, but it's awesome because it's not Bieber).

Comments

  1. momDecember 20, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    Give me Andy any day!! He is Mr. Christmas after all!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sally Anns and a Can of Spam

Image
Sally Anns are one of my favorite cookies. By their taste alone, they evoke a sense of home and comfort, reminding me of the kitchen at my grandparents' place and the simple happiness of mid-afternoon sweets. They're the only food that evokes the thought, This would be better with a cup of coffee. Making them was a good Easter activity, especially as I was stuck away from the family due to unpacking (the books are now free!) and yard work shenanigans (such as finding a dead mouse in the yard, which was lovely). With help from my mom, I found the recipe in the family cookbook (my great-great-grandparents are on the cover, and other awesome old pictures are scattered throughout). I decided that the transgression of buying a can of Spam (just once) was worth it for the sake of the cookies. Poke holes in the bottom of the can to allow for air flow. I didn't have enough butter for a full batch, but half of one made 18 Cookies of Unusual Size. I made the mistake of
Read more

The Beatles' Help! Scarf

Image
Remember when I posted about making Beatles-themed crafts after seeing Cirque du Soleil's performance of Love? I've finished the first one. Here's a refresher of the original Help! scarf. Source And here's my version: a massive thing that I gave my sister for her birthday. In these shots, it's wrapped around her neck twice. I didn't measure the beast before I sent it to its new home, but it's probably about 8 feet long. Made with Caron yarn on size 8 needles, this tube scarf was 40 stitches in the round. Each block of color is 20 rows. The only tricky parts are getting a smooth transition between colors and what to do with the yarn ends inside the tube, but they are easy problems to solve. When you transitioning, knit a normal row with the new color, then pull tight the last stitch of the previous color. That last stitch shouldn't disappear entirely, but it will be close, and your problem will be solved. Then, because this scarf
Read more

Data in Social Science

The science aspect of social science work is central to improving social systems. Data inform whether we are moving in the right direction or need to adjust our course. However, data and science must not be the center of our work; we must keep focus on children, families, and individuals, whose experiences are nuanced and filtered through systems that hold innate bias, which rests within the data . By maintaining awareness of these biases and their potential, we can keep people at the center of our work and focus on the true causes of injustice and pain that many families deal with. Lack of awareness can be a slippery slope to believing that individuals or families are themselves at fault for their situations, be it lack of housing, interpersonal violence, or other abuse. With data that are conscious of systemic issues and biases, we can examine the true issues at hand, such as racism , financial instability, and ableist policies.  What good are any manner of properly applied scientifi
Read more