I have a hard time with the holidays because my childhood sucked. I won't bore you with the details, because it's an old story and you can figure it out yourself: bad marriages, alcoholism, dysfunction, abuse, trauma, poverty, and a partridge in a pear tree. I'm better now and my Christmases are usually beyond great; in fact, they eclipse the past so that the past should be mostly ashes. But it's not. Because Christmas is full of nostalgia. This time of year it's natural to reflect. Year-end office parties. Best-of lists. "For your consideration" Oscar ads. Clearance sales. Award shows. Christmas show marathons. The past shows up on the record player and the groove goes on, and on, and on. Which is my problem with it.
So much Christmas music is the same old groove, the same old songs, over and over and over. How many times do we need to hear another version of the, excuse me, old chestnut, "The Christmas Song?" Don't get me wrong. Live, these songs should be sung. Then, they come to life. Then, they are in the present. But another recording of the same old thing? Save me. As my friend Penny used to say in college, gag me with a spoon.
However, I adore music, and so every year I dig through the holiday bins looking for something new. I'm all for new interpretations of "classics," whatever the hell they are, if they feel like new. If they are about the future, or the present, instead of the past. But I approach that bin with trepidation because it's so damned easy for record companies, and artists, to just do it again. Stick Celine Dion or Sarah MacLachlan in the studio and give her the hymnal, and out will pop the same old Christmas record. Yawn. So it is with great relief and even joy that I found Aimee Mann's Christmas record. I downloaded it to give to a friend. Don't get me wrong, I adore Aimee, and have since she went solo and shed that record-company-bullshit she had going on with Til' Tuesday. I still think "J for Jules" is a masterpiece. But I digress. Now I find myself listening to it a lot, and this song in particular. Because it's fresh. Because it's about the experience of Christmas, right now. Not some imaginary Christmas you might have never had.
I've never had a television, animated, deck-the-halls-with-holly Christmas. Never. My experience of Christmas is my family and my friends getting through it as best I can. Sharing gifts with them because I love them. Trying to survive memories of shit I'd rather forget. Realizing I am an okay person. Looking past all that to see what Christmas might really be about. Love, despite everything.
Calling on Mary is voluntary, Unless you're alone like me If there's a star above, then it can look like love, When they light up the Christmas tree.
And to all the lost souls down below: Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas. What's one more drifter in the snow? Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
My Trusted MOGs
Christmas is about love. No doubt whatsoever.
Peace to you this holiday.
My Trusted MOGs
I am glad to hear your Christmases are better than they were. That's a very good thing.
You know, it is surprising that with Christmas being such a major holiday, that we don't get many new offerings. I had never thought about it until you said it. It may be because there is so much nostalgia involved - so, the same songs take us to the same place every year and that's why. But, I love the classics so it's no biggie to me. My only beef is that I am on a never-ending (but half hearted) quest to find the perfect version of O Holy Night.
My Trusted MOGs
Have you heard Leigh Nash's version? It's pretty cool. I'm not sure it's perfect, but I like it.
My Trusted MOGs
I've just bought it. It's very pretty. I heard a version once on the radio a few years ago. It was a man singing and when he got to the "fall on your knees" part I got goosebumps and felt a little quivery - he had a very powerful voice. I've never been able to find one as good as that.