With the holidays almost upon us, I'd like to share some questions I've had for many years about some Christmas carols:
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
And everyone telling you,
"Be of good cheer,"
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be parties for hosting,
Marshmallows for toasting and
Caroling out in the snow.
There'll be scary ghost stories and
Tales of the glories of Christmases
Long, long ago.
This is what I want to know: who the heck tells ghost stories at Christmas? As you tuck your wound-up, sugared-out darlings into bed, why would you scare the bejeebers out of them? They’re already hyper-vigilant, waiting for the sound of reindeer paws (don’t even get me started on that one) on the roof and the entry of Santa via the chimney. So now we’re sending them off to the Land of Nod with the idea that maybe he’s not Santa – maybe he’s a merry old ax murderer!
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Oh bring us some figgy pudding
Oh bring us some figgy pudding
Oh bring us some figgy pudding
And bring it right here.
We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
So bring it right here.
Does no one else feel threatened by these hoodlums? Terrorized by their incessant demands for pudding and their stated intention to camp on your doorstep until their ultimatum is met? For gosh sakes, who even keep the makings of figgy pudding around the house? The next thing you know, they’ll be lying down across the driveway, so that you can’t even head to Kroger's for ingredients.
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
Johnny wants a pair of skates;
Susy wants a dolly;
Nellie wants a story book;
She thinks dolls are folly
Nellie’s kind of a little snot, isn’t she?
The Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see
Pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the king
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
When we come
Need I say more?
On the other hand, here’s a link to my own favorite Christmas song from my childhood, probably because I was such a rotten kid myself:
http://susie1114.com/Christmas/NuttinforChristmas.html
And while I was looking for that link, I found this:
http://www.links2love.com/christmas_songs_womens_underwear.htm
It’s a sick, sick world we live in….
Winter wonder land used to be one of my favorite carols. Fond memories singing it in 5th grade I guess. But now I will forever have another cross-dressing incident stuck in my head (there is a story of an old friend with an ex-husband who used to "borrow" her unmentionalbles.)
ReplyDeleteHey Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've just realized what it is about you blog that particularly caught my eye? You have a really "tidy" way of writing! What I mean is, although your writing is whimsical, on occasion, you always seem come back to the point, and then "complete the loop" of the story.
That just occurred to me this minute, so I thought I'd mention it!
Matt
To Radagast, I say....
ReplyDeleteShe has a way of holding your hand, walking you out onto the fresh snow, telling you a few funny notions, and then bringing you back into the house by the warm fireplace where she serves you a milk and a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie. You have a good eye.
My favorite Christmas CD is by the Roches. Their web site is www.roches.com Their music reminds me of the author.
Oh yes, Jeanne, you are most certainly developing fans....or at least addicts! Count me in...Thanks for noting the humor in Christmas lyrics. I'm hoping Christ never tires of Burl Ives and Bing Crosby!
TH
HoodChick -- sorry about vandalizing your childhood memory.
ReplyDeleteMatt -- thanks! As you might expect, I search out humor blogs (and there are lots of good ones), but one of the drawbacks I've found with blogs is that, by their very nature, the writing tends to be spontaneous (which is great), but unedited (not so great). I've debated trying to post every day, which would improve my hit rate, but the only way I can do that is to put out stuff that I haven't spent any time reworking and almost certainly posting stuff that I now toss out. So, thanks for noticing the effort I put into writing well.
TH --Interestingly, NPR did an interview with The Roches on "Talk of the Nation" yesterday (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17100130). I'd never heard of them, so I listened in -- they're great! J
Hee hee - I've wondered about the ghost story part myself.
ReplyDeleteMerry SITSmas!
You nailed it! Ghost stories at Christmas, indeed!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog!