Christmas Songs & Carols

[Limehouse]

I know it's not fashionable to mention the real Christmas message but for me there is a real spiritual dimension to this festive period.

I recall cosy Christmases at home as a child many, many years ago now when we had little but were nevertheless richly blessed in many ways.

This song is always seemed to be playing back then and I absolutely loved it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em0P9zb3a3k

[Limehouse]

An odd couple indeed but a beautiful rendition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxNtRHwdkAg

[sleekviper]

Epic, truly a wonderful version.
Cantique De Noel-Mannheim Steamroller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLjnnjlB1D8

[niko]

Olentzero.

Hi everyone, I bet you haven't heard of "Olentzero", he is a Basque sort of farther Christmas. In Basque mythology he was a coalman who made charcoal and on Christmas day he would come down to the village from the mountain's to sell coal and give present's to the children, all the best, Agur.

niko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLP6xWCanCw

[Limehouse]

Thank you Sleekviper and Niko for sharing your beautiful and diverse Christmas songs and stories.

Here is another favourite of mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRUEtBA5Quw

[Celesta]

I know it's not fashionable to mention the real Christmas message but for me there is a real spiritual dimension to this festive period.

I recall cosy Christmases at home as a child many, many years ago now when we had little but were nevertheless richly blessed in many ways.

This song is always seemed to be playing back then and I absolutely loved it:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em0P9zb3a3k

I remember this, Julie. It was ubiquitous. It can put you in the mood for Christmas, can't it? Have a good one, you and your family.

[Limehouse]

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours Celesta and to all my casebook friends.

Julie

[Limehouse]

Stop slaving in the kitchen, pour yourself a drink and get dancing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLMZyiWeUYY

[Natalie Severn]

To All on Casebook,Have a great holiday-Happy Christmas and All the Best for New Year!xx

[Hunter]

Great Thread!

I think Silent Night in any version draws a tear and time for reflection. Most of the people who shared my childhood memories of Christmas have already passed on, but there are new ones to bounce on you're knee that gives you the reassurance that you are passing on a great tradition.

It is the one holiday that does offer 'peace and goodwill' in the way its truly meant to be... and lasting memories cherished by us all.

Merry Christmas everyone

[Adam Went]

"Amazing Grace" and "Last Christmas" (the Wham! one) are both pretty good.....heard one this week that I didn't know of before called "Mary, did you know?" which was very good as well.

Cheers,
Adam.

[mariab]

One rendition of “Silent Night“ that invariably makes people stop, listen, and emote is the one by Mahalia Jackson. I played it a couple times with everything but the Xmas lights out shorty before getting to the table to eat around midnight the other day at my Xmas Eve dinner party and everybody went WOW. Plus, another girl and me were singing backstage, low harmonies but an octave higher (contrasting to Mahalia's very deep voice) during the refrain.

Of course, before that we performed almost the entire Handel's Messiah (the Xmas related part anyway) with 8 voices, someone playing on my keyboards (turned into strings mode) and a friend had his trumpet along for the trumpet soli (esp. for the bass aria “The trumpet shall sound“.) :-)

The hilarious incident during the party happened when I started playing a really cool vintage Xmas record (inherited by my parents from the 1960s) on my old vintage record player and it turned out that said record player is kaput. It totally cracked us up that “Adeste Fideles“ by the Vienna Opera chorus sounded like a satanic mass.

There was also some dancing going on to jazzy, danceable Xmas music (Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, a jazzy version of “Rudoplh“, some Reggae), but the real hit happened when I played Pearl Jam's “Faithful“. The house ROCKED.

[Heinrich]

Today is when three french hens are to be given.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-UomLNjcL4

[DVV]

There is nothing like Nicolas Saboly Christmas songs in Provençal.