Sunday, December 7, 2008

Tis the Season

I finished most of my Christmas shopping yesterday (not all books, but many) and today I made Christmas cookies at Roanne's with her and her son Theo. I've also started listening to Christmas music and wanted to share my playlist and get your suggestions.

We made two kinds: shortbread cookies with cookie cutters and these frosted christmas trees. In this picture, Theo is holding them upside down.

As far as Christmas music, I have two main playlists - one which contains Daniel's approved list and one to play when I am by myself . Let's start with the former:

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman by Aimee Mann
Blue Christmas by Johnny Cash
O Little Town of Bethleham by Elvis Presley
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues
Rudy by The Be Good Tanyas
Away in a Manger by Sufjan Stevens
Good King Wenceslas by Loreena McKennit

And then come the songs I love but Daniel just tolerates:

O Holy Night by Emmy Rossum
The First Noel by Leigh Nash
What Child is This by Josh Groban
O Come O Come Emmanuel by Carter's Chord
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Tori Amos
Winter Wonderland by Tony Bennett
Ding Dong! Merrily on High by Chanticleer

I would love to find good versions of the following:

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Do you hear what I hear?
Let it Snow
Silver Bells (thinking of getting the version by Relient K)
Oh Come All Ye Faithful (maybe the Faith Hill version?)
I Saw Three Ships
Rockin around the Christmas Tree (something not so cheesy)

What Christmas songs and versions are your favorites?

24 comments:

Alea said...

I really like The Christmas Song by the Raveonettes

Lenore Appelhans said...

Ooh, I just took a listen on iTunes and that sounds like something even Daniel could like. I'll play it for him and let you know :)

Alea said...

Oh good! Let me know! I think my sister heard it on the show the O.C. so that's why we downloaded it, he doesn't have to know that though! They had surprisingly good music for their soundtrack! :P

Lenore Appelhans said...

Ack - just saw you have to buy the whole album on iTunes just to get that song... no thanks!

Lenore Appelhans said...

Never mind, I just found the single! Now I just have to track down Daniel...

Alea said...

You can actually buy it as a single- if you type in the raveonettes! That's what we did :D

Alea said...

LOL yup!

Alea said...

How about this one- Carol of the Bells by The Bird and the Bee.

Lenore Appelhans said...

I LOVE The Bird and the Bee and that is just...wow! You are so awesome :)

Alea said...

LOL, they rule don't they! You know, I think it was a free download or something like a year ago! :D

Serena said...

I love O holy night sung by Michael Crawford of Phantom of the Opera fame.

Anonymous said...

Making those cookies looks like so much fun. Christmas is so special with little ones around.

Lenore Appelhans said...

Alea - Last year I got all the free downloads so it was probably the year before.

Serena - O Holy Night is my absolute favorite christmas song so I listened to tons of versions before picking Emmy Rossum. Michael Crawford's was probably my second favorite.

Alea said...

I need to start downloading them again, I recently stopped for no reason :(

Linda said...

I'm listening to Christmas music right now too! I love the new Melissa Etheridge Christmas CD - especially the song Ring The Bells! I love all of the Josh Groban songs on NOEL, and one of my new favorites is I'll Be Home for Christmas by Rascal Flatts.

Fyrefly said...

Upside-down they kind of look like oak leaves! I've got Christmas cookies on the tap for next weekend - hopefully they'll come out as good as yours!

Ali said...

I love Maddy Prior (It's actually Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, for her Christmas stuff). for Christmas music, but she's a little different in style. She has a version of I Saw Three Ships. She also does a lovely version of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, but it's not the same tune (I think it's older).

Marie Cloutier said...

Great picture- so cute.
Favorite Christmas songs:
God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan.
Adeste Fidelis- Bing Crosby (the classic- in Latin!)
Marshmallow World- Brenda Lee
so many. i could go on and on. i collect christmas music. :-)

Amy said...

Third Day (a Christian rock band) has a version of Do you hear what i hear? that I like.

and Casting Crowns has the most breathtakingly gorgeous version of O Come O Come Emmanuel on their Christmas album. It's so beautiful I've listen to it on repeat for days.

Just had to say.

Lenore Appelhans said...

Linda - I'll have to "steal" some of your music when I'm home.

Good luck with your cookies Fyrefly!

Ali - Thanks! I just bought I saw Three Ships. Daniel loves Irish music and Maddy is great.

Marie - That Bing Crosby is beautiful!

Amy - I think these are lovely too, but Daniel really doesn't like this style.

allisonmariecat said...

Wow, my Christmas playlist is boring. Mostly Elvis, Bing, Nat King Cole, and Harry Connick, Jr. I need to go download some of these suggestions...

Amber said...

Emmy Rossum has a beautiful voice - good choice! You and Daniel both have good taste :) My favorite Christmas song is White Christmas by Bing Crosby.

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

Awesome playlist, I need to find the Aimee Mann song. I love Fairytale of NY by The Pogues and the Sinead O'Connor version.

Here are a few more punkish styled tracks we've added to our xmas playlist this year:

First Noel by Bad Religion
A Great Big Sled by The Killers
Do You Hear What I Hear? by Copeland

Ladytink_534 said...

I'm afraid that Christmas novelty songs and ones from the Rankin/ Bass Christmas specials are my favorites lol. Oh and I also like all if Bing Crosby's Christmas songs (except for Let it Snow which I really, really, really don't like).