the most wonderful time of the year

words cannot express my feelings about christmas. i just love it! i love everything about it. it's not even the day or the gifts that i love... it's the whole season. everything is just better at christmastime. tress are all pretty and lit up and there are ugly sweater parties galore and people go ice skating and sing carols and do good things for others. i think christmas is the most romantic time of the year... which is sometimes bittersweet, but mostly just wonderful.
one of my very favorite things about christmas is the music. i know there are a lot of people who can't stand it, but i really think i could listen to christmas music year-round. i always listen to it before thanksgiving too. this is the list of my top ten favorite christmas songs:
1-winter wonderland. this is been my very favorite christmas song for as long as i can remember. my favorite version is amy grant's. i'm not sure why... she skips a whole verse, but i just love it. i can remember back in like 5th grade dancing around the living room and singing to it. so good.
2-have yourself a merry little christmas... the judy garland version. meet me in st. louis is one of my favorite movies, and she sings this song in it. i love it.
3-o holy night. this is my dad's favorite, and that might be one of the reasons that it's mine too. i really like rachael lampa's version... she sang it at my church and it gave me goosebumps. it's just such a pretty song, and it's such a great reminder of the reason for the season :)
4-carol of the bells. this song screams christmas to me... i think it's so awesome and beautiful and sometimes kinda creepy in a weird way. but so so good! since i love boys choirs, i love the vienna boys choir* version.
5-silent night. this one is so simple, and so good. katie herzig does a really beautiful version. or if you want a special monologue that rhymes, listen to the 98 degrees version. it makes me chuckle every time.
6-christmastime by michael w. smith. i love children's choirs and piano. this song is so cool.
7-baby, it's cold outside. i think this song is so cute and wonderful. i love zooey deschanel's voice and her version from elf.
8-rockin around the christmas tree... also amy grant's version. this song is super fun. i just love her whole christmas album (home for christmas)... it's my all time favorite i think.
9-do you hear what i hear? i pretty much like every version i've heard of this, but this year i've been listening to the third day one a lot. it's a little different... but good.
10-santa claus is coming to town. i love santa :) i also have to note... i hate the bruce springsteen version. it bugs me. but the eddy arnold version (from elf) is good :)
and there it is... my top ten list of christmas songs. i love a lot more, but those are just my favorites that i could think of without having to look at my ipod.
and bonus: my roommate and i came up with a little ditty called "christmas cardio." all we really do is flail around and sing at the top of our lungs. it's seriously a great workout and it's so fun! these are the songs we use (they should all be on the list, but i'm putting them here because to put them twice would be redundant.):
1st-all i want for christmas is you... mariah carey. this is a great warmup song, and it's super fun to sing and dance to.
2nd-kay thompson's jingle bells... michael w. smith. this song is lovingly referred to as "jingle bells on crack." listen and you'll know why.
3rd-merry christmas, happy holidays... *nsync. did you really think that i did not love this song? come on now... and the video is a real treat too. it has gary coleman.
4th-the christmas song (christmas don't be late)... alvin and the chipmunks. a: this song reminds me of my childhood. we have videos of christmas morning with this playing in the background. b: it's a great cool down because all you really do is sway and bob.
i hope everyone has a wonderful christmas and remembers what this season is really about :)
*i have no idea why this music is set with harry potter clips, but i'll take it. awesome christmas song + awesome harry potter = double awesome christmas harry potter.