Christmas Favorites

Last week I spent a little time enhancing my Christmas music library. I love Christmas music, not in the first week of December, but on those days when I'm doing my last minute errands and wrapping presents, it really puts me in the Spirit. That got me thinking. Why not put down my favorites in a post and then invite others to share theirs. Maybe someone will clue me in on some good stuff I'm missing. Then I thought, why not do one of those lists that invite people to share other info about their Christmas favorites, dislikes and traditions.

Top 10 Christmas Songs:

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht (Silent Night) - Nana Mouskouri
Oh Holy Night - Celine Dion (yes, I know she's anoying, but I really like her version).
Away In the Manger - Any church's young children's choir.
A Mad Russian's Christmas - Trans Siberian Orchestra
Christmas Eve / Sarajevo - Trans Siberian Orchestra
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem - Nat King Cole
Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy - Bing & Bowie
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
What Child Is This? - Mahalia Jackson
Merry Christmas Baby - Bonnie Raitt and Charles Brown

Honorable Mention: Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid, What Child Is This? (Greensleeves) - Dominique Piana, Happy Xmas - John Lennon (as much as I try not to, I still like it), Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Nat King Cole, I Believe In Father Christmas - ELP. It's not specifically Christmas but Jeff Beck does a beautiful slide guitar solo version of Amazing Grace.

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: Christmas Eve

Favorite Christmas movie: A Christmas Story

Favorite animated Christmas special: Little Drummer Boy (Rankin and Bass)

Describe your typical / traditional Christmas meal: We don't have one. It varies from year to year. but always, there is cranberry pudding for desert.

Best Christmas Meal Ever: Prime Rib, Mashed Roots (combo of sweet potatoes, Yukon golds, and parsnips), salad, asparagus, Pinot Noir and a family tradition - cranberry pudding.

Most Exoctic/Distant Place You've Spent Christmas: Princeville, Kauai, HI (I used to live there).
Best Christmas gift you ever gave: Not sure.

Best Christmas gift you ever received: Let's just say it was exactly what I wanted.

Worst Christmas gift you ever received: Socks.

Have you ever re-gifted? No, but I have given used CD's/DVD's from CD Warehouse.

Best Christmas bonus from work: An ornament, yep an ornament - that's it.

Worst Christmas shopping experience: No brawls. I drove to 5 different stores to find the one gift I was looking for. One store that didn't have what I wanted told me they did when I called on the phone. I don't believe they even checked.