Like the Disney albums that we discussed at the beginning of the year, mom had a bunch of classic Christmas albums that she got by filling up her gas tank at Gulf stations or Texaco or something. She had Bing Crosby’s Merry Christmas and maybe 7 or 8 other Christmas compilations featuring the greats like Perry Como, Burl Ives, Andy Williams and those types of guys. As I look back on it, I seem to recall that the day after Halloween, we’d break out the stack of Christmas albums and start up the Christmas spirit.
All through November and December we’d be listening to Christmas music, put up our fake Christmas tree and deck the halls. It seemed like the Christmas Season lasted so much longer then. We’d watch the Christmas specials like Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Little Drummer Boy. Every year as December rockets by I wonder why Christmas never seems to last like it used to. I never seems to find an acceptable answer. We have jobs now and other responsibilities. We have 200 channels of stuff on TV and a whole wrold wide web of distractions. I guess the answer is acceptable, just not satisfactory. Back in the 70’s we didn’t have much else to do but listen to mom’s Christmas albums and wait.
Perry Como – O Holy Night This is and has always been my favorite Christmas song. It is wonderfully nostalgic and speaks to the heart of the season.
Bing Crosby – White Christmas
Andy Williams – It’s The Most wonderful Time of the Year
Burl Ives – Holly Jolly Christmas
We’ll talk about Christmas songs again when we get to the early 1990’s but for now, these are the roots of the movement.