Folks, I know some of you are already taking down the tree and hauling down the holly, but I’d encourage you to keep the holly jolly ho-ho-hoing going for a while longer.
The 12 days of …
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Folks, I know some of you are already taking down the tree and hauling down the holly, but I’d encourage you to keep the holly jolly ho-ho-hoing going for a while longer.
The 12 days of Christmas only started on Dec. 25, after all.
So happy third day of Christmas! There’s still a lot of yuletide joy to be had.
May I suggest a few ways to keep the Christmas spirit going at least until the 12 days conclude on Jan. 5.
First, as our good friend Buddy the Elf said in his already classic 2003 namesake movie: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
Christmas carols and the joyful songs we remember from days of yore are a gift that keep on giving. There’s no need to silence them on Christmas or even New Year’s Day.
If it’s helpful to have a book of them to remind you of the verses and melodies to plunk along on guitar or piano, I’ve been putting together a collection of them for years. It’s available online if you’d like to check it out at www.bit.ly/Christmas-Songbook. If you want the words only, find them at www.bit.ly/Christmas-Singalong.
I’ve been playing a lot of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” the past few days. Another great one for the period after Christmas is “We Three Kings.” And “Joy to the World” is always wonderful (in fact, if you listen to the words, the premise is that Jesus has now come, so really, Dec. 25 is actually the first day to singing it.)
Last Saturday morning I was blessed with the opportunity to sing carols at the Hub City Mission in downtown Centralia with a handful of other musical enthusiasts. We walked up and down the sidewalk, singing songs old and new for the folks lined up to get some food to help them through the week. Some were young families, some were single folks, some were seniors. A few I knew and could greet warmly. A few little kids, clutching their mother’s hand, gave a shy grin when I encouraged them to try strumming my ukulele when I held it out for them, then a bigger grin when I had them play along for an entire verse as I made the chords.
Afterwards, the organizer for the event said that one older woman in line told her that the old songs brought back to her the only happy memories she had from childhood.
That’s a powerful and humbling thing. And a blessing. Let’s keep singing.
I’m glad we still have more than a week left to celebrate the tidings of comfort and joy.
I’d also like to humbly repeat my seasonal request that households who put out Christmas lights do us all a great kindness and keep them up for the whole month of January, if not longer. Feel free to take down the inflatable Santa and Grinch if you’d like, but the lights themselves are such a delight. There’s no need to extinguish them while the nights are still so long.
In the bleak midwinter we could use all the light and joy we can get, and seeing the lights twinkling as we go to work in the morning in darkness and come back in the evening, in darkness again, is such an encouragement.
As we start the new year, let’s help ourselves along by enjoying every last drop of Christmas joy.
It’s still the most wonderful time of the year.
My hope for you is that tomorrow and the days to come bring you light, laughter and riches of spirit that are at least as valuable as (sing it with me) ... Fiiiiiiive golden rings!
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Brian Mittge has covered community life in his hometown for The Chronicle since 2000. He can be reached at brianmittge@hotmail.com.