We have several family Christmas traditions and two of them are collecting Christmas music and books. (I'll have another blog later today on Christmas books.) At the start of the Christmas season we begin listening to our new music along with old favorites. On Christmas Eve the children unwrap a new Christmas book that we read together after dinner.
This year things have been hectic and I have not purchased our new music but plan to get Casting Crown's Peace on Earth CD. You can watch a live version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas from the album at MMCW.
Our Christmas listening is eclectic to say the least. I enjoy unique Christmas CDS such as A Walton Christmas. This CD is a compilation of Christmas songs sung on the TV series The Walton's. Of course, it ends with the memorable family goodnights--goodnight Jim Bob.
Another favorite is A Christmas TV Dinner. It is another smorgasbord of songs taken from classic TV shows. Songs include Gene Autry & The Melody Ranch Gang singing Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Brady kids singing Silent Night and my favorite--Ben, Little Joe, and Hoss Cartwright (from Bonanza) singing Merry Christmas, Neighbor. Both A Walton Christmas and A Christmas TV Dinner were bought years ago at Big Lots for around $3.
My all-time favorite is the instrumental Christmas in the Smoky Mountains featuring authentic Appalachian instruments. I love the sound of the dulcimer on this cd. The arrangements to uplifting songs such as O Come, All Ye Faithful and Good Christian Men, Rejoice is beautiful.
While it is not a Christmas CD, my family's favorite listening right now is New Life Worship's
Counting on God CD by Integrity. New Life Church as been through some deep valleys over the last two years. Many of you will recall the fall of their former pastor Ted Haggard. Just a year later the church faced tradegy once more when an armed gunman came onto their campus and opened fire, killing two teenage sisters. This CD is a response to what this congregration has walked through and their confidence and declaration of their faith in Christ.So, what's your favorite Christmas listening? I'd love to hear!
By the way, this post is part of a blog carnival hosted by Molly at counterculturalmom.blogspot.com. I'm new to all of this blogging business but this is a fun way to see chat via blogging on specific topics. If you would like to join, click on Molly's link and you'll see the box to enter your blog address!
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