On the work/school front, the products associated with a fundraiser I've been coordinating came in a full week early, meaning that the 700+ items I expected to arrive this week actually arrived last week in the middle of all that chaos. (They literally arrived in the middle of all that chaos. The delivery man walked into the school office looking for me the moment I hung up the phone with the school nurse, who had just informed me of Will's injured - likely sprained, possibly broken - ankle.) Since I wasn't planning on dealing with the items last week, I had to scramble to coordinate a timely distribution system, which while going reasonably well, has monopolized quite a bit of my time since that day.
Add in dealing with a perfectly healthy but bitterly-angry-over-having-to-miss-vacationing-with-our-friends Hallie and our annual PTO-coordinated Pancakes and PJs breakfast, and well, last week just wiped me out.
I mention all this not so much to complain, but as a segway to where this post is headed.
During my first holiday season of blogging I shared two favorite Christmas videos. When my second holiday season of blogging rolled around, I shared the two videos from the first year and added a couple of new favorites in the same post so I could easily find them on rough days. The third holiday season I narrowed down the videos from years past and added a few more. Same thing during the fourth holiday season. And now in the fifth holiday season, the tradition continues.
Despite my efforts to "stay strong" and not let the small things get me down, something happens every December to dampen my holiday spirit, sour my mood, or leave me "vent-texting" friends through tears while sitting on the floor of my closet. (Thanks to the lovely ladies who talked me off that ledge last week.) It's in these less-than-festive moments…or during these rough weeks, as the case may be...that I go searching for my annual Christmas music post. For me, there is no greater emotional and spiritual boost than that I receive when I listen to and sing music centered around love and peace.
So here they are: my favorites from this year and years past, all in one place, so anyone who needs an emotional or spiritual lift - myself included - can find them when the need arises.
In case you're wondering, my criteria is simple…if the song gives me chills, it makes the cut. I'd love to see and listen to your favorite Christmas videos - I love growing my playlist - so please send them my way!
Deck the Halls
My favorite flashmob of all time.
The Christmas Scale
"It's hard to believe that the greatest message the
world will ever hear is contained in one simple scale."
Someday at Christmas: Stevie Wonder & Andra Day for Apple
I tear up every time this commercial comes on television.
Angels We Have Heard on High: The Piano Guys
I still get chills every single time I watch/listen to this video.
Little Drummer Boy: Pentatonix
This group wows me with each and every one of their songs...
Joy to the World - Pentatonix
…which is why they have two songs included this year.
Hallelujah Christmas: Cloverton
It's a shame Sony won't let the audio and video be played
together anymore - this rendition is a stunning display of talent and
a beautiful example of the power of music to bring people together.
(You can hear the song but not see the coffee shop crowd in this clip.)
My Favourite Time of Year
I'd never heard this song before, but the simplicity of the music as
well as the throwback to a simpler time see in the video touched me.
"The best way to spread (and I'll add the words "and feel" in here as well) Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."
Thanks, Buddy.
I hope that everyone is feeling better! It's okay to complain when you've had that kind of run.
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