A Christmas display from my childhood.
A few weeks ago, I opened the Christmas music tour with Mahalia Jackson’s very moving rendition of “Silent Night.” Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of not only daily posts of Christmas carols, but also of working and shopping and baking and wrapping.
Tonight, though, I’d like to give all of you a gift. After the guests are gone and the presents are under the tree and the stockings are hung, I’d like you to take a few minutes for yourself. Here are the instructions.
1. Turn off all of the lights, save for those on your Christmas tree.
2. Pour yourself the beverage of your choice — anything from hot chocolate to a martini will work. I’m going with merlot.
3. Find the proper place to view your Christmas tree. This could be a favorite sofa or even the floor. I like to get as low to the floor as possible and look up at the tree.
4. Breathe.
5. Click play and enjoy “Stille Nacht,” the way it must have sounded long ago (1818), when the young priest who wrote the lyrics performed it in the quiet of his small church in an Austrian village.
Special thanks to Modern Mia Gardening for linking her blog to my Yule Tune posts. Much appreciated.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 
Wow! What a flashback!! Just seeing that scene from “the set-up” has me in tears. I remember so well the magic of Christmas morning, when I would wake up to the tree in our living room, all decorated and surrounded by presents – and the quiet cold of our darkened indoor porch all decorated with that village around the tree – the organ and chimes music, the falling snow (In our house!!!!), the glistening (mica) snow on the ground and the trains making their way through the village. Truly Christmas magic to a little girl. Thanks for the memory, Kev. I love you! Aunt Pat
Merry Christmas, Aunt Pat! 🙂
Merry Christmas, Kevin, and thanks for all the holiday tunes!
And to you, as well, Cindy. Stay warm!!
I wondered how you would end these musical sessions and guessed it would be Silent Night.You saved the best for last and it was a beautiful rendition. There’s something about a choir when its done right. Very moving.
Merry Christmas-Love Dad
PS – I still get asked if I put the display up.
I still have one more up my sleeve — and it’s another choir. I agree, there is something about a choir. And maybe you should try that display one more time . . . Just a thought. 🙂 Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you. 🙂
Beautiful! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
And the same to you, Lee. 🙂
Dear NGDM,
At my Memorial Service my family knows to have Mahalia Jackson sing Silent Night to get everyone to shed a few tears then close with laughter by having Lyle Lovett sing “Church” ‘now everybody let’s go eat’ 😉
Happy New Year!
Bless your Heart!
Happy New Year,
Gaga
Hi Gaga. That is certainly the song to bring on the tears — and I’m glad I’m not the only one who plans their own memorial service playlist. 🙂 Have a very Happy New Year!