Friday's Top Five: The Best Christmas Carols

This makes me laugh.

Hello faithful readers of five!

I had this wonderful awesome good idea that Joanne and I should blog about our favourite Christmas Carols! After all, it's that time of year where I can finally unleash my Christmas crazy, right? RIGHT?

This was hard guys. I love me some Christmas music, I do. How do I narrow it down to five? Sigh.

I decided that when selecting my music, it would be five songs that are simply enjoyable, that evoke an emotion or memory, or may possibly be used to torment any future children I have. Win-win all around!

Gather around children. Irish up your nog. Sit back and enjoy!
 
5) The Huron Carol 

I first heard this song in Church during Advent in 2008, a few months before I became a Catholic. It immediately resonated in my conscience and filled my heart. Sometimes, you simply cannot express how the beauty of a song can evoke an emotion.

This song is Canada's oldest Christmas carol, written in 1643 by Jean de Breabeau, a Catholic Jesuit missionary, to the Huron peoples. It was originally written in Huron as a way to explain the Christmas story. Haunting. Beautiful.

4) O Come O Come Emmanuel - The Civil Wars 

I love everything about this song, which we sing during Advent at Church. When I was searching for a version of this song, I came across this wonderful version by the group, The Civil Wars. This version is absolutely amazing. (I also recommend Enya's version, which weaves in Celtic lyrics in a haunting way).

 

3) Now the Bells Ring - Rita MacNeil

CRTC rules dictate that Canadian content be played on the radio every day. It is how I am able to hear Now the Bells Ring year after year. Which is fine by me. My mom loves this song, so it was played a lot at home. Rita MacNeil has one of the clearest and best voices out there.

 

2.5) Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys.

I know, I am totally cheating. I am a cheater mccheaterson. Whatever. I can't have a list without Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys. So. Much. Fun.

2) Christmas is All Around - Bill Nighy (from the movie Love Actually) 

Some may ask how I can hate Wham's Last Christmas so much, and yet this song, which does basically the same thing (insert the word Christmas into a generic song), is my second favourite Christmas Carol?  Easy. This song, unlike the monstrosity of Last Christmas, is funny. I first heard it watching Love Actually. I laughed then. I laugh now. My husband loves it. I love it. Heck, we will even play the song in the middle of summer (and still laugh). We will even sing it in our fake English accents. Bill Nighy MAKES this song a classic.

Watch this movie clip. Then you will understand how I can defend this choice.

1) Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid

This is easily my favourite Christmas carol. This selection is all about happy memories and 80's nostalgia. I remember listening to this song over and over (and over) again at Grandma's house with my aunts and uncles.

This was back in the day when big stars got together to compile songs for charities (save the whatever cause of the day). There is no mistaking that this is an 80's song. All you need to do is listen and watch the video to determine that!

What makes this song great 28 years later is that it is still awesome, still a great song to listen too, and still socially relevant. I crank this song and sing along every single time.  Plus, it has Phil Collins, who you all know is my favourite.

Feeed the world...let them know it's Christmas time...

My selections either caused you to enjoy your rum nog, or drink more more rum nog. Leave comments about my choices and some of yours, then head on over to Joanne's blog to see her 5 choices.

Things that make me go hmmm?

Me this morning. Me every morning. Source: who knows.

Hi faithful readers of five. I'm here at work (not technically working), watching the snowmageddon arrive in my fair city. I feel like making random comments/questions/musings/ramblings about the world-at-large (mostly political). The things that make me go hmmmm.....

• I have heard the Progressive Conservatives of Alberta describe the Wild Rose Party of Alberta as extremists. If that is the case, then why did you let that element rest in your party for 30+ without censure, constraint or expulsion? Don't you have yourselves to blame for the party that emerged? Hmmmmm....
• I have heard the Wild Rose Party of Alberta describe the Progressive Conservatives as corrupt. Really? You sure enjoyed the hand that fed you for 30+ years without complaint. I guess as long as you don't get to share in the pork, then it's an issue. Hmmmm....
• Interesting debates about meals costs for politicians and health care executives. On some instances, sure the complaints are legitimate. But do we honestly think that you can have a meal for two under $50.00 in Edmonton anymore? Do people think that they should go for meals to McDonald's? Hmmm.....
• If I hear one more squawk about how awful the National Energy Policy was for Alberta in the 80's, immabout to lose my sh*t. First off, can we all deliberately ignore what was going on in the rest of the world that probably had a larger effect on the price of oil and gas? Also, it's been 30+ years. Policies have come and gone. Alberta is doing more than fine now. In fact, are we not now pushing for a national energy policy by our own conservative/federal conservative government? You can call it under any name you want now, but it is essentially the same type of policy. Hmmm......
• Let's stop pretending that any vote for Justin Trudeau as a leader of the Liberal Party of Canada is because of any policy ideas he is putting forth, and more to do with the fact that he is a Trudeau, and a handsome one at that. Hmmmm....
• On that note, how long will it take before anyone in the Liberal Party of Canada realize that Marc Garneau is the best possible leader of the current hopefuls? Will it be too late? Hmmmm....
• Why do we complain about how early Christmas music is released onto the public? I remember Christmas music blaring in the malls in November when I was a kid. So why are we all acting like this is some sort of new phenomenon? Hmmmm....
• Why do we treat Advent like Lent? It is not the same. One is a joyful period of anticipation. The other is a solemn period of anticipation. While we are always to be mindful and reflective of our interior selves, we don't need to treat Advent like a funeral. Hmmmm....
• How much privacy and platform changes will we truly accept from Facebook before enough truly becomes enough? Hmmmm.....
• Can we all agree that TWITTER = Total Waste (of) Intellect, Time, Talent, Energy and Resources? So let's stop pretending that we are intellects in 140 characters. Hmmmm.....
• For that matter, why do people act like self-proclaimed experts on all subjects on social media? Hey, I can pull a quote from a Google search too. A fact doesn't always trump a viewpoint based on personal experiences. Let's stop pretending our "facts" don't stem from a personal bias. I can hunt down any "fact" to support my bias too. Hmmmmm.....
• Can we all stop pretending that Gordon Lightfoot's performance at the CFL half-time show was any good? I get it. He is a legend. But it was not good. He needs to retire his guitar. Hmmmm....
• Speaking of not good, did the organizers of the CFL half-time show really think that those who like Justin Bieber would become fans of the CFL? Are you kidding me? Do you know the audience this boy attracts? More importantly, do you know your audience?  Hmmm....
• On that note, whoever decided that Gordon Lightfoot and Justin Bieber would be good CFL half-time entertainment should have tossed that plan in the garbage and booked Rush and Trooper. Surely they aren't busy these days? Hmmmmm....
• Now that Nascar, Baseball and CFL are over, sports TV suckssssssss! Hmmmmmmm......
• Is there anything good on TV anymore that doesn't involve "reality" TV and singing/dancing/food competitions? Hmmmm.......
• Why can't I get frozen borscht from the grocery aisle? Hmmmm....
• If men celebrate Movember for prostate cancer research, can I propose that women celebrate Janu-hairy for ovarian cancer research? I will gladly not shave my legs for a month. Hmmm......
• I will say this once: please stop playing Last Christmas by Wham EVERY FREAKING HOUR. It is stupid. Replace Christmas with any word and the song applies. "Last Ramadan, I gave you my heart...", "Last election day, I gave you my heart..." Adding the word Christmas randomly does not a Christmas song make. Hmmmm....
• For that matter, I'm tired of radio stations switching to an all Christmas music format. Can't you just slip some Christmas songs in between Careless Whisper and Boys of Summer? Hmmm....

There you go. I sound kind of angry. I am a bit owly today. I blame waking up. I had a nice warm blanket, was in dream land, and then woke up to an alarm clock with Christmas music. Bastard world!

Getting into the spirit of Christmas.

Did you enjoy that? So beautiful.

This is shaping up to be the best Christmas ever! I am with the man that I love and we are sharing the season together.