The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Yippee!  It's December 1st!

The tree is up thanks to my wonderful Christmas elves.  I commented to Brett after the dust settled, "Wow ... that was one of the least stressful tree decorating nights.  Ever."  He replied, "I think it was the sheer speed with which they decorated!"  True.  They were fast.  But there were cookies promised for when they finished, so they were motivated.

Today we are decking the halls with the rest of my favorite house decorations.  Soon our walls and bookshelves will be bedecked with wreathes, angels and winter scenes.  A Christmas transformation!  A throng of snowmen will also take charge of our mantle and any other surface they can commandeer, including the futon.  I love the coziness that comes along with twinkling lights, candles, pine cones and throw blankets.

I have refreshed my iPod stations and it's a treat to putter around the kitchen listening to new holiday songs mixed with  my old favorite carols.  Whether it's Bing Crosby, Sara Groves, Harry Connick Jr., or the Muppets, I'm in the Christmas spirit!  And Petey is warming up, too.

This December I am excited to share some of my favorite Christmas songs in a little
Musical Count-Down to Christmas!

I hope you enjoy a few fresh snapshots of songs you may not have heard before ... and a refreshed snapshot of some old favorites.

Here's today's song ... a perfect kick-off to this Holiday season!



Lyrics | Andy Williams - It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year lyrics

It's impossible for me to hear this song and not immediately think about all the fun-filled traditions of Christmas ...

Shopping for presents,
Watching Elf, Love Actually and Mixed Nuts,
Hot cocoa and cookies,
Baking tins filled to the brim with sugary goodness,
Writing our Christmas letter,
Making gifts for our family,
Driving around to look at Christmas lights,
Listening to kids sing "Away in the Manger" (stuck on repeat),
Sitting near the lit Christmas tree with a mug of tea and a good book,
Wrapping presents (ribbons, tissue, bows ... oh, my!),
Christmas hymns at church,
The Children's Nativity play,
The smell of our fir tree filling the house, and
Watching the wonder of Christmas reflected on the faces of my kids.

And this is my short list. :)

As we step across the threshold into December, it's hard not to get caught up in the rituals and habits of the Holiday ~ "kids jingle-belling", "marshmallows roasting", "caroling out in the snow" and, of course, "mistletoeing"!  But this year, my heart cautions me against focusing on the activities of this month at the risk of losing touch with the central Character of this holiest season.  I know you have heard before that potentially overused saying, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."  Or how about, "Keep the Christ in Christmas"?  They may feel a tad bit over-used, but, regardless, they ring true.

My hope this month is to turn our hearts (and ears) back to the manger.  And discover once again that Jesus is worthy of worship this season ... and that there's a lot of terrific music out there to help us joyfully celebrate His birthday!

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Prompt #3 ~ The first of December is upon us!  Describe an Advent Calendar or a special way you count down the days until Christmas.