Posted in Christmas, Holidays, kindness, Music

You Gotta Make Your Own Kind of Christmas Music

Posted on by D. Parker

Nobody can tell you
There’s only one Christmas song worth singing
They may try to sell you cause it hangs them up
to see someone like you living your own kind of holiday life

But you gotta make your own kind of season
Live your own special song
Make your own kind of Christmas music
even if nobody else sings along!

You might be nowhere this season
The loneliest kind of lonely
It may be rough going
Just to do your thing is the hardest thing to do

So you gotta make your own kind of Christmas music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kinda season
even if nobody else follows along…

Thanks to the holidays, Cass Eliot and all of my readers for the inspiration to be here!!!

The holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year, but for those without close family or friends (or if they’re far away), for those living in poverty, for people with chronic conditions, and other reasons Christmas can be: discouraging, dismaying, disheartening, and in some cases, dismal. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/11/22/how-to-get-away-with-christmas/. Life for too many has become an exercise in survival, with little in the way of comfort and joy. This season and every season I’m focusing on the simple things, the little things, I triple dog dare you to do the same.

So far my “simple” Christmas activities have been: Attending a relaxing and informative Zoom workshop about holiday card-making presented by: Paint It Out (http://paintitout.ca/) featuring artist, Salima Andany (salima@paintitout.ca) and Chronic Not Hopeless (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1875955569247115) – we gladly accept donations chronicnothopeless@gmail.com. When I began painting, thanks to an inspiring class taught by Salima, I only liked acrylics, they just seemed to speak to me, but during this program I heard the voice of watercolours and my art heart grew three sizes that day! For those wishing to spend some time with others with chronic conditions, our Chronic Not Hopeless workshops are accessible, positive, and everyone seems to have fun, what else could you ask for? Oh yeah, they’re free! For those who are interested there will be two more workshops this season, Wednesday December 6th, 2023 at 11am ET: Wreath Making and Wednesday December 13th at 11am ET: Ornament Making. Contact: chronicnothopeless@gmail.com for free and safe Zoom links, more info, supply list, etc. Hope to see you there and BYOB – Bring Your Own Beverages (no judgment) and most of all, your imagination!

To say the King Edward Choir Christmas concert, “Winter Lights” https://www.kingedwardchoir.ca/ at the Collier Street United Church in Barrie, Ontario (that’s in Canada eh) was a delight would be the maximization of minimizing. It was soaring, never boring! There was singing, our hearts were ringing! Who out there Believes Hot Chocolate Season is the literally most wonderful time of the year? The King Edward Choir must believe because when we boarded the “Polar Express” we heard: “Hot! Hot! Oh, we got it! Hot! Hot! Yo, we got it! Hot chocolate! Here, we’ve only got one rule: Never ever let it cool!”. People who understand my passion for chocolate, including but definitely not limited to hot chocolate understand why this song is near and dear to my heart and stomach…all the year through.

KEC invited us to sing along to wonderful Christmas carols then we listened to many lovely tunes by: Irving Berlin – We may have our love to keep us warm but heading into my first Barrie winter, I’ll also need warm clothes and hot chocolate after digging out of the “Snow, snow, snow, snow!” with my electric shovel as we head toward a hopefully white but not too White Christmas.

There was so more: Tchaikovsky; John Rutter; and they added a very contemporary tune, “I Want To Stare at my Phone Screen With You”, awww, how sweet, I really hope they can keep their 5G holiday romance charged all year long.

In 90 minutes (with intermission) we had ourselves an early Merry Little Christmas (https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/11/27/have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas/), with triumph voices rising. My toes were still tapping long after my hands had stopped clapping. Kudos to Leanne Edwards, Artistic Director/Conductor and Katie Pergau, Accompanist and of course the richly melodic women and men of the choir, including my amazing sister-in-law who added her honeyed tones, smiling face, and I saw some dancing/swaying too. If you get a chance to see the King Edward Choir, or other choirs where you live, please do, there’s really something about voices together, raised in song that brings peace and comfort in any season.

You can also join a choir because as we know, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” (Elf).

As luck would have it I entered their raffle (proceeds to the Barrie Food Bank) and I was one of the lucky winners of a very generous (and heavy) basket of goodies: wine; cheese; cookies; coffee; tea; a lovely and warm scarf; a wooden puzzle that’s driving me mad but I’ll get it, I will; many chocolates – I’ll have you know I still have some left, ok, I don’t have any left, but they were divine; etc.

I understand they raised over $1000 for the Food Bank! I certainly left believing in the Spirit of the Season. I’m looking forward to “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace“ by Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins, which the King Edward Choir will be performing May 4th, 2024 (mark the date and/or look around you, there are activities, in person or online which you can do together or by yourself – I attend all kinds of concerts, plays, travel the world, etc. all from the comfort of my bed!).

Chronic Not Hopeless hosted a virtual Christmas book club, Chronic Page Turners – can you guess what the book selection was for December? “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Still a classic. Who’s your favourite character from the book? What’s your favourite film/TV adaptation of this timeless tale of trauma and redemption? https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/12/11/the-christmas-carol-awakens/

I waited until November 12th (https://yadadarcyyada.com/2013/11/02/christmas-comes-after-remembrance-day/) to start enjoying all the holiday season can hold. I’ve watched way too many Hallmark Christmas movies (https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/12/02/24-days-of-our-christmas-lives/);

I had to watch “White Christmas”, of course. I don’t wanna wash my hands, my face, or hair in snow and I definitely don’t wanna shovel it, hmm, but snow angels and snowmen are fun. With this much snow you gotta learn to make some snow lemonade from those snow lemons…

“Miracle on 34th Street” (black and white version, so no blue teeth); “Elf”;

I always watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with my son on Christmas Day (traditions of any kind can be fun and comforting)…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. I hope you can celebrate or don’t celebrate your way, not the way stores, corporations, and movies/TV shows tell you to celebrate or not celebrate. So do any, all, or none of these. Go see some lights! Read a Christmas book! Write a Christmas book! https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/06/21/how-to-get-your-book-published/ https://yadadarcyyada.com/2019/07/07/how-to-be-a-bestselling-author-in-3-days-or-less/ https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/05/21/how-i-met-your-author/

Bake some cookies, then eat said cookies, alright, alright, eat and share said cookies or swap those cookies (hey you at the cookie swap, don’t be that person)! Play some games: board, card, word, video, computer, whatever, just have fun! Make some candles or apple cider (not in the same pot)! Enjoy the crisp air with a moonlit walk (be safe, be aware of your surroundings, there are some naughty elves out there)!

Snap on those snowshoes (check your local library, you’d be shocked at what their Library of Things has, including snowshoes)! Swish, swish, go cross country skiing! Make some of your decorations and cards – homemade comes from the heart (also dollar, thrift, and craft stores and probably with some cursing involved)! Volunteer, give what you can, including your time! Watch holiday movies/TV shows, including but not limited to: “Die Hard”; “Happy Days”; “Gremlins”; “Gilmore Girls”; “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”; “Bridget Jones’s Diary”; “Downton Abbey”; “Scrooged”; “Seinfeld”; “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”; “The Golden Girls”; “A Christmas Story”; “Community”; “Lethal Weapon”; “Call The Midwife”; “Batman Returns”; “Murdoch Mysteries”; “It’s a Wonderful Life”;

“ELF”; “M*A*S*H”; “The Holiday”; “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”; “The Santa Clause”; “Meet Me in St. Louis”; “South Park”; “Cast Away”; “Will and Grace”; “The Shop Around The Corner”; “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”; “The West Wing”; “Rocky IV”; “Black Mirror”; “The Twilight Zone”; “Going My Way”; “March of the Wooden Soldiers”; “Ted Lasso”; “Home Alone” (When are we going to admit Kevin just had bad parents? And thank goodness they were incompetent robbers.);

“Trading Places”; “The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special”; if you can find it, the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special“; “White Christmas”; “Friends”; any version of “The Nutcracker” (but the Elle Fanning version, well, it’s ‘unique’); “Glee”; “Holiday Inn”; “The Office”; “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”; “Eight Crazy Nights”; “While You Were Sleeping”; “30 Rock”; “Meet John Doe”; “Mad Men”; “Bell, Book and Candle”;

“We’re No Angels”; “Remember the Night”; “Holiday Affair”; “Lost”; “Krampus”; “Black Christmas”; “Pocketful of Miracles”; “The Lion in Winter”; “Anna and the Apocalypse“ (nothing says Christmas like a musical romantic comedy with zombies); “I’ll Be Seeing You”; “The X-Files”; “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”; “The Bells of St. Mary’s”; “New Girl”; “Edward Scissorhands”;

Doctor Who Christmas specials; “Reindeer Games”; “Family Guy”; “Mean Girls”; “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”; “Babes in Toyland”; “My So-Called Life”; “Little Women”; “The Simpsons”; “The Man Who Came to Dinner”; “How i Met Your Mother”; “A Christmas Carol”, so so so many Grinches, Santas, Rudolphs, Peanuts gang, and Scrooges; “Love Actually”; “The Ref”; “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever”;

“The Family Man”; “Bad Santa”; “Christmas in Connecticut”; “Holiday in Handcuffs” (this happened and we let it happen); “Bundle of Joy”; “The Bishop’s Wife”; “Parks and Recreation”; “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”; “Prancer”; “Bright Eyes”; “Love Finds Andy Hardy “; of course, “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life” and soooo many more!

Visit someone who may be lonely at this time of year, or anytime! Go caroling! Make a gingerbread house (use royal icing not just icing, I speak from experience, the horror, the horror!)! Go ice skating or watch ice skating! Go out and have a Happy Festivus!

Make your own Advent calendar! Have a potluck dinner with family and/or friends! Have a Christmas pajama day or party! Remember to save money on gifts, food, etc. Knit or at least wear a ‘spirit sweater’ aka ugly sweater or a Ho Ho Ho hat!

Cause it can’t really still be all about the gifts after decades of watching “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”, can it? Can it?

Please, please, please tell me it means a little bit more. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/12/18/these-arent-the-gifts-youre-looking-for/ https://yadadarcyyada.com/2017/12/18/twice-upon-a-christmas-carol/

Don’t hurry, don’t scurry, don’t worry. Rest is best in a harried holiday season. What gets done gets done, everything else should be fun. So here, we’ve only got one rule: Never ever let it cool! Hot, hot, hot hot chocolate; find your inner marshmallow and melt into the season.

There’s a lot of division these days, mountains of snowy drama that seem to grow during holidays. Make your kindness like snow, let it float down and around, each little wonder covering hardships, drama, and woe. When you’re worried and you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of being sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your drama-free blessings.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

See you in 2024, we’ll visit some more!

Author:

Very me

68 thoughts on “You Gotta Make Your Own Kind of Christmas Music”

    1. I feel inspired by the holidays and Cass Eliot. 😉
      Hope the week ahead is a good one for you and yours, Liz
      and all the best for the holiday season, however you celebrate (or don’t). 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. I’m always glad to be here and though you can’t tell by the length of this post
      I’m planning on changes in my blogging for 2024, shorter posts more often.
      I will honour blogging in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
      I will live in the blogging Past, the blogging Present, and the Blogging Future.
      The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.
      I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.
      Dickens was clearly all about that blogging. 😉
      Merry Merry Merry Christmas!!! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  4. Dearest Donna, thank you for another excellent satirical and wise story you granted us. I have seen many of these incredible movies and will definitely watch them again. Happy holidays and a wonderful and apt New Year.🤗🦋💖🥰🌹🖖

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  5. What a fun and inspiring hodge podge of Christmas ideas! 😃 And who wouldn’t want an elf to do laundry and housework? 😎 Hubby and I have no family here and we always enjoy cocooning over the holidays. This includes a two day marathon of Christmas movies, both classic and contemporary. Special favourites are Alistair Sim’s A Christmas Carol and Love, Actually. Because, “love is all around”, yes? 💖 Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for the holiday season and beyond! 🎄And stay warm up there! ❄️

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    1. There have been so many versions of A Christmas Carol but the Alistair Sim adaptation is the most faithful to the book,
      in my humble opinion but I do love me some Muppets and Michael Caine. lol 😉
      Love is all around and who can resist Hugh Grant’s spontaneous dancing and all the joy and fun Love Actually holds.
      I made the mistake of going into Costco last week and stocked up on whipped cream for hot chocolate and Nanaimo bars,
      hmmm, but will they last until Christmas, well, at least the movies will last. I wish you the best, always and hope my movie list gave you some ideas. 🙂
      I’m layering!!! And layering!!! Merry Christmas Debbie and here’s hoping 2024 is a quieter year! 🙂 xox

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. As a kid, I used to watch Mr. Magoo’s A Christmas Carol. 😀 Oh yeah, Hugh’s dancing scene is a highlight among many in Love, Actually, as is any scene with Bill Nighy. Enjoy your hot chocolate with whipped cream and Nanaimo bars! Calories don’t count over the holidays! 😉 Here’s hoping for a (relatively) mild winter and a better 2024. Cheers! 🎄

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      2. I haven’t see Mr. Magoo’s A Christmas Carol in years, I’m going to look that up and re-watch it.
        Bill Nighy is a joy to watch, isn’t he? And Love Actually has Colin Firth so right away, I’m a fan. 😉
        Well, so far every time it snows it warms up again and everything melts away so if we could just
        keep that up for the rest of the winter, she said hopefully, unrealistically. lol 😉
        Cheers and to many more wonderful movies!!! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  6. This post is worth many, many reads – so many great links! What a great present for your readers! ! I was surprised to read that there have been more movies, plays and television shows based on The Christmas Carol than any other book. I’m sure Dickens would have been surprised! Have a delicious Christmas in every way!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Charles would have a Dickens of a time believing his tales have not only endured
      but are still enjoyed by so many. I know he’d be pleased, though probably
      displeased that poverty and hardship have endured as well.
      I will have a lovely holiday season and I wish the same for you, however you celebrate!!!
      Hope the week ahead is good to you in very way. 🙂 xox

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  7. Always glad to get one of your fabulous posts. Overwhelmed by the movie list. I did watch Die Hard, Elf and Eloise, (I love her pug). Thank you and Merry, merry. Have a good one, however you spend it. 🙂

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    1. Oh yes, Eloise, I’ve read the books but never have I ever seen an onscreen adaptation,
      thank you, I will add that to my list…and I adore pugs. 🙂
      The merriest of merry Christmases to you and
      I hope peace and joy relentlessly chase you through the holidays
      and all the year through!!! 😉

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      1. What a great wish. Thank you and make it return to you ten-fold. 🙂 Love your posts, especially with the Dr. Who and our favorite Doctor Tennant. You are always creative and fun. I appreciate that very much.

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      2. I’m so glad you found each other in this big, sprawling blogging world.
        Giant hugs and yes, let’s include Mr. Tennant in that hugs, he looks huggable. 😉

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    1. I’ve been having a problem with WordPress for a long time since I switched
      to my older computer, it tells me I liked a post but when I go back, it’s not liked.
      It’s frustrating so sometimes I go back and re-click hoping against hope they stay.
      The joys of glitches.
      Yes, I always find a many interesting things. 🙂
      Hope the week ahead treats you kindly. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  10. I absolutely LOVE this post and have bookmarked it … I would like to reblog it a little later in the season, if you have no objections. This has a little bit of something for EVERYONE and I loved it all. I do think my favourite was the Canadian police chase! Thank you, Darcy, for starting this season on the right note and taking some of the ‘bah’ out of my ‘humbug’!

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    1. I’m so glad this made you happy, Jill, I always feel if I can make someone smile
      or leave them with a good feeling, I’m happy too. Yes, do please reblog it,
      spread the bloglove, especially in this season, we all need as much comfort and joy
      as we can give and receive. 🙂 Best wishes and no humbugs for the rest of the season
      and all the best, calm, peace, and joy for 2024!!! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I have it on the schedule for the a.m. post … thank you so much!!!

        I cannot guarantee no ‘humbugs’ the rest of the season — that’s just my nature, I think, and there’s plenty out there to elicit a “bah humbug” but I’ll try to keep calm and just enjoy the love of the season! 😊

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      2. We all have our humbug moments and full on bah humbug moments,
        whether the season is the reason, or not, I hope you can find some Tiny Tim moments too.
        Looking forward to the am, thank you again and again. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Love it. ❤️ Merry Christmas Darcy, from snowy Ottawa. Our church Christmas concert will be live streamed on YouTube December 10th at 4 pm. Hope you can come. St. Paul’s Presbyterian.

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  12. A musical trip through Christmas! Now all of the songs are running circles in my brain. LOL I love Christmas music and movies. You’ve reminded me of a few we haven’t watched yet. Thanks! And have a wonderful (hopefully calm) Christmas!

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  14. Thanks for your cheerful holiday post and so many good suggestions Donna. I chuckled at the Barrie snow meme. And you had me at chocolate and hot chocolate. 🙂 Happy holidays to you wishing you a beautiful New Year. Hugs ❤ xx

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    1. Though with the weather we’ve been having the warmth is melting the snow for us, but that still doesn’t mean it’s not hot chocolate weather. 😉
      Hope this holiday season is filled with good memories, peace, comfort, joy and yes, chocolate, hot and cold and anything in between. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. Pingback: You Gotta Make Your Own Kind of Christmas Music – Human Trafficking Survivor; God and Country, Without God There is No Country/ Judeo-Christian / America Belongs to God

  17. Nadolig Llawen Dear Donna. I hope you have a Wonderful time whatever you do and find some new ‘Old Favourites’ to watch on the goggle box for years to come.
    Bkwyddyn Newydd Dda for 2024 with a pain and stress free Year and all the luck in the World dropping in your lap. Kwwp sharinhg your wonderful Quirkyness, I like to fill up on humour and you have it in spades. Massive Hugs.

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    1. You’re so sweet, dear David. Hope you are doing well, well, all things considered.
      I hope this season is merry and bright for you with truckloads of comfort, peace and joy!!!
      Massive yuletide hugs! xoxo

      Liked by 1 person

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  19. Your post was so uplifting and encouraging – in fact, it’s encouraged me to make some hot chocolate! (haha)

    That Card-Making class sounds really fun and creative. I’m going to poke around online to see if there’s another one.

    And: Wishing you the best of the season and in 2024!

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    1. Was it yummy? Did you go for classic or add marshmallows or whipped cream? And did you follow the only rule, not to let it cool? 😉
      It was, as were the wreath-making and ornament making, but keep in mind, I’m not crafty, at all, but I love the connection and
      seeing how creative people can be. The book club was also fun and just the other day I saw another version of A Christmas Carol,
      an FX version, little more adult and Scrooge was even worse, wow.. Now we have to decide on a book for the next month, any suggestions?
      All the best of the season and to a gentler, calmer, quieter, less expensive 2024 (we can dream, can’t we?). 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  20. Wonderful post once again! So delighted to hear of the singing! It creates a beautiful energy. I’ll be driving past Barrie with my son again to catch a flight at Pearson Airport so will blow a friendly kiss in all directions in gratitude for your attitude and blogging talents. 🤗🙏🕊️💕✨

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