At this time of year, it’s easy to get bogged down in all of the daily planning and preparation of the Christmas Season. You may find that you haven’t taken the time to enjoy the little things the season brings. The Christmas Spirit has to be pursued, it doesn’t just land on you like an errant dropping from a Christmas Goose. Making a donation to your favorite charity, or tossing some loose change in the Salvation Army kettle can go a long way to get you into the Spirit. Visiting old friends and watching classic movies like It’s a Wonderful Life can enhance your Christmas Spirit as well. Personally, listening to Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, while taking a walk on a snowing evening does the trick for me.
That said, one of the best ways to get into the Spirit is Christmas Music. However, as I pointed out in my article Beware of the Christmas Police, it’s way too easy to overdose on Christmas songs. If I hear Holly Jolly Christmas ONE MORE TIME! I purposely try to play holiday tunes I haven’t heard in years. I have put together a playlist of songs that meant a lot to me when I was a kid. Nothing will get you into the Spirit faster than hearing a song you loved when you were in the second grade! Singing along with the music will really help get you into the Spirit as well. Really belt it out! Otherwise, it just turns into background noise that becomes way too easy to tune out.
That reminds me of something we did as kids to make some Christmas Shopping money. We took to the streets of our Detroit neighborhood, Christmas Caroling. We would spread our off-key Christmas Spirit from door-to-door. Starting with Deck the Halls followed by The First Noel. If they hadn’t set their dog on us by then, we would finish up with Away in a Manger. Our older audience was initially delighted to hear a Christmas tradition being carried on by a new generation. However, by the time we left, I suspect they were just paying us to go away. In any event, we returned home with our bellies full of Christmas cookies and other treats from some of our nicer victims. Plus, we had earned some cash to spend on Christmas Presents for our parents, brothers, and sisters. What could be better? A White Christmas, perhaps?
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