Virtual Advent Blog Tour
December 1, 2009
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Posted by Heather
This is my first year participating in the Virtual Advent Blog Tour. I’m not sure why I have stayed away until now; I guess I’ll chalk it up to my tendency to be a bit of a Scrooge. I love Christmas, don’t get me wrong, but the whole “starting Christmas before it’s even Thanksgiving” annoys me. I’m not so much into the whole getting presents thing. Hey, I love getting presents but there is so much to be enjoyed during the season. Family. Love. Movies. FOOD. And music.
Because really, that’s when it all starts right? Walking around Walmart, buying Halloween candy to the strains of Silent Night, Holy Night, marks the beginning of the season in these parts. So, to celebrate the season, with one of my favorite parts of it, here are a few carols to get us started right.
One of the rockin-est versions of Carol of the Bells I’ve even heard and definitely my favorite.
And John Berry’s version of O Holy Night never fails to bring on the chills and goosebumps.
From one of my favorite holiday movies! I really prefer the her singing it with Will. That version with Leon Redbone grates my ears!
For my uncle. 
I hope you’ve enjoyed a very brief tour of some of my favorite Christmas Carols. What are some of yours? Happy Holidays!!!
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Categories: Miscellaneous
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Tags: blog tour, Christmas, christmas music, Music, virtual advent blog tour
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I really only like traditional Christmas carols. Carol of the Bells is my favorite, but not the rock version of it.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
What can I say? I’m a rock chick. I was raised on it!
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I’m with you – I will never decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving. Part of what makes the season special is that it doesn’t last that long. O Holy Night is one of my all time favorite Christmas carols.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Review: The Wife’s Tale =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Yes! Exactly! I’m torn between O Holy Night, What Child is This and Silent Night myself. Those are my top three traditional favorites.
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I listened to my first Christmas cd today – George Winston’s December.
I love that clip from Elf. Great song and a wonderful scene. Need to rent that movie again!
.-= Les in NE´s last blog ..Mailbox Monday =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 pm
I love Elf! I need to dig it out of the DVD cabinet and throw it in for a watch.
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“but the whole “starting Christmas before it’s even Thanksgiving” annoys me.”
Boy, my pre-Thanksgiving post about putting up lights and decorations must have really pissed you off. LOL!
Great choices for the carols. All of these are among my very favorites. O Holy Night is way up near the top, especially the Josh Groban version.
Like you, I don’t like the Redbone/Deschanel version of Baby, Its Cold Outside. Her voice is lovely, his not so much. I was really disappointed that her and Will didn’t have a full version on the soundtrack. My very favorite version of that song is one by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong that I cannot find anymore. There is a couple of versions out there that are really nice, but years ago when I was being naughty and illegally downloading songs on Napster, I found a different live version. Several computer crashes later I no longer have it and have never been able to find it. Ah well, maybe someday.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Oh Carl. You are so silly. I don’t know that you could ever really piss me off. LOL
I haven’t heard the Josh Groban version. I suppose I should look that up!
I totally agree! I wanted the soundtrack for that song and was SO disappointed when it wasn’t Will Ferrell. I just love her voice. Redbone…not so much. At least not on that song with her. They just don’t go together! I downloaded the Fitzgerald/Armstrong version instead myself!
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Cool idea!! I got to see Transiberian Orchestra a while back and they are so good live! And I have to say White Christmas is my favorite holiday movie. I have to watch it every year.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Oh man, I bet that was AWESOME!
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Bing Crosby ans ‘White Christmas’ does it for me everytime.
.-= Jane´s last blog ..R U OK? =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Gorgeous, isn’t it? Loves!
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It may be a bit of a surprise given that I have cohosted the Advent Tour for the last four years, but I actually am a bit bah humbug about Christmas myself.
Once it gets closer to Christmas I will get in the mood but it always takes a while, especially seeing as we have a big family event to get through first!
I don’t know why you waited so long to join in either, but I am glad that you have finally seen the light!
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
*gasp* *shock* YOU? A…humbug???
Be still my heart.
*wink*
I’m glad I did too! It was so much fun!
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Thanks for the Christmas songs. My favorite one is O Holy Night. Once I even knew how to sing it in German but I haven’t spoken a word in this language for 8 years and mostly forgot everything.
.-= lilly´s last blog ..Chunkster Challenge 2009 & J. Kaye’s 100+ Reading Challenge completed =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I bet it is gorgeous in German!! How cool!
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The music is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I love that scene in Elf.
.-= Chris@bookarama´s last blog ..Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris: Review =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
The music is definitely my favorite. That and watching Polar Express until my husband wants to turn the DVD into a drink coaster or a frisbee. To which I say “Over my dead BODY!” lol
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Great songs, and a great post! My favourite Christmass songs are Last Christmas by Wham, All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizard, Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade, Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. Really, I could go on, but I think I’ll leave it at those 5.
.-= Jo´s last blog ..On My Wishlist (4) =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Oooo new songs to look up!!! I like the sound of Fairy Tale in New York!! Off to YouTube!!!
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Love, love, love, each of those songs. Especially the Bing Crosby all time favorite hands down must see Christmas movie.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
LOVE Bing Crosby. Well…at least his voice!
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I know it’s not a carol, but I LOVE “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” As for traditional carols I love “O Holy Night” but not before Dec 1st at the earliest.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Definitely not until Dec 1st. I swear I heard carols while shopping of a Halloween costume this year. It’s crazy!
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Great Advent Post!
I agree with you on how the commercial Christmas season begins way too soon…Even my kids mentioned something about seeing Christmas trees out at Costco before Halloween….
I love Christmas music, although I think the malls start playing it way too early. I love “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”, I love the movies version but my favorite is Dean Martin’s. I also love his “It’s A Marshmallow World”.
.-= Leya´s last blog ..Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010 =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I know for a fact I saw Christmas cards across the aisle in the Halloween candy section at Target this year. Crazy.
I love Dean Martin! His voice! So smooth and sexy!
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I’d love to say things are different here, but they put the Christmas stuff out at the same time as the Halloween, so that is really near our Thanksgiving. I don’t think of the Christmas holidays until December 1, normally, though.
Great post, though! And thank you for joining in with the calendar this year!
.-= Kailana´s last blog ..Fingersmith by Sarah Waters =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Thanks for making me do it!
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Great post! I admit to not being a huge fan of Christmas music, but I do have a soft spot for the Transiberian Orchestra. They’re so cool! And hearing Christmas music while drinking hot chocolate or apple cider while it’s snowing outside… it’s a nice feeling
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..Review: Fingersmith =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:29 pm
*sigh* Now I’m wishing for hot apple cider, snow and some Transiberian!
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This is a great post. I love Christmas music AND Chrismtas movies. My husband, daughter & I were just talking about Christmas favorites last night. My DH’s favorite movies are “Borrowed Hearts” with Roma Downey AND “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (he can recite the script). One of his favorite songs is “Mary, Did You Know?” My favorite movie is “White Christmas” and I can’t pick a favorite song – I love them all.
.-= Alleluialu´s last blog ..Virtual Advent Tour – December 2nd =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I wanted to put Mary Did You Know (the Kathy Mattea) version in this post!!! But the only clip I could find on YouTube didn’t allow for posting.
It’s definitely one of my very, very favorites.
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Oh, I love Baby it’s Cold outside, and I’d forgotten about that version. I think I need to watch Elf again!
And I’m a total Scrooge about Christmas starting before Thanksgiving, too, so you’re not alone!
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Whew! So glad I’m not alone. Yay for Elf!
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Wonderful idea for an Advent post. The Bing C. is my favorite, favorite! But that said, I love almost every song by almost every artist when it comes to Christmas songs. From Rosemary Clooney to Weezer with all the stops along the way for such as Dean Martin and Barbra Streisand. Oh, I’m hopeless.
.-= Nan´s last blog ..Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Christmas music is definitely the best. I can’t think of any one in particular I absolutely hate.
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Great choices!
Personally, I’m always on a quest for original Christmas music (although I love the standards, too), so I recommend Dar Williams’ “The Christians and the Pagans.”
And I definitely think it’s time to pull Elf out for a viewing. Thanks!
.-= sprite´s last blog ..disorganized hodgepodge of stuff =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Yay! Another song to look up!! This is going to be so good for my musical education!
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I’m putting Elf on my movie list. White Christmas has always been my favorite too. In addition to Bing Crosby, there’s a version I like that’s sung in Hawaiian (sung by Brothers Cazimero). I agree that the season is more than just presents and retail. Mahalo for the good post today.
.-= Rob´s last blog ..Moloka’i by Alan Brennert =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Oh I would love to hear it sung in Hawaiian!!! And thank you
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I’ve started listening to carols in the car now that it’s December, I have to admit, and I have a huge soft spot for choral versions for some reason, which always kind of surprises me. Carol of the Bells is my favourite as an instrumental, with actual bells. This version’s pretty awesome too, though!
.-= kiirstin´s last blog ..FreeVerse: When you drive the Queensborough roads at midnight (Ondaatje) =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I used to play handbells at church and always wished we would do Carol of the Bells. I think it would be SO much fun to play!
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I love “All That I Want” by the Weepies. I discovered it last year (in a commercial, but don’t hold that against the song) and could listen to it over and over again.
.-= Meryl´s last blog ..Photographer for Hire, Susceptible to Cute Families and Sweet Babies =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I’ll look that up! Thanks!
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Today while walking to work after a doctor’s appointment, the TSO Carol of the Bells came on my iPod (I have only been listening to Christmas music since mid-October. Yes, I am one of THOSE people.) and I was thinking how awesome a song that was to really walk fast to and it’s dramatic and I was swooshing through people on the sidewalk. They have great music to move to!
.-= Cat´s last blog ..Walking Dead =-.
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Heather Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:37 pm
LOL that is awesome!!! Way to rock out to some TSO Carol of the Bells!!!
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I love Carol of The Bells, but I really love Baby It’s Cold Outside (probably the best part of Elf!). It’s my favorite secular song for the holidays. I like how you brought the theme of music into your Advent post.
.-= Bellezza´s last blog ..Advent Blog Tour: It’s All About The Orange. Sort Of. =-.
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I so love summer that I will get downright grumpy when I see Christmas decorations as early as September.
As much of a ‘humbug’ person I am, I love, love, love Christmas music. I even listen to it in Summer!!
CindyS
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Thanks for the lovely Christmas tunes – love the one from Elf, and the White Christmas clip was just what I was in the mood for tonight!
As for starting Christmas early…I love it so much, nothing can be too early for me…
.-= Julia Smith´s last blog ..Thursday Thirteen – 135 – 13 Things That Kept Me Going During NaNoWriMo =-.
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Great choices! Thanks for the clips!
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Isn’t that the truth! The holidays start so much earlier each year don’t they. Pretty soon we’ll be doing Christmas shopping under the glowing lights of 4th of July fireworks! LOL
These were great carols to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Like you, I’m most looking forward to spending the holidays with my family. It’s the one time of year we’re all in the same place at the same time
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Challenge Me =-.
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I am looking forward to check out the carols. I know most of them, but love to listen and get in the holiday spirit (and by the way, I am not into beginning Christmas too early either)
.-= Louise´s last blog ..What a surprise!! Book Blogger Holiday Swap package from Italy =-.
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Love That’s What I Want for Christmas by the Sportsmen….
.-= debnance´s last blog ..Sunday Salon—Readathon—Advent Tour Stop—Children’s Christmas Picture Books =-.
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Christmas Carols are a favorite tradition for me at Christmas too. We went to Handel’s Messiah on Sunday. Love White Christmas by Bing.
.-= kaye´s last blog ..Tuesday Tales: 1st Blogoversary! =-.
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