Cardiogirl: 19% body fat 100% fun

I like Christmas music. My problem is I usually burn out too fast on it. They start the XM Radio Christmas channel right around Thanksgiving and I’ve made the mistake in the past to start listening to it then. I’ve done better this year.

Did not know that about “2,000 Miles” by the Pretenders, but it’s stuck in my head now. That’s a good thing.

Isn’t that funny about the Pretenders? I had no idea. I think I’ve mentioned this before as well — I immediately reprogram my buttons when the stations go all Christmas, all the time.

But, I am glad this new plan is workin’ for you.

Ok, I missed the whole unicorn/kangaroo debate, but I think I want the foul mouthed kangaroo.
I bet he’d have a few choice words to say about all this tired old crappy Christmas music.
It doesn’t matter what kind of music it is, if I have to listen to it for years and years and years and years, I get sick of it. Maybe that is your trauma too.

I am so with you on Christmas music. My preprogrammed radio stations on my car are currently reduced by one… one station starts blasting Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving and doesn’t let up until New Year’s. Boo. At least the other stations only throw in an occasional song that I can avoid.

I have been very grateful for my local Christmas music station. As you know, my CD player is kaput (and I refuse to fork out $500 to fix that puppy – but I have asked for a suitable portable CD player for Christmas). Most of the time, my children get very noisy in the van. It is not fun noise either. No, they are not having lively conversations. They are repeating annoying gutteral noises or saying my name ad nauseum.

Enter the Christmas music and for once, they are willing to listen and they even do it quietly. MS is singing a few Christmas songs in a preschool program tomorrow (his favorite is “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (and yes, I’m thinking, I hear that silence, the gentle Christmas music, and I love it, too!). He listens patiently, hoping it will come on while we are on our drive.

I will admit there are a few songs that I have to turn off because I just don’t like them. Strangely enough, I have never liked “The First Noel.” I think it is a very monotonous .

It is funny to hear my littlest guy walking around the house and suddenly he starts singing “A Baby Changes Everything.” Hee-hee.

Also, I wanted to ask you to conduct a poll. I would ask this question on my blog, but would probably end up with about 2 responses. Here’s my question: What do other people do with the photos that people send in Christmas cards? Do they keep them (as I do) or merely toss them when Jan. 1st rolls around?

Okay so I’m lumping Christmas music in with McDonalds and Wal-Mart, everybody says they hate it but it’s really popular for a reason. I paid full price for my Josh Grobin and Charlotte Church Christmas CD. You should try it.

Cute kangaroo. I’m sure she needed another stuffed animal.

CG, you gotta trust me on the music front, pally. I’ve got “2000 Miles” on a couple of Christmas CD’s. And in order to enjoy the holiday music, you have to find the obscure, cool tunes—not the junk they overplay on the radio and in the stores. I’ve got a couple of Christmas CD’s from Bath & Body (Odd, I know) that have some really cool numbers that rock it out. I love Joni Mitchell’s “The River” and Dido singing “Christmas Day”. The Click Five “My Girlfriend (forgot me this Christmas)” , Shemekia Copeland “Stay a little longer, Santa”…..oh, there is more.

You just need some new Christmas tunes, pally.

Oh, I’m still hoping for that kangaroo for Christmas!

I will admit it….I love Christmas music!! At work, I’ve had my Muppets Christmas CD on continuous play since at least Monday (maybe earlier). I’ll probably switch to Bing, Johnny Mathis or my new Luther Vandross CDs soon. Growing up we always had Christmas music on, so I come by my addiction naturally. Imho, Christmas music shouldn’t start before Thanksgiving and should end shortly after Christmas, absolutely no later than New Years Eve. Obscure Christmas songs are awesome. I once heard the words of Little Town of Bethlehem sung to the music of House of the Rising Sun (or at least I think that was the combo) and it was great!!

I do have my limits though. That freakin Christmas Shoes song makes me cry every time (I know I’m lame…lol) so as soon as I hear that it might be played, the station must be changed!

Hola Cardio,

Now when I worked in retail, I used to be a cashier at Marshalls in a former life, I hated Christmas music…I mean really hated it. And this hate began because they started playing the stuff the day after Thanksgiving and it would play until the New Year. I mean I love Santa Baby as much as the next person but come on there is but so much a person can take before it’s considered a mild form of torture.

Now the music doesn’t bother me all that much. I actually look forward to it because I so rarely get to hear it. My favorite is the Little Drummer Boy!

Side note, am I the only one who doesn’t like getting gifts? I find that people never quite get me what I want. On the flip side I really love giving gifts. I’ve been told I am really good at it.

Side note side note, Cardio if you like lights you would love Boathouse Row in Philadelphia. All the boathouses are lined with X-mas lights…it pretty cool!

You’re welcome. :)

I love Christmas music. But I only like the old-skool stuff. I don’t want to hear the New Kids on the Block or Mariah Carey or anyone else singing Christmas music; I just want to hear traditional Christmas music. XM has taken away my 1940s station, but it has replaced it with traditional Christmas music, sung by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby and folks like that. They did a Paul Anka yesterday that I was not fond of, but fortunately the songs are really short, so it was only a few minutes of unpleasantness.

I was in Benny’s (sort of like a local Kmart) last week when this one song started playing, something about this little boy that wanted to buy his momma a pair of shoes for Christmas because she’s dying and it might cheer her up. UGH. Those are the kinds of songs I absolutely abhor. If I never hear that song again, it will be too soon.

How is it that you get to open Christmas gifts early??? Or was Kanga from last year?

I was surprised by how many votes the unicorn got, Tim. I thought Kanga was a slam dunk, but not so.

Maybe my hatred of the music is repeated exposure. I do tend to analyze the life out of certain topics. Sometimes a tree is just a tree after all, eh?

I’m with that on the occasional avoidance, however I really would love to see how ratings go when these stations switch over. I wonder if they stay the same or increase.

They have to remain steady or they wouldn’t switch over every year. Boo hiss.

That’s interesting, Wendy. I might have to try that this morning on the way to school, just to see what their reaction is.

As I’ve been thinking about this I’ve realized that I really don’t mind instrumental holiday music. I particularly enjoy Mannheim Steamroller.

I’m going to pose your question next week when the whole post can be devoted to it. Naturally Friday is the Book of Questions day and I now feel like I cannot interrupt that. So you’re on next week!

I do agree that people express dismay for things and then go there anyway. I will admit I don’t like McDonalds but I go there for the playland. My kids love it.

However, I stand firm on liking Walmart. I got no problem with the Big Dubya.

I’ve never heard of those tunes you’ve mentioned. Maybe I do need to give this one more chance.

That kangaroo would be an awesome addition to this family, particularly for his pouch. I’d never have to carry a purse again.

The Muppets are in on the act? I knew Alvin and the Chipmunks were a standard but I didn’t know the Muppers were there too.

I could totally get behind Little Town of Bethlehem/House of the Rising Sun. I have never, ever heard of a song about Christmas shoes. I guess I haven’t lived, eh?

Way to go on the second side note~!~ You know what, missy? You have earned the Gold Star of the Day.

I had to laugh when you said your favorite is The Little Drummer Boy because that instills rage in Lin. And she’s a huge Christmas music fan.

Um, Faith? (Shakes you by the shoulders) you don’t like receiving Christmas gifts? How can you not enjoy getting gifts? I will admit I’m not a fan of receiving clothes, but anything else and I’m there.

That would be fun checking out Boathouse Row. I do love the lights; it truly is my favorite part of Christmas.

(smiles wide and bobs her head side to side, the way Bette does at the beginning at the song)

I also enjoy the Big Band stuff. I wonder if they did any instrumental Christmas music.

That shoe song sounds like a country western song in Christmas clothing.

Twenty points for you LJ! I wondered if anyone would catch that.

My in-laws live 250 miles north of here and driving up in that snow for Christmas is really becoming treacherous with three kids, so we go up at Thanksgiving instead.

Over turkey we exchange gifts since we won’t be there in December. And that is how Kanga has joined us early here at Cardigirl Manor.

I have downloaded a lot of “traditional” Christmas songs sung by updated artists, including Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan and more. I put lots of original songs by cool bands – The Raveonettes, Over the Rhine and more. I also put both the Pretenders and Sting song (and a couple more Sting Christmas tunes) on my MP3. You can stop by my blog to hear some of them!

That word should be “TRADITIONAL” not ‘tradintional.” I don’t know what “tradintional” means.

Haha I just noticed I said Bing Crosby TWICE. I meant Frank Sinatra. One song I cannot help but adore is Baby It’s Cold Outside, no matter who’s singing it, though I don’t really see how it’s a specifically Christmas song. That’s the other thing I love about that era in music; several singers covered the same song, and they’re all just a wee bit different.

Oops, it’s a Sesame Street Christmas CD, but I think they are still technically Muppets so I wasn’t too far off…lol

Here’s a link to the lyrics of the Christmas Shoes song, but I’m warning you that it’s sad!! Tears started welling up in my eyes after just glancing at the first verse, but then again I’m a giant mess of emotions these days…lol http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/carlisle-bob/christmas-shoes-10186.html

Yeah, I believe the Sesame Street gang falls under the Muppet umbrella.

I did listen to the song, I never did hear that thing in all my life. I’m suffering from intense dental pain right now so I wasn’t moved by the mother’s shoes. But if I were in my right mind I would think it was a lovely sentiment. Thanks for the link.

Isn’t that funny? I totally missed Bing showin’ up twice. Shows you how into the holiday music I am, eh?

I just saw that song on the movie “Elf” over Thanksgiving. I never hear that song out and about. That’s one that I don’t mind.

And who knew Zooey Deschanel could sing?

Now that’s a Christmas song list I can get behind, Jo. I think I have gotten tripped up in the standard, over-hyped song list. I’m off to listen!

I got ya covered. I corrected it up there.

(Clears throat) um, whatchoo talkin’ bout Willis? I don’t see a misspelling in the comment above.

However, I do believe the term “tradintional” is from the 18th Century and has its origins in geometry and mathematics.