I don’t normally set my car radio to Christmas music this time of year – by the time Christmas rolls around, I’ve had more than my fill of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” But once in a while, when I’m flipping through channels, a song will come on that can transport me to a wonderful memory of holidays past. This week it was the Boston Pops Orchestra performing their amazing version of “Sleigh Ride.”
As soon as it began, I was immediately taken back to 1976 (!) to the high school gymnasium in my tiny little hometown, where the high school concert band was performing that same song at the annual Christmas concert. I was a clarinet player, and “Sleigh Ride” was a challenge for us. We had practiced for weeks, and I remember being really nervous about playing such an ambitious piece. But we played it with gusto, and were rewarded with wild applause from our family and friends sitting in the bleachers.
It was a triumphant feeling. To this day I can still pick out the clarinet portions in the music, and envision my fingers playing the trills and runs. I remember the bright sounds of the brass section behind me, and the talented Randy Christopher creating a perfect rendition of a neighing horse with his trumpet in the final measures – it was pure genius!
Other songs trigger other memories. “Silent Night” always takes me to the candlelight ceremony during our church’s Christmas Eve midnight service. And I can still see my little girls in the rearview mirror, cracking up in the backseat of the minivan as I belted out the infamous “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” in that silly cartoonish voice.
What songs have meaning for you this time of year? Do you incorporate music into your holiday gatherings? Create a playlist of your favorites and have it playing while you wrap presents or host a cookie exchange or Christmas dinner. Use music in everything you do to help create memories that will last a lifetime!
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ~Confucius