I can't help myself: when I hear Mannheim Steamroller, the Christmas spirit starts creeping in.
I know, it's a little embarrassing.
And yet, I defy you to listen to this and not get a little smiley, toe-tappy, christmas happiness.
Perhaps electronic instruments backed up with a full orchestra aren't your thing. Or maybe you're not ready for Joy To The World just yet. Try this for all your dark and mysterious Advent needs (English Horn and Organ...so gorgeous!)...
Perhaps singer-songwriter is more your speed:
Or maybe you're looking for something a little more multi-cultural (I have requested this for my last day in my current church, so we'll be doing this on Advent 3...it's so great!):
SO: What music helps you get into the Advent and/or Christmas spirit? What's your Advent playlist like?
And as a bonus: in worship, will you sing Christmas carols during Advent? why or why not?
AS it happens I started a thread on this topic on another web-gathering place. And have posted lots on it here
ReplyDeleteWhen I am in the office in the afternoon I have Christmas music playing (in the mornings tehre are CBC radio programs I like to listen to)
I love Sufjan Stevens' Christmas cd and John Erickson's Feeling Christmas cd, for starters...
ReplyDeleteThanks Gord! there's some great stuff over there!
ReplyDeleteI can't find a source for it now,but there is a wonderful CD by the now defunct "Miserable Offenders" called "Keeping the Baby Awake" -- wonderful beautiful Advent music, and this reminds me that I need to go find my copy!
ReplyDeleteThis has some of the music from Keeping the Baby Awake with some other selections as well.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of singing a few Advent texts set to the tune of Christmas carols. I wrote one last week that is free to use/adapt: http://www.kewp.blogspot.com/2012/11/communion-carol.html
ReplyDeleteLove the post! We will definitely sneak a few Christmas hymns in the last two Sundays of Advent.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas music is Bruce Cockburn's Christmas CD and any hint of Tchaikovsky's Nutrcracker!
Without a doubt my very favorite is "Christmas in Maine" by Paul Sullivan. However, I also have to hear the Messiah at least once every Christmas. .
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