The Music of Christmas

Began a sunny, chilly morning with breakfast and The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas. Ted E. Bear (Tom Smothers) is a curious fellow who desperately wants to know what this thing called Christmas is. Trouble is, most bears hibernate through December. Though the other bears think he's crazy, he pushes himself to stay awake long enough to see Christmas. He eventually stumbles into the big city, where he learns that Christmas isn't a place. It's more of a feeling, and one that's best shared with someone you love.

Messed around for a bit online, then headed out. I had a lot to do today, starting with a stop at the post office to deliver the Christmas packages going out of town. I picked the right day and time to send them off. There was no line when I arrived around noon. I handed them to the lady and gentleman behind the counter, and they got them labeled and on their way.

Rode to Collingswood next for a quick peek at Collingswood Music. The teen daughter of a friend is taking guitar and piano lessons, and I wanted to buy sheet music books that would be appropriate for an older beginner. I got one for each instrument and found a unique Christmas album for myself:

Art Garfunkel and Amy Grant - The Animals' Christmas

(Oh, and that completes my Christmas shopping. I'll be focusing on Christmas baking next week before the Acme's employee party on the 21st.) 

Headed down Haddon Avenue to have a small lunch at Koupa Espresso Bar. Unlike GrooveGround down the street, this does have a pretty decent Greek-themed lunch menu along with the usual coffee and tea drinks. I tried the Gingerbread Cold Foam Chai Latte and a slice of their Spanakopita pie. Oh yum. The tea had hints of cherry and spice along with the ginger, while the pie was thick and crusty, with lots of spinach and cheese. No wonder they were so busy when I arrived.

Phidelity Records is a few doors down on the other side of the block. I was there long enough to look over four bins of Christmas album - two for newer albums, two dollar bins for random collections from the 60's and 70's. Ended up with one brand-new album, one used but fairly unique, and one dollar collection:

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas (This is the brand-new one, but $15 isn't bad for a new album.)

Two collections from the 70's, the soul and R&B Soulful Christmas and the more general The Wonderful World of Christmas

Headed down Cuthbert to Westmont Plaza next. Target didn't have toothpaste on sale, but I really liked that almond-smelling soy-based shaving gel I got last time, and it wasn't a bad price. Bought a box of acne facial patches as well. I ducked in and out quickly to beat the kids coming out of school.

Wanted to try something different at Sprouts. Rose mentioned at Thanksgiving how useful their bulk bins are when you need just enough of an ingredient for a recipe. I filled small bags with oatmeal and chocolate chips and a larger one with granulated sugar for Christmas baking next week. Got more of those yummy bulk dried mango slices, too. Found Cortland apples on a good sale and vegan oatmeal raisin cookies with a bakery clearance tag. Picked up a bag of organic shredded coconut that was only slightly more expensive than the regular sweetened stuff at the Acme. Wanted to try Poppi's seasonal Cranberry Fizz soda, but it only came in a four-pack. Four sodas aren't that much to carry home, so I bought the four-pack.

At least it was a nice day for all the running around. It was windy and much colder, in the mid-30's, but also sunny and brighter. Not much traffic around, either, except for on Cuthbert Road as I was going home, thanks to the high schools just letting out for the day.

Went straight upstairs soon as I got home. Put everything away while watching She Loves Me on YouTube. I go further into this charming 1979 BBC adaptation of the sweet 1963 stage operetta at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Musicals On TV - She Loves Me

Stayed at YouTube for two classic Muppet specials. A Muppet Family Christmas has Kermit, Fozzie, and all of the Muppet Show cast members descending on Ma Bear's farm for the holidays. Ma's not thrilled - she was going on vacation for Christmas. Doc and Sprocket from Fraggle Rock, who were renting her house, are even less pleased. Kermit is more worried about Ms. Piggy being waylaid in a snowstorm. Meanwhile, the Sesame Street Muppets turn up to put on a Christmas pageant, the Swedish Chef chases a talking turkey, and Kermit takes his nephew Robin down to meet the Fraggles and enjoy their winter holiday with them.

The earlier special John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together is more of a variety show. Piggy schemes to get a big part in one of Denver's massive production numbers and ends up doing a really wild "Christmas Is Coming" with the others. Denver's best moment is the lovely "A Baby Just Like You" and the finale "Silent Night" with the Muppets. Piggy finally gets her wish when Denver leads a group of toy soldiers to war while doll Piggy claims "I Will Wait for You."

Worked on the Seasonal inventory while I watched. Added the remaining Goodyear Great Songs of Christmas albums today, along with the oldest Happy Holidays collections I own. I've had most of the Great Songs of Christmas albums for so long, I have no clue where they came from. I know I got album five from a yard sale in 2007, but that's the only one I can remember. I found Happy Holidays Vol. 16 at the Audubon Goodwill two years ago, but I think Volume 13 came from eBay.

Watched Match Game '78 during dinner and as I started to work on the She Loves Me review. Bob Barker was very offended when the Audience Match was "Come On __" and the young woman contestant didn't call on him first for an answer! The audience was more upset when Brett answered "Dodgers" to "Brooklyn __" a bit later.

Finished the night listening to my new Christmas albums and one of the Goodyear ones. No idea what The Animals' Christmas is, other than a collection of animal-themed Christmas carols and hymns. I suspect this is an attempt to retell the legend about farm animals being able to speak on Christmas Eve. In addition to "The Friendly Beasts," we get some lesser-known holiday animal carols like "Song of the Camels" and "The Creatures of the Field." (I won't ask about "Incredible Phat.")

Soulful Christmas and The Wonderful World of Christmas are collections from probably around the mid-70's, which is about where the resemblance ends. Soulful Christmas, as you can guess from the title, features soul and R&B artists doing holiday tunes, like Brook Benton's "This Time of the Year" and "You're All I Want for Christmas" and Patti LaBelle singing "Winter Wonderland" and "Blue Christmas." Wonderful World is a more general mix. Dinah Shore does a charming "We Need a Little Christmas." I also liked Nat King Cole's "A Cradle In Bethlehem," and one that was a bit of a surprise, Anne Murray's version of the rock hit "Put Your Hand In the Hand."

Ella Fitzgerald is at her sassy best for Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas. I have her version of "Jingle Bells" elsewhere, but the others are all new to me. The surprises here are "Good Morning Blues" and "The Secret of Christmas," one of the only good things about the so-so 1959 movie Say One for Me. 

Henry Mancini Selects Great Songs of Christmas is another mid-70's attempt to bring up-to-date sounds to the traditional collection. The Carpenters' version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" joins the usual orchestras and choirs. Ella Fitzgerald is here too, singing "Sleigh Ride."