Tag: christmas

Sounds of the Season

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

As a child, whenever I heard adults use the phrase, “where does the time go?” I always thought, “I don’t know where it goes, but it sure goes slow.” Now, as an adult, I too wonder where the time goes, and why it goes so quickly. It feels like Halloween was just yesterday yet the first day of 2025 is only two weeks away. I had every intention of writing several posts over the course of the past month highlighting various new holiday songs, but alas, best laid plans and all. Instead, here is one bigger post to celebrate the sounds of Christmas. 

graphic of a running gingerbread man cookie

Let’s kick things off with one of my favorite things about the holidays – cookies!! First up is the new song “Gingerbread Man” from Stacey Peasley. This movement song is filled with actions including running, skipping, hopping, and spinning, making it the perfect song to include on Noon Year playlists or to wear out the kids after too many sugary treats. Take a listen to “Gingerbread Man” by clicking on this link.

Next up is the clever “360 Million Cookies,” a new song performed by Suzanne Jamieson about all of the cookies that Santa has to eat in one night as he makes his way around the world. The Mid Century Modern flair of the graphics in this lyric video blend well with the modern pop sound to create a tune that children young and old will enjoy.

Now that we’re full of cookies, let’s celebrate Christmas with some old friends and new. Our first stop is in Canada where Heather Feather shares her beautiful new song “When Santa Comes to Visit Me” in English, French, or a bilingual version. Take a listen at this link.

For another bilingual song, let’s visit Flor Bromley who, along with the cute chicks from Canticos, bring us “Navidad.” This lyrical video is in Spanish and English and features a Latin beat that will have viewers dancing along.

Next up is a quick trip to a tropical island for “Christmas Island Time” written by Freddy Wexler and performed by Teacher Pete to accompany Wexler’s new picture book, Everett Green: The Not-So-Christmas Tree.

And finally, a visit to our friend Mr. Jeff and his family. By this point in December, Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” has popped up on every streaming list more times than I can count. But just as I’m getting tired of it, along comes Mr. Jeff and his adorable back-up singers to give the tune a fresh new look and sound. 

Looking for even more holiday music to share during your family gatherings or last minute Christmas events? Check out this playlist curated by Esther Crow. Featuring over 75 contemporary and classic Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa songs from performers from around the world, this list can’t be beat. Still don’t see your favorite holiday song here? Please add it to the comments. With Christmas (December 24-25), Hanukkah, (December 25-January 2) and Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1) all falling within days of one another this year, we want to lift up all of the sounds of the season at this time.

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with love, peace, and joy!

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Video Premiere “Why, Daddy, Why?” performed by Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

In November Brady Rymer released the four track EP, Angels in the Snow, a mini-collection of original holiday songs. Today it’s my pleasure to help premiere the video for the EP’s second track, “Why, Daddy, Why?” In this tune, Rymer and the Little Band That Could cleverly give voice to the confusion that a group of impatient siblings feels while they’re waiting at the top of the stairs for mom and dad to call them down to see all that Santa has delivered. The inquisitive refrain of “Why, Daddy, Why?” is performed to a rocking, horn-filled beat that is perfectly paired with retro-infused graphics that recall Christmases long ago. Parents will enjoy the nod to all that mommy and daddy do to put the finishing touches on “Santa’s work” while children will relate to the difficulty that comes with having to wait to see what Santa brought. Enjoy the video for “Why, Daddy, Why?” (along with Rymer’s incredible red, sequined jacket) below and make sure to check out the full EP on your favorite streaming service.

 

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Album Spotlight – “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

I love Christmas music. As a kid, we always started listening to Christmas records (a Readers Digest compilation album, Burl Ives, Bing Crosby) right after we watched the Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving Day and didn’t stop until after dinner on Christmas Day. And every year we anxiously awaited for the night that our favorite Christmas song-based holiday shows would be on – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Frosty the Snowman, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

It’s hard to remember now, but A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) was the first television special based on the Peanuts comic strip. Every year my sister and I would scour the TV Guide for it because we didn’t want to miss Charlie Brown trying to put together a community Christmas play and Linus telling us about the true meaning of Christmas. As a kid, I didn’t know what jazz music was exactly, but I knew that I loved the music in this show. From the iconic “Linus and Lucy” to the lovely “O Tannenbaum” to the unforgettable “Christmas Time is Here,” every note perfectly matched the tone and message of the special.

One of the greatest things about the music that the Vince Guarldi Trio created for A Charlie Brown Christmas is the fact that the music can stand all on its own. While listening to the soundtrack does at points evoke scenes from the show, overall it goes beyond just being a soundtrack for a TV special and instead becomes the soundtrack for the season. As the days leading up to Christmas take on an even more frenetic pace and everyone’s patience becomes thin, take a few minutes to sit back and enjoy the soothing sounds of A Charlie Brown Christmas. (Oh, and speaking of albums, have you seen the LP for this one? It’s on green vinyl!!) 

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Revvin’ Up the Reindeer performed by Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe that Christmas is only two weeks away. It feels like we were just getting ready for Halloween and now 2018 is just around the corner. So, with the holiday season quickly approaching, the final children’s album that I would like to shine a spotlight on is Revvin’ Up the Reindeer from Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could.

This collection of 13 all original songs is a joy to listen to from beginning to end. The amazing musicianship of Rymer and the band is evident in every song as they bring a rock feel to songs such as “Revvin’ Up the Reindeer” and “Hanukkah Rocks,” a little bit of Americana to “Trim the Tree,” and an almost old school country/western vibe to “Peace Be to All.” Delightfully, the lyrics are as well written as the music with “Christmas Peace” retelling the Christian story of Christmas, “Rainbow Candle” capturing the quieter moments of Hanukkah, and “Baby New Year” introducing listeners to that pudgy little baby who wears a top hat, diaper, and a sash.

While this album wouldn’t work in most school or library program settings, it is a must have for all libraries that have circulating holiday music collections. This new set of holiday songs are tunes that families can enjoy listening to together and parents won’t mind visiting again and again. For a little taste of what to expect, check out the video below or visit Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could on YouTube to see additional videos from the album.

 

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It’s the Holidays! Performed by Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the time of year when the stores put all of the Thanksgiving items on clearance, the pre-Black Friday sales begin, and local radio stations start playing Christmas music. And all of that before the family has even arrived to enjoy the abundance of deliciousness known as Thanksgiving dinner. So, since all signs point to it being “that time of year,” over the next month I’ll be highlighting several new family albums that celebrate the holidays.

First up is the delightful It’s the Holidays! from Brooklyn-based Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats. This collection of five jazz age inspired originals celebrates the holidays between Halloween and New Year’s. The album kicks things off with the clever “My Mommy is a Mummy” (keep this one in mind for Halloween 2018) and is followed by “Grateful,” a rare song about Thanksgiving. This is a lovely tune about family and food, but also about the importance of putting aside our differences and acknowledging those things in life for which we are grateful. Take a listen.

Just as the seasons transition from fall to winter, so do the songs on this album. “It’s Snowing” gets listeners thinking about how fun it is to get all bundled up to go outside and of all the exciting things children can do in the snow when they get there. This fast-paced song would work great in winter-themed storytimes as kids dance to the various activities described in the song like stomp, jump, run, slide, and climb. “It’s Snowing” also acts as a nice bridge to the final two songs on the album.

The title track, “It’s the Holidays!” is a bouncy celebration of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and a lovely New Year. The refrain, “It’s the holidays in our community/we celebrate all in unity,” encourages listeners to take the time to honor our differences. Finally, the album is capped off with “That’s a Wrap!” a short (1:37 min.) tune that tells listeners “Let’s wrap up this year and say goodbye” and would be a great addition to any New Year’s Eve programs.

While shorter than the average album, Kalantari, backed by a group of amazing musicians, has created an album that families will listen to again and again. It’s the Holidays! is the perfect start to “the most wonderful time of the year.”

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Some Holiday Fun with Laurie Berkner

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

Looking for some kid friendly holiday songs to share during your family gatherings? Try this compilation of four of Laurie’s videos that are perfect for the holidays- “Candy Cane Jane,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “Jingle Bells” and the Laurie and Brady Rymer duet, “Children Go Where I Send Thee.” Do you have any favorite children’s holiday songs?

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Wake Up It’s Christmas Time – Sara Lovell

Librarians, Parents, Teachers

On Saturday, Sara Lovell debuted this video for her new holiday song, “Wake Up It’s Christmas Time.” If you’re looking for a new tune to share with your kids that seamlessly talks about the excitement of Santa’s arrival as well as the importance of listening to the stories of those who might believe in holidays different than yours, then this song is for you. I love the lyrics toward the end, “And if you family celebrates another holiday, tell me all about it, I’ll come over when you call, We’ll sing the songs you sing and I’ll listen when you tell me what matters to you most of all.”  Enjoy this catchy, beautiful song of the season!

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