So tomorrow will be Christmas Day 2009. Has it really been a year since the last one? If you're feeling all warm and full of Christmas cheer then I salute you. If not, then you find yourself in a similar position to myself. I've always loved Christmas but this year it just feels wrong. Not that I haven't tried to get in the mood: I've sung carols, made paper chains, listened to hour upon hour of Christmas music (The Real Group and Muppets' Christmas albums are both great to check out if you want to capture some of the Christmas spirit.) and even argued with my parents, and yet it doesn't seem like Christmas.
Still, I'm not going to be a Scrooge about it; Christmas seems to be the one time of year that everyone briefly forgets how crap their lives are in order to gather around a roaring fire and exchange gifts of socks and, well, socks. It's the one time where we can look to the future and not be terrified and/or angered by it: the year is nearly over and the days are going to get longer. There's something on the horizon at least. And if that's enough then that's fine by me.
In this year's audio stocking I have a couple of gems, definitely more chocolate coins than old satsumas. The first is a cover of Low's Just Like Christmas by new country/indie upstarts Kill It Kid. They've put their own unique twist to the song and conjures up the image of what Christmas must be like for those Southerners in the US of A. Or something like that. It's good anyway.
The next track is a choral version of my new favourite Scottish export (excluding whisky), Frightened Rabbit with their Christmas track they recorded last year, It's Christmas So We'll Stop. It's completely acappella and somehow reminds me of Santa laughing (the ah's at the start sound more like HO HO'ing to me). This track is brilliant for creating a festive atmosphere, it's so easy to lose yourself in this. I would also recommend checking out the original version of this track too, it's still chilled but has a subtle hint of bitterness that make this accessible to everyone, whatever their mood at this time of year.
The last track is one you may have heard on the radio over the past few weeks. Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas has penned a catchy, rollicking Christmas song to rival Mariah Carey in the cheese stakes. I Wish It Was Christmas Today is what I imagine my little brother to sing in the first few weeks of December, though I think I can say Casablancas does it much better. I love pretty much everything he's ever done so I may be a bit biased, but I think this track is a cracker.
I'm sorry, it had to be done(!)
So, whether you're into the whole Christmas thing or not, forget about swine flu, ice and exams for a bit and have a good one. Eat, drink, be merry and listen to some brilliant tunes.
Merry Christmas from Yours Truly
x
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