THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS - PART THREE - A CHRISTMAS COTTAGE TOUR - 2019

Today will take us on a sleigh ride. 

 No, 

there isn't any snow where I am but

 the mind is a powerful thing and,

 if you believe,

 it can be so.

As in years before,

 Santa is taking center stage 

in the sitting room. 

 There are so many Christmas songs 

that tell us about 

the jolly old gentleman,

 but I wanted to take it

 a little further and,

 in this age of technology, 

focus on Santa's 

favorite mode of transportation.

"Just hear those sleigh bells jingling

Ring-ting-tingling too

Come on, it's lovely weather

For a sleigh ride together with you"

"Sleigh Ride"

Although 

not originally written for Christmas, 

Leroy Anderson, the composer, 

had the idea for the piece 

during a heatwave in July, 1946, and

 finished the work in February, 1948.

  He composed it as an instrumental

 but the lyrics 

in which someone asks another

 to ride in a sleigh 

were written by 

Mitchell Parish in 1950.

Now, right here, 

is living proof 

that Santa can drive a car but

 he much prefers the sleigh. 

 There is plenty of room 

for his bag of toys and

 the reindeer like the fact

 that they can

 fly through the sky...

...or 

even through a bouquet of flowers.

  Remember 

anything is possible 

if you believe.

"Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O'er the fields they go

Laughing all the way.  Ho,ho,ho

Sometimes Santa

 hitches up his faithful steed,

 especially when 

the little lady is around. 

 She feels he is much safer 

with his Santa boots on the ground.

  Mrs. Claus 

insisted she join hubby 

on his rounds this year,

 bringing along a few gingerbread men.

 It is her belief 

that a hard working man

 is always in need of 

a sweet pick-me-up.

Santa and Mrs. Claus 

are the creations of 

April 

of Cold Creek Primitives, 

her Etsy shop,

 and I absolutely love

 her imagination.

"Sleigh Bells ring

 are you listening

In the lane 

snow is glistening

A beautiful sight,

 we're happy tonight

Walkin' in a winter wonderland"

"Winter Wonderland"

This song was 

originally recorded in 1934. 

 Due to its seasonal theme 

it is often regarded as 

a Christmas song in the Northern hemisphere.

  Smith, a native of Honesdale, PA 

was inspired by seeing 

Honesdale Central Park covered in snow.

  He wrote the lyrics 

while being treated 

for tuberculosis.

One day 

as I was in the parking lot of Michael's,

 I spied this branch 

laying on the ground.  

I knew exactly 

what I would do with it.

  The Captain 

was waiting in the car for me and 

when I came back with my treasure

 he just rolled his eyes and asked

 why I was dragging more trash home.  

But even he has to admit,

 it is the perfect prop for 

the makings of a 

winter wonderland.

I never did find 

the star for the top of

 the vintage ceramic tree

 so I substituted 

the blue moon to the top and 

added Tweetie Bird 

swinging from a branch. 

 Both are a symbol of 

sweet memories of 

Jake as a baby.

I aspire to greatness and 

I have added a few more 

of those cheap, but cheery, pillows

 to help get me there.

A gathering of tree angels 

who just received their wings, 

surround Santa 

as he makes out his list for

 good little boys, girls,

 and doggies.

The little shelves

 of the chimney cupboard 

are just the right size to display 

a collection of the "Sarah, Plain and Tall"

  houses and some bottle brush trees. 

 They are replicas of

 the houses pictured on the

 Hallmark Hall of Fame, 1994.

Even though, 

my go-to Christmas colors of

 pinks in the guest room and 

blues in the parlor,

 I am definitely 

a tried and true 

red and green Christmas fan. 

 Many years ago, 

I decided that I was going to go

 all glam and 

used all golds and greens.  

That was the most 

miserable Christmas of my life 

as far as decorating went. 

 It was a big mistake for me and

 I couldn't wait for Christmas

 to be over so I could take it all down. 

 I really love and admire 

other's abilities to go "rogue" 

but it isn't for me.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh"

"Jingle Bells"

Written by James Lord Pierpont in 1850.

  Inspired by the 

one-horse open sleigh races

 run on Salem and Pleasant streets 

in Medford, MA.

  He wrote it 

in a boardinghouse that had 

the only piano in town.

I hope you enjoyed 

your sleigh ride today and 

will want to come back again 

for Part Four, 

the dining room 

at Christmas time.

...Judy...

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