In 1997, Starbucks introduced a special new cup to hold its beverages during the holiday season. “The theme for holiday was “Give in to the Rhythm,” and the red festive cups punctuated the jewel-toned palate of deep reds, greens, blues and yellows and a jazzy Santa with a profile that evoked the Starbucks siren,” accordingContinue reading “I Really Don’t Care How You Feel About Red Cups”
Category Archives: Chrstmas
A Jazzy, Classical, Somewhat Folky but Still Appalachian Christmas
Every year, I search for a great new Christmas album to add to my collection. With more than 11,150 Christmas songs in my collection since I began in 1987, I’ve heard everything. Good and bad. When you find a holiday album that is simply perfect in every way, it’s a cause for celebration. This year,Continue reading “A Jazzy, Classical, Somewhat Folky but Still Appalachian Christmas”
In Despair I Bowed My Head…
I woke up on Friday morning with the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Christmas poem in my head. It is one of my favorite Christmas songs. The words are deep and heartfelt. Unlike many songs associated with the season, it was not written out of a joyful or happy experience. Longfellow had a long historyContinue reading “In Despair I Bowed My Head…”
Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Christmas
I love this time of year, and I love collecting facts about the holiday. My collection of Christmas facts started in 2000 when I started writing and producing an annual Christmas musical every year for a large church in my hometown of Seattle. As part of the “pre-show” to keep the large crowds entertained beforeContinue reading “Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Christmas”
Beautiful Songs Under a Winter Moon
You probably haven’t heard of Mindy Gledhill. And if you expect to hear her in the usual mix of stuff they play on the “Christmas Music Stations,” you just won’t. Her combination of melancholy, simply-sung and arranged songs, along with a uniquely stylized voice, just won’t fit in with stations that insist on playing WhitneyContinue reading “Beautiful Songs Under a Winter Moon”
Protected: Perfection for Christmas: The J’s with Jamie
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
I Really Don’t Care How You Feel About Santa Claus
As a former children’s pastor, I had many interesting conversations with parents about the difficult conversations they’ve had with their children. A lot of parents seem to have huge concerns and issues with Disney and Harry Potter. They worry about certain television shows and video games. But what really surprises me is the number ofContinue reading “I Really Don’t Care How You Feel About Santa Claus”
December 1st: The Andy Williams Christmas Album
I listened to the local Christmas music station for about 30 minutes today. Spaced apart by about 2 hours, I was annoyed by all the commercials and the way the DJ’s referred to themselves with holiday nicknames. I was also bugged that in the 30 minutes I listened, I heard two of the same songs:Continue reading “December 1st: The Andy Williams Christmas Album”
Christmas Music 2011
Walk into your local Target and you’ll see an endcap full of Christmas music. There’s a few collections made just for Target, usually a young newer artist who puts out an EP exclusive, and there will be some collection CD’s re-releasing the same 24 versions of the same 24 songs that have been on nearlyContinue reading “Christmas Music 2011”
One Child
Christmas is the season of light and hope. It’s the celebration of that moment in time when heaven and earth met—when God wrapped himself in humanity and became not a conquering hero, but a tiny, helpless baby. Just one child among millions born into this world. And yet, this One Child—this is the One ChildContinue reading “One Child”
Duane S. Montague 