The last few weeks, I have been asking people to tell me what their favorite Christmas songs are. It can be kind of interesting to hear about, actually.
Whether or not I ever tell those I’ve interrogated, I am always, always categorizing their responses. I find the people I get along with best respond with either a song I strongly dislike (All I Want For Christmas Is You) or a song I absolutely adore (Marshmallow World). Truth be told: I can likely carry on some type of conversation with pretty much anyone, so OF COURSE, there are those in-between.
My response, you ask? Silver and Gold. Sometimes, when I hear that song, and it gets to the whole “…means so much more when I see silver and gold decorations on every Christmas tree…” part, I get to thinking about the people in my life who similarly gild my life.
This one gave me my cackle, and she encounters me at my worst sometimes so that I can be my best at others [thank you].
This one makes my heart sparkle (and is the most beautiful person in the world and I wouldn’t be where I am without her and I can’t stop telling everyone how amazing she is because she is AMAZING).
This one keeps in touch with me from another side of the world.
This one has helped me in ways I cannot even explain, and he can sum up just about any movie he likes with one of two word options: hope / fate.
This one became my friend when we talked about The Smiths almost a decade ago, and he is still the only person to ever get all my references (NOTE: Just DAYS before this very post published, a reference was missed, and I told him that I wrote this, and we laughed pretty hard about it.).
This one brought humor, kindness, friendship, and welcoming when I needed it [thank you].
This one takes beautiful photographs (and handles my photobombs with class).
This one explains it all.
This one is a kindred spirit, and I feel lucky that we have put that time I hip checked him out of the way (and took the last mango popsicle) behind us.
I enjoy the presence of all of these silver and gold PEOPLE from this beautiful place I call home. [I am the luckiest.]
Here is a mixture of songs to fit the season: some classical, some electronic, some seasonal, some acoustic, some full of favorite memories with favorite people (like the ones I mentioned above).
The Winter Playlist 2016
Listen Here
Andante – Michael Dulin
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – Ella Fitzgerald
The Twistable, Turnable Man Returns – Andrew Bird
Everybody Wants to Love you – Japanese Breakfast
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love
Simply Satie – Michael Dulin
In My Mind – Amanda Palmer
Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
Kick Jump Twist – Sylvan Esso
Freshly Laundered Linen – Boom Forest (ft. Phox)
Sleigh Ride – The Rosettes
Papaya – Tenniscoats
How Loud Your Heart Gets – Lucius
Lost Dreamers – Mutual Benefit
Silver and Gold – Burl Ives
Prelude in D Flat Major (“Raindrop”), Op.28, No.15 – Chopin
