One of the things I love most about music, is that it helps solidify memories, and then whenever you hear a song, it can bring a certain memory to the forefront of your mind. It can be very very powerful. Many of my favorite childhood memories have something to do with Christmas, and these three albums I am featuring today. They are the Christmas must haves. You must own them and if you don't, please buy them.
First is Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" album. His voice is one of my all time favorites, it's like velvet, and every time I hear it, I am reminded of Christmases in my grandmother's home. It seems to me that Nat was playing all the time at her house, and it was warm and cozy.
Next is Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" album. I remember listening to this album EVERY single year. And it was a real album too. You know, a vinyl record? With all the scratchiness and warm, fuzzy sounds? This is the quintessential Christmas album, and Bing is Mr. Christmas.
Lastly, and the most fun on my must haves list is Dean Martin's "Making Spirit's Bright". This album is so fun to listen to and Dean Martin had such a way of adding personality to all of his songs. I could listen to this album over and over and over and never tire of hearing it. If you haven't already, add this album to your Christmas library.
All three of these singers and albums were standards at my grandma's house, and she created the most wonderful atmosphere and home for a child to spend their Christmas vacation. She passed away in 2004, and Christmas has never been quite the same without her, but her memory lives on in our hearts whenever we listen to these must have albums.
