Yeah, I’m corny.  I admit it. Especially this time of year.  I am jingling all the way this holiday season.

I adore the Christmas lights and holiday carols.  I called them holiday carols because in addition to Christmas carols, I love and sing Seven Principles, the Kwanzaa song (lyrics & music by Bernice Reagon, recorded by  Sweet Honey in the Rock*) as well as winter carols like Frosty the Snowman (lyrics & music by Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins) and Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (lyrics by Sammy Cahn, music by Jule Styne).

I love carols so much, I actually joined the throng at Pops Goes the Holiday Season on December 3^rd in the World Record Breaking Caroling Attempt at Christian Science Plaza in Boston.

I dig Christmas movies, old and new.  I watch these every year. My favorites are:

• It’s A Wonderful Life (no surprise there)

• A Christmas Story (also no surprise)

• Home for the Holidays

• Scrooge (various versions including the one with Bill Murray and they all still spook me a little bit)

• Grand Canyon (not a holiday movie but has the holiday spirit in it to me)

I treasure Christmas accoutrements - trees, ornaments, wreaths, garlands, holly, poinsettias, wrapping paper, Santa hats and reindeer antler headbands and car ornaments.  I have a red velvet lounge set that I wear every Christmas morning.  Call me Mrs. Santa if you want to…I am.  Having granddaughters and a (step) grandson give me license to Mrs. Santa-it-up.

I love-love-love holiday shows particularly sharing the experience with my fellow audience members and becoming of one positive mind at least for a brief time. This season, I’ve seen:

• Black Nativity (41^st annual production put on by the National Center of Afro-American Artists) in collaboration with Roxbury Community College) – It lifts my spirit and celebrates the birth of Jesus and the struggle of Mary and Joseph to find a place for her to give birth.
• Anthony Williams' Urban Nutcracker by Ballet Rox – An exuberant production!
• Holiday Pops – A time-honored Boston tradition featuring the Tanglewood Festival  Chorus. 
• The Christmas Revels – This year the songs and skits were mostly French (with a couple of numbers from the Middle East) and I didn’t know any of the music (although the music was provided) but most of the audience seemed to.  I was still able to experience the glow emanating from the exuberant performances and the enthralled audience. (I preferred Christmas Revels in 2009 which featured traditional American music, including Appalachian folks songs and African-American spirituals because this music was more familiar to me and I could more easily participate.)  

Next year, I hope to have my granddaughter with me in Boston so I can share these holiday shows with her and take her to her first high tea.  Meanwhile, I look forward to Christmas Day with family and friends.  We’ll cook, share stories, laughter, and delectable food (especially cakes, pies & cookies).  We’ll exchange gifts (tokens of our esteem according to our means), we’ll sing carols (on key and off), we’ll go to church (Jesus is the reason for the season after all), and we'll give thanks that we are all together once again and anticipating a great new year!

Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, Happy Hannukah, and a Feisty Festivus (for the rest of us).
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(*From the album,  B’lieve I’ll Run On See What’s the End’s  Gonna Be.)