Showing posts with label christmas music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas music. Show all posts

Damn, These Guys Are Good

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

From their Holiday Spirits CD. (FYI cheaper on Amazon than iTunes)



1980 Called and Wants Its Boombox Back

Friday, December 19, 2008

Drama Kid is being a bit of a brat lately and it's totally killing my holiday spirit buzz. I've been a cookie baking fool this week and have two more batches left today. I thought some Christmas music would help restore my inner peace and harmony but even at the highest volume, I couldn't hear iTunes on our PC all the way upstairs let alone over the mixer.

Not having any speakers for my iPod, I came up with a totally ghetto solution and dragged out the boombox my uncle gave me when I was 14.



The picture does not do this justice. This thing is big and heavy! But, even after 21 years it still rocks the bells (Holy shit! Now I feel old).

My Son's Favorite Christmas Song Yo

Free Christmas Music!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

I was so bummed I missed the free songs Oprah had on her site last week but this makes it all better. Go to Amazon every day through December 25th to download free Christmas music! There will be one free song every day (it started Dec. 1st).

There are artists and songs I've never heard of but am totally digging. I didn't know the Barenaked Ladies had a Christmas CD let alone they did a duet with Michael Buble!

Remember Jars of Clay? Yeah I didn't either until I came across this song. Free stuff rocks! Happy downloading! (Thanks Penny Pinching Diva!)

Help Spread The True Meaning of Christmas

Monday, December 8, 2008

I have read that perhaps this current economic crisis will be a much needed wake up call of sorts. We, as consumers (and I raise my hand here because I totally like my stuff) should take this opportunity to re-examine and re-evaluate our shopping and spending habits.

We should make more of an effort to buy American, buy local and buy sustainable. We should become a better example to our kids of what "people over possessions" really means, particularly over the holidays.


Helping the military and their families is a cause that's really important to me. I'll never forget the generosity of the small business my
husband was working for when he was activated after 9/11. They gave him a small salary while he was gone which was so helpful to me since I was managing the household alone.

Not every military family can say the same. Despite the housing allowance and commissary, many families still really struggle to make ends meet, and it can leave parents feeling frustrated and depressed.


Here are a few organizations I've come across who have cheap, easy or free ways to send some holiday love to our men and
women in uniform. because morale is so important.

*I found Wish Upon a Hero through an affiliate program I belong to.

Anyone can post a wish for something they want or need. I've used it to ask for help with the postcards and DVD player for my soldier and have gotten a nice response. I've also granted wishes by sending cards and postcards. There are many people looking for "small" but meaningful wishes that won't cost you much, if anything (free to join the site).

*Xerox has set up a
site where you choose a postcard and they will mail it to a military member FREE (thanks Thrifty Mommy!).





*I saw eMail Our Military on Mommy Pie's site and had to look into it.

eMailOurMilitary

They have so many projects to contribute to (more than listed here):
  • Postcards
  • Care Packages
  • Soup for the Troops
  • Voice mail messages
  • Artwork from kids (great for a Scouts, class or church project)
I did see they require a $2 processing fee but couldn't tell if it's needed for all the activities.

*The
Red Cross is also sending cards to soldiers (postmark deadline 12/10).

*At the Starbucks near me and the Albertson's, shoppers can buy bags of coffee and leave them to be sent to the troops.


*And there is always the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.


If you know of any other groups supporting the military for the holidays (or any other good causes) please leave it in the comments.

And, with the money pinch so many of us are feeling, will you be taking a more grassroots approach to the holidays?
(*None of theses companies know I've written about them)

Fa La La La LONG- My Christmas CD Collection

Monday, December 1, 2008

I absolutely LOVE Christmas music. The music fills me and reminds me of the real meaning behind the season. I have been known to listen to a song or two outside of the holidays.

My mom started the tradition of putting on her Christmas CD's after the Thanksgiving dishes were all washed and put away. I used to think she was crazy, but now it seems the holidays go by so quickly I need to squeeze every minute out of them so I break mine out then too.


This is the time of year I really miss living in the midwest. As I type this I'm copying all my music to a playlist on my iPod (Hello Apple? You people are freaking geniuses!). Walking on the beach listening to White Christmas is kind of a cruel joke. Shorts and flip flops in December is unnatural. Yeah, I know, boo hoo. I'm sharing my collection and a few songs here then asking for your help.

Who doesn't love Harry? This CD has all his signature style: jazzy, upbeat and mellow.




I listened to some of this CD at Borders last year and instantly fell in love with it. I'd never heard any of Diana's music before. She has an amazing voice.





I grew up on Motown. This CD was one my mom had as a record.




She had my dad take all her Christmas records and record them on tape. Not a small cassette tape, the big giant spools of tape on a deck.
My dad was so proud of his "media center!" There was no "shuffle" setting so the tape would play over and over and I would complain because I'd memorized the order of the songs.

I bought this CD at Kohl's as part of their Kohl's Cares. It's so good! Christmas Time makes me cry almost every time I hear it (tearing now). I wish it was in the Seeqpod library but this song is good too.




No Christmas library is complete without the King. This CD has played on repeat for hours and I've never gotten tired of it. What a voice!





More Motown. This one has a lot of Supremes and Temptations.




And this does too, along with the Jackson 5 (when they were normal).




This was a Costco find. I love this woman. She's beautiful and talented and her voice is perfect for Christmas music.




This was the first Christmas CD I bought. Stevie Nicks' version of Silent Night is my absolute favorite.




A Cheryl Crow and Mary J. Blige duet? Yes please! This compilation is great.





Sensing a pattern? I really love the idea that these CD's support a cause. And ya gotta love Run DMC.









I try to add a new CD every year and would love your input. What CD do I need to add to my collection? What are your favorites?
 
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