Post Christmas Consumer Post

For those of you still looking for gifts for others or wondering what nice little thing you should pick up for yourself during this ongoing Christmas season, I have 2 recommendations. The first recommendation is an audio CD. Ray La Montagne has put out an interesting and diverse recording of some upbeat and some mysterious/doleful songs that are filled with soul. His recent CD is entitled "Gossip in the Grain." When I bought it I was definitely looking for a more upbeat album as a whole, but I still enjoy his songs, especially on these cold days of winter. Song 01 is the best thing.

My other recommendation is for a book I do not own and I have not actually read at all. So... you may wonder how I could recommend it. Well, it's easy: I type words on the computer and then you read them. The book is entitled Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas. Consider it recommended! Actually I can recommend the book based on an interview I heard with the author on Sean Hannity's program on 100.3 KTLK FM several days ago. 

The author, Ace Collins spoke of the history and tale of songs ranging from that song about ...God rest ye merry gentlemen to Nat King Cole and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. He spoke about the different meanings of words like "merry" in england when the song was written and now in America when we sing it. And, he spoke about songs of Christmas being written in just moments by people sweating their way through the dog days of summer trying to keep cool.

Those are 2 of my recommendations for this time of Christmas. Peace.