Christmas begins like this.
An 11-year-old Michael Jackson will forever convey to me the excitement of Christmas morning. That Christmas songs could sound like this was a revelation to this 13-year-old kid in 1970.
“One more time, yeah! Santa Claus is comin’ to town. Oh, yeah!”
“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” the Jackson 5, 1970, from “A Motown Christmas,” 1973.
Christmas continues with a toast.
“Christmas bells, those Christmas bells
“Ringing through the land
“Bringing peace to all the world
“And good will to man”
“Snoopy’s Christmas,” the Royal Guardsmen, from “Snoopy and His Friends,” 1967.
Christmas concludes with a wish.
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir, released as a single, 1971. I’d always had it on “Shaved Fish,” the 1975 compilation LP from Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band, until I found the single last year.
Merry Christmas, mein friends!
Enjoy your holidays, everyone!