Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!  It’s my middle son’s 16th birthday this week and we’re heading to Disneyland with my sister’s family and brother’s family for a Porter holiday.

I hope your baking is done and your shopping is finished and now you’re just left with wrapping and celebrating.

I’m sharing a few of my favorite carols to keep things festive and fun!

and this one:

What is your favorite carol, and do you have a song by a favorite artist?  Let me know and one of you will win a box of holiday treats, sweets, great reads and so much more!  Winner will be announced on the 26th of December.

happy-holiday-ld

258 Comments

  1. I had never heard of Pentatonix and now you’ve got me hooked, Jane! I am listening to all their songs on their web site right now!

  2. O Holy Night and I’m really enjoying the acapella performance done by Home Free. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen performed by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan is another favorite. Merry Christmas!

  3. LOVE Pentatonix! Think however, my favorite song thus far is “O Holy Night” as sung by Jeff Gutt. He has an amazing voice and does a great job with a song that isn’t easy to sing properly. Give it a listen!

  4. It`s hard to choose a favorite but I really like All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. Some of the others I like are The Little Drummer Boy, Deck The Halls and Let It Snow

  5. I love Little Drummer boy and Silent Night. I hadn’t seen Bowie and Bing together before. Very cool. Merry Christmas to you and yours! Happy Birthday to your son as well.

  6. Have fun at Disneyland celebrating your son’s birthday. I love Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. I also recently discovered the Michael Buble & Idina Menzel singing “Baby It’s Cold OuUtside” which is awesome. So is the youtube video that goes with it. Here’s the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bbuBubZ1yE

    Enjoy your holiday celebrations – Merry Christmas Jane.

  7. I enjoyed both of those! I watched Bing in ‘White Christmas’ this afternoon and it made me think of the Christmas specials he did with his family. One of my favorites is ‘What Child is This?’ done to the tune of Greensleeves.
    I’ve got ‘The Sound of Music’ singalong showing the lyrics on tv, so I’ll be singing along with them this evening. Happy Holidays!

  8. I love the song, “Mary Did You Know?”. I have the version by Kenny Rogers. Bought the whole CD just for that one song.
    Happy Birthday to your son, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all!!!

  9. “O Holy Night” … I love it by all people but Kelly Clarkson is my absolute favorite!!!

    Merry Christmas, Jane & family!

  10. Happy Birthday, Ty! Hope you had a great birthday. I like The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, Canon of the Bells and I’ll Be Home for Christmas.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all.

  11. Wow my favorite Mary Did You Know was the one by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd…but this one is amazing! I first heard that song after my son was born…and maybe it was hormones but that story was never so real to me. Powerful.

  12. 16th is a big deal, have a great celebration. I love What a Wonderful Work by Louis Armstrong, not exactly a Christmas Carol but perfect for the season.

  13. Anything by Johnny Mathis is brings memories back of growing up and reminds me of Christmas before my dad passed when I was 7

  14. Mary Did You know by Pentatonix is my favorite. Although Drummer Boy, O Holy Night and Blue Christmas run a close second.

    Have a blessed Christmas Jane!!

  15. Silent Night is a favorite carol but I also love the Bing Crosby/David Bowie duet of Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy. Merry Christmas!

  16. My all time and ever favorite is Sleigh Ride either by the Boston Pops or sung by Johnny Mathis. I consider it my husband and my song.

  17. Have fun at Disney! I love listening to anything by Harry Connick Jr. or Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I also love Faith Hill’s “Where are you Christmas?”
    Merry Christmas, Jane!

  18. My favorite is Silent Night. I love Dolly Parton’s Hard Candy Christmas. Our boys turn 16 the same week!

    Merry Christmas!

  19. I love Do You Hear What I Hear by Whitney Houston, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft, and The Cast of Nashville’s Christmas Album is a new favorite this year.

  20. By far it is O Holy Night ! Josh Groban or Michael Bolton’s version brings a tear every time. I love the swelling of emotion in the song. Just came back from Very Merry Christmas Party @ Disney World with 8 of my 10 grand kids and parents. It is a magical place and will always be one for me. Bless you and yours , Merry Christmas!

  21. My favorite Christmas carol is O Holy Night. Not sure if you heard it but the one Megan Trainor is one of my favorites now. I think she just released it this year.

  22. I really like The Little Blue Bell by Brenda Lee but my grandmother who passed away 2 weeks after my daughter was born 8 years ago, always loved Ave Maria so when I hear that during Christmas time, I always think of her.

  23. I love that version of Mary Did You Know! I really love all Christmas music (well except Santa Baby). One of my favorites though is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. Something about his voice, when I hear this song, it just shouts out Christmas to me. Not because it is in the song. :).

  24. Today is my eldest son’s 15th birthday! Favorite Christmas song is Mary,Did You Know? the Mark Lowry version. Happy birthday to your son!

  25. Is it bad to say that i love ALL the christmas songs and artists? I guess that is a perk to loving everything about the holiday 🙂 god bless

  26. Happy birthday to your son. I hope he has a great time. Have fun on your trip to Disney Land. What beautiful songs these are. Thank you for sharing them. I love Christmas carols one of my favorites is White Christmas.

  27. I love Josh Groban singing “O Holy Night” and “Happy Christmas” by John Lennon.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

  28. Happy Birthday to your son, have fun at Disney and Merry Christmas! I love the song Mary Did You Know by sung by Kenny Rogers and Wyonna Judd! Love silent Night sung by anyone!

  29. If you like the Pentatonix’s Christmas music, try Straight No Chaser’s, they are fabulous! I also love O holy night and Dominic the Christmas Donkey. Enjoy your holiday in Disneyland!

  30. I like Mary Did You Know, Silent Night, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Enjoy Disneyland. We are going on family vacation with 16 people.

  31. Baby It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin and almost anything by Harry Connick Jr. I love jazz and big band music!

  32. Baby It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin and Blue Christmas by Elvis. Have fun at Disney. Happy 16th Birthday to your son.

  33. Mele Kalikimaka by Jimmy Buffett is one of my favorites. But I still love the oldies. White Christmas by Bing Crosby and I’ll be home for Christmas by the Carpenters.

  34. my favorite is blue christmas by elvis because my uncle used to sing it to me every christmas when i was growing up

  35. My favorite Carroll is “What Child is This” to the tune of “Greensleeves”. It was my first and only applauded singing performance; I sand it as a duet in Campfire Girls. Once my voice dropped a bit I could no longer stay in tune…an unexplained mystery. Love the performance of David Bowie with Bing Crosby. Okay, so I love almost anything to do with David Bowie…I’ll admit it! Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy Disneyland with your son! We’ll be heading out there in July to celebrate their Diamond Anniversary!

  36. My favorite is “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Vince Vance & the Valiants. I like several others already mentioned too. Merry Christmas to you & yours.

  37. I like Mary Did You Know? no matter who sings it. O Holy Night by John Barry is one of my favorites. Brad Paisley has a fun song called Penguin, James Penquin, that is really cute.

  38. I love the little drummer boy! I also like FEED THE WORLD, by Bandaid from the 80’s. And, YES, rick springfield has a Christmas album that I love.

  39. Today is my brother’s birthday also. Mine was a couple of weeks ago. December birthdays are tough but also special. My favorite carols are the old traditional and religious carols. Mary did you know, O holy night, Silent Night to name a few.

  40. Jingle Bells is my favorite but I have a long list of the ones that I love:) Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to your son!

  41. Holiday songs I tend to like the kids songs most. Jingle Bells, Rudolph, We wish you a Merry Christmas etc… Love when my girls were little and would go around singing them nonstop and be so excited about the holidays.

  42. Hope you and your family have a wonderful time at Disney!
    My favorite Holiday Carol has a special place in my heart! I have a 9 year-old autistic daughter and when she was 5 we were in church and we sang Silent Night, there was a woman who also signed it. Since that day she has been signing silent night every time it is sung. She signed it alone the following year at church whilr we all sang.
    So SILENT NIGHT is my all t ime favorite

  43. Bing Crosby’s and David Bowie’s Little Drummer Boy is one of my favorites. Love anything by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Ultimate favorite contemporary is Clint Black’s “The Coolest Pair”. I’ve loved this song since it came out roughly 19 years ago. It is rarely played on the radio but it is bittersweet. It such a fun song and makes me smile, but I think how my dad would have loved to hear it. He loved Christmas and passed away 23 years ago.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jXyiNtNuG4

  44. We will be at Disneyland this week too! Our daughter is finishing up her Disney College Internship at the end of this month so we are flying down to spend Christmas with her! If I see you I will say hello!

  45. My favorite carol is the Bing/David version as you have the video in your blog. When I first saw that, at it’s original airing, I fell in love with it. I was also introduced to Pentatonix and love all their work, but, Mary Did You Know is my favorite.

  46. Blake Shelton’s White Christmas. He released a Christmas album last year and I absolutely love it! Merry Christmas!

  47. Im so jealous that you’re going to Disney!! I have been itching to go lately. My nephew is 7 months old so I still have a couple years til we all go as a family. I get out all of my Christmas CDs and put them in the car. Mariah Carey, NSync, and a mix of favorite artists singing the classics I’ve downloaded over the years!

  48. Have fun at Disneyland! We were there 2 weeks ago for 3 days and it was so beautiful, especially at night. Bring your patience, it’s packed this time of year. I like Blue Christmas sung by Elvis Presley.

  49. The Little Drummer Boy sung by Pentatonix. They are just an awesome group and they did a really good job with this one. Of course I like most of their songs. 🙂

  50. I just started listening to my holiday cd’s I pulled out a double set that I purchased from Bath and Body Works from 2004, there’s an amazing song that I’ve never heard before from the group Everything But the Girl called 25th December – thanks for this wonderful gift and I hope your family enjoys Disneyland and celebrating your son’s 16th birthday – Merry Christmas

  51. Happy Holidays! My favorite song White Christmas. It’s one of the few I actually sound decent singing. LoL
    But i love Carol of the Bells as well

  52. My favorite is the Little Drummer Boy. I don’t really have a favorite artist. I like all the old fashioned Christmas carols that I grew up with. They were some great singers.

  53. My favorite is winter wonderland. Plus I love Michael Buble’s Christmas album. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  54. Do you hear what I hear by Vanessa Williams has always been one of my favorites.

    Have fun at Disneyland!

    Melissa

  55. Song of the Bells is my favorite carol, but All I Want for Christmas is You is my favorite song from my favorite Christmas movie, Love Actually. I even named my daughter Aurelia after my favorite love story in the movie.

  56. There a song from the 80’s or 90’s by New Edition called “Christmas all over the world” that is my favorite.

    Happy Holidays!!

  57. My birthday is this week also. I love most Christmas songs. Here comes santa or santa baby are a couple of favorites. Happy birthday to your son, happy holidays to you and your family. Disneyland is so much fun this time of year.

  58. The first time I heard pentitonix sing this song I cried. It’s amazing but I also have I Wanna hippopotamus For Christmas stuck in my head

  59. The David Bowie , Bing Crosby one is my most favorite. And Mary did you know but by Donny Osmond is my second favorite. No joke.

  60. I love to listen to the classics like Elvis during the holidays. He was my mom’s favorite and I have fond memories from my childhood listening to his holiday albums. Happy Holidays!

  61. My favorite Christmas song is Santa Claus is coming to town by Bruce Springsteen. It makes me smile, but also a little sad, as I’m still mourning the loss of the big man, Clarence Clemons.

  62. I love “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, but I have a very special place in my heart for “Jingle Bell Rock” as the Christmas before she passed away from a brain tumor (suddenly) , I videoed my mother dancing to it as she walked by while I was trying out my new camera. She was 85 and I watch the short video every year at this time and cry happy joyful tears.

  63. i just recently found pentatonix (spelling). I love their frozen song :). Or Mary did you know by any artist 🙂

  64. Hi Jane!! Have a fantastic holiday!! I love Sarah MacLaughlin’s version of Noel 🙂 And the Rovers have a few I like too, but that’s my favorite 🙂 Merry Chrismtas to you and all your guys!!

  65. I love Christmas is for Kids by Kenny Rogers. Attending his Christmas concert was one of our holiday traditions for years!

  66. There are so many good Christmas Carols, any many are sung so well by so many. But hubby and I heard one on the radio this evening {SIRIUS Country Christmas channel} that neither one of us liked. I don’t know who was *trying* to sing, but the voice wasn’t that great, and the arrangement of the wonderful carol, SILENT NIGHT, was atrocious — at least to us.
    And having said that, SILENT NIGHT is one of my favorite carols.

  67. We went to Disney World for Christmas a few years ago, so pretty. Love Mary Did you Know too. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

  68. Happy Birthday to your son, and have a wonderful time. I have two favourites – Please Come Home for Christmas by The Eagles and Blue Christmas by Elvis. I am not one for Traditional Carols but love the more modern songs.
    Have a very Merry Christmas, and a safe and Happy New Year.

  69. Pentatonix and Clay Aiken each singing their versions of ” Mary Did You Know”, and Nat King Cole singing Christmas Carols! Watching “Miracle On 34th Street”, and football or basketball while relaxing after dinner!

  70. I like Joseph’s Song on The Promise CD by Michael Card (actually I like the whole CD). I also like the Pentatonix’s verson of Mary Did You Know? I bought it on iTunes a couple of weeks ago.

  71. Thank you for sharing both videos. Enjoyed them both. Always been a fan of Bing’s 🙂 My favorite is White Christmas sung by Bing Crosby. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year!

  72. My favorite Christmas carol is O Holy Night by any deep voiced male singer. The song gives me goosebumps! Also, Martina McBride does a wonderful rendition of it.

  73. Sounds like a full week! Have lots of fun with the family! My favorite Christmas Carol would have to be White Christmas by Bing Crosby to listen to, and Away in a Manger to sing with my girls.

  74. Happy 16th to your son! I love Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix!!! Actually, I have a loooong list of my favorite carols – I’m not the most decisive person! Shopping not done … it WILL happen tho’! Merry Christmas to you and yours, Jane!

  75. Blue Christmas and Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. God bless, RLM

  76. My sister and I sang “What Shall I Give to the Child in the Manger” from Eugene Butler’s Christmas Cantata “Emmanuel” today at church. It has been one of my favorite Christmas songs for over 30 years from when I first sang this cantata in a church choir.

  77. My favorite is a Johnny Mathis song, Every Christmas Eve. But I also adore When The Christmas Baby Crues, by the Annie Moses Band. You should watch that video on YouTube. They are a family group. All siblings and most went to Juliard!

  78. I love The Huron Carol otherwise known as Twas the Moon of Wintertime, it’s Canada’s Oldest Christmas carol. Written probably in 1642 by Jean de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Canada. It was written in the native language Huron/Wendat It’s beautiful. There are many versions on youtube. Sung in both French/English/Native

  79. Merry Christmas! My absolute favorite holiday album is Christmas Portrait by the Carpenters. I especially love their rendition of Sleigh Ride. That CD never fails to put me in a festive mood! Have a wonderful trip! Thanks for the giveaway!

  80. Happy Birthday Ty, enjoy your Disney vacation. I love Christmas songs. I will say that one of my favorites is the long, rarely played version of White Christmas. I have found it very fitting, since I grew up with snow and live in So CA now. Merry Christmas Jane!

  81. Have fun at Disneyand! My favourite carols are Six White Boomers, and Orana. Both Australian, and I love singing them. No favourite artists. Carols are for singing, not for listening to as far as I’m concerned.

  82. My favorite Christmas song is probably Little Drummer Boy because it always makes me tear up at the part where he says that he’s a poor boy too and has no gifts to bring. It’s so touching and sweet to me.
    My favorite singer would be Dolly Parton. I love several of her Christmas songs and have to listen to them every year. Have you heard her duet with Kenny Rogers called Once Upon A Christmas? It’s so beautiful!
    Thank you and Merry Christmas!

  83. My favourite christmas carol is white christmas as here in Australia we do not have a white christmas, thank you for the lovely videos of carols Merry Christmas to you and your family

  84. I love Pentatonix, and their Christmas album this year was wonderful, but so was the album from another a capella group – Home Free. Angels We Have Heard on High….O Holy Night…and a fun original – Full of Cheer. Beautiful voices (and not bad to look at either!)

  85. Do you hear what I hear, Mary did you know touches my heart! Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed watching these clips! Brought a smile to my face! Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, new year!

  86. Silent Night is my favorite but I love Pentatonix singing Mary did you know, the video was awesome and gave me goosebumps. Merry Christmas to you and your family and have a wonderful Disney vacation.

  87. Have a beautiful Christmas! My favorite is Elvis Presley’s Blue Christmas!Have a fun and safe holidays! ho ho ho

    1. I love So This Is Cristmas by John Lennon. I hope your son has a wonderful birthday and you all have an amazing vacation!
      ew

  88. Love this verision of Mary , did you know.
    My favorites will always be White Christmas by Bing and Santa Baby by Ertha Kitt.

  89. One of my favorites is O Bopy Night – by Point of Grace. I love the harmonies of their voices. Another favorite is All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey – brings back memories of my oldest nephew when he was a toddler

  90. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I don’t care who sings it. “Oh Tidings of Comfort and Joy.” I never get tired of hearing that sentiment. I think it’s really the heart of Christmas 🙂

  91. I Love the Pentatonix, thanks for sharing. My favorite is a collection of carols by Benjamin Britten called a Ceremony of Carols.

  92. I had no problem from facebook to your blog, I love to read and enjoy your books!One of my favorite christmas songs is Mary Did You Know by Kenny Rodgers. My wish for you and yours is the happiness and joy that your books bring others!

  93. My favorite Christmas song is “O Holy Night”. The recording done by Mario Lanza is still the most powerful version I’ve ever heard. Have a blessed Christmas, Jane 🙂

  94. My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I also love Christmas Collage by Kathy Mattea. Happy Holidays Jane!

  95. Birthday blessings to your son and hope you all enjoy your time together in Disney world. I really feel the spirit of Christmas when we sing “Silent Night” in church holding candles.

  96. I love O Holy Night sung by anyone just about brings me to tears every time I hear it. Eartha Kitt’s Santa Baby is so cool. I am also a big fan of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra music and Mannheim Steamroller. Everything they do is good to me.

    HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY,TY!

  97. Color me jelly… gifts bought, not wrapped. Tree up, undecorated. A final trip to the grocery and that will be that, but it will keep until tomorrow. No cookies to bake, but can if I want. Have to work today, but off for the whole of the Eve and the Day of the Deity.

    Wishing you Merry for Christmas and Blessed for the New Year.

    1. I forgot, my favorite carol? Gads, It came upon a Midnight Clear? O Holy Night? So many! For non-hymn would likely be Winter Wonderland or Silver Bells.

  98. WOW, Jane, you have 250 responses!
    Eerie thing; I had that same song in my head and had not clicked on your link yet. I really love it and I loved hearing Pentatonix do it. Thank you for that link! Merry Christmas too!

  99. Merry Christmas! My favorite Christmss song is Silent night! Hope you had a great time in Disney! Love it there! And I have two kids born in December. Both my girls. My oldest turned 21 on Dec 4th.. And my middle child turns 16 on Dec 30th!

  100. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

    #203 Alexandra Brooks, you are the winner! Drop me an email with your mailing address and I’ll get package in the mail to you.

    Much love to all of you and here’s to a wonderful New Year!!

    Jane xoxo

Leave a Comment

Your email is never published or shared.

*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

By posting a comment, you consent to have your personally identifiable information collected and used in accordance with our privacy policy.