Merry, Merry Eve
Wait, wasn't it just Thanksgiving yesterday?
I wrote this newsletter (full disclosure) last week, and (even fuller disclosure) I am also “early-bird penning” NEXT week’s newsletter, which falls on NYE. I promise, if major world events—provided they’re entertaining—occur in the interim, I will update!
SHORT VIDEO: SINGING CHRISTMAS HEDGEHOGS
How better to begin than with some wacky, if a tad dark, musical hedgehogs? Note: for some reason YouTube disabled the viewers’ ability to make hedgehog choices, so in this version, the calls are made for you!
VIDEO CLIP: LINUS’ SPEECH (FROM A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS)
In recent years, the networks stopped airing A Charlie Brown Christmas. It’s now only available streaming, for a fee. However, I found the climactic scene for your enjoyment (is it just me, or do you also hear Linus’ voice in your head whenever you read that Biblical passage?) Another note: our actual Cunningham family Christmas trees rarely looked as nice as good old Charlie’s.
CLASSIC TV PRODUCTION: A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
Here’s another holiday favorite, the great Geraldine Page starring in the1966 TV adaptation of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory.” It’s fruitcake weather…
RECIPE: PERSIMMON BREAD (CLOSEST I’LL EVER GET TO MAKING FRUITCAKE)
Sheridan has a very generous friend, a church member with a persimmon tree. Every December, Sher is given a quantity of this fruit, which I never knew what to do with (Sheridan has been happy just to eat the persimmons). But this year I found a persimmon bread recipe, and it turned out very well!! Adapted by food blogger David Lebovitz from a delicious James Beard recipe, this one has chopped dates, nuts and raisins along with the persimmons, so…sorta fruitcake?
CHRISTMAS MUSIC FAVORITES (PART TWO)
As promised last week, more very special Christmas music!
Liz Story’s New Age piano music is gorgeous…this is from her album The Gift…
Archangelo Corelli’s “Christmas” concerto is a beautiful intro to Corelli’s works (ALL of which are amazing).
Here’s Sheridan, playing his original arrangement of On Christmas Night (Sussex Carol):
AND A WONDERFUL JEWISH HOLIDAY TREAT…CHANUKAH SUITE BY JASON ROBERT BROWN
I first heard this terrific choral piece performed by Commonwealth Youth Choirs at their holiday concert last week (Ya-Jhu and Sheridan are both on the staff; Aiden and Peter sing with the group). Wish I had the kids’ performance recording to share—it was stellar. But this is also really good!
BLOG PREVIEW: IN THE CARDS
Why, oh why, are we getting so few Christmas cards these days? Does it POSSIBLY have something to do with the fact that WE stopped sending cards out years ago? Read this week’s Working Title, and see if there’s a mysterious connection!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
May you find the joy today, and keep it all year long, my friends…
