Holiday Music Favorites

It’s just a post-it note I kept in my planner since about this time last year.  I must have had some extra time on my hands, probably sitting through a dull meeting seeking a break from workplace monotony.  My wife saw it one day during this holiday season and asked me about it.

On the note is a list of what I believe are the best interpretations of Christmas songs I’ve enjoyed over the years.  Within minutes of the discovery, she was offering some of her suggestions and debating some of my choices. 

That’s the beauty of creating lists of your favorite things; there are no wrong answers.

So here we go, in no particular order, with my list of the best interpretations of holiday music:

Baby it’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin- a breezy and playful tune with an early Dino preceding his 1960’s TV image of a swinging ladies man.

Winter Wonderland by Elvis Presley- from the King’s second Christmas album.  It includes a great electric guitar bridge and an ending crescendo that secures his place in holiday music history.

Christmastime is Here by Tony Bennett- from his album with the Count Basie orchestra. But for just about any holiday song, Tony can make any holiday song his own.

White Christmas by Jerry Vale- with the understanding that this song is so perfect, just about anyone’s version could be a favorite, I have always enjoyed his enthusiastic embracing of the great American songbook.

Wonderful White World of Winter by Bing Crosby – a little known song found on a Columbia compilation album remains one of my favorites.

Sleigh Ride/Jingle Bells by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans- just a great spin on two classics that includes Roy’s yodeling.

Sleigh Ride by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops- the instrumental version is perfect.

The First Noel by Bill Anderson- the country whisperer’s version of this carol includes a recitation that almost brings me to tears.

Let It Snow by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme- the husband/wife team knocks this one out of the holiday park.

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole- in the same category of White Christmas, I couldn’t argue with just about anyone who favors another artist.  But Nat really brought it home for me.

Christmas Waltz by Frank Sinatra-  the chairman of the board’s version respects the waltz timing and catches the artist at arguably his creative peak.

Even as I write this, I can think of others.  Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters and A Child is Born by Johnny Mathis come to mind immediately.  I didn’t include anything from Andy Williams. That wasn’t intentional; it’s only because of time that my list stands as it is.  At least for this year.

There will be more songs as the holiday season passes.  Next year, th ere will be others to add to or to replace songs on this list. At any rate, as long as we have the gift of music, we’ll have a strong connection to the season.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced

Kitchen gadgets and promises of pie

While looking at one of the new kitchen gadgets available this holiday season, my wife threw out the one line that often convinces me that this year’s must have item is worth the investment: “It would allow me to make more pies.”

 I fall for that line every time.  In thirty-plus years of marriage, our kitchen has become home to what seems to be thirty-plus “can’t-live-without” aids ranging from food processors to popcorn poppers, from bread machines to salad spinners, not to mention the latest in a long succession of frying pans with surfaces that promise no more sticking.

 And you may ask, how many pies do I see emerge from the Newvine kitchen on an annual basis.  My best guess is two:  Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

 Now for full disclosure.  I’m sure there have been more than two pies a year.  It just feels like only two pies.  Thirty new kitchen helpers, many with the implied promise of more pies, and still our average production of pies remain pretty low.

 I know my wife takes very good care of me and has probably kept me from chronic obesity and likely diabetes. Deserts are hard to come by in our house. 

For a kid who grew up in a home where the daily question upon returning from school wasn’t “what’s for dinner” but rather “what’s for dessert”, the past thirty-plus years have been a transition time for me.

 I remember holiday dinners at my grandmother’s home in upstate New York when I was growing up in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  I have written an essay about those holiday dinners in my newest book Microphones, Moon Rocks, and Memories. 

Without giving anything away to those who might buy the book, let me just say that the “battle of the deserts” was a long standing memory I have from those years growing up with lots of family members close by.

 Having lived away from my hometown since graduating from college, I miss a lot of things about life with a close-knit family.  The holiday deserts, if you pardon the pun, were the icing on the cake of those memories.

 But thankfully, there’s Thanksgiving.  This year, we went to a relative’s home and united with other family members living in California.  There’s not many of us living out here. It was great getting together, the dinner was excellent, and the desserts were heavenly.

 Chocolate pie, apple pie, and pumpkin pie were the main attractions.  Someone made cupcakes.  While that appeared to be break with tradition, who can say no to cupcakes? 

The cupcakes were great.  What the heck!

 Now I am counting the days of this holiday season so that I may enjoy my next pie coming from the Newvine kitchen.

 Our newest gadget promises to revolutionize piecrusts.  It may enhance the already high quality of the crust I have been enjoying for years, but I don’t think it will bring up the numbers actually being baked in our home.  We’ll see. 

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.