My Most Favorite Christmas Song Ever -- Sleigh Ride

My favorite Christmas song of all time is Sleigh Ride. Of course, I mean the instrumental version, performed by the Boston Pops. My Christmas memories always include that song. I remember my mother playing that song on an album- yes a vinyl LP, complete with the needle scratching noise and the hiss if you turned it up too loud. There were sleigh bells jingling throughout the song. And wonderful sounds of a horses' hooves clopping along a road. I am sure they were really just dried coconut halves hit together, but the effect is still the same. Who can forget the whip and the trumpet intimidating a horses' whiney? That song, Sleigh Ride, is forever embedded in my memory. I am glad about it too.

After I was married, I could only hear Sleigh Ride on the radio during the holiday season. One day my husband was singing along to a song that sounded familiar, yet I couldn't place it. I finally asked him what he was singing. He said it was my favorite song, Sleigh Ride. What?! I was shocked. I didn't even know there were words to that song! My children tease me about that sometimes, but I know that they enjoy the song as much as I do. Plus, we now have a story for the Christmas scrapbook! Well, now I can totally enjoy my holiday season if I hear either version. But for the biggest smiles and most joy, I still need to hear that instrumental version that brought me such wonderful memories from my childhood.

Another favorite holiday song is White Christmas by Bing Crosby. That man's voice is really a source of soothing comfort. Now, I am not a snow lover, but that song just simply screams the holidays to me. To my kids as well. They do always want snow on Christmas, but even if there is only some on the ground that was good enough for them. White Christmas is a very comforting song. It also definitely puts me in the holiday spirit if I am not already there.