"Why Is He Singing It Sexy?"

There are some things you never expect to hear your mother say.

A few years ago, Mom and I were in the car together, on our way someplace, and, as we traveled, we listened to Christmas songs on the radio. I don't remember the name of the song, but a holiday ditty sung by Kenny Loggins soon came on the air.

It's a Christmas song, she said. Why is he singing it sexy?

I guess maybe she thought Kenny was trying a little too hard. Whatever the reason, this moment has since become one of my favorite Christmas memories.

The songs of Christmas are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. They are a big part of helping me to feel the Christmas spirit - at any time of the year. In July, I break out the Christmas tunes, mostly to celebrate reaching the halfway point to the next Christmas. On November 1, to combat the post-Halloween blues, I am already tuning into the 24/7 Christmas music wars between local radio stations FM100 and KOSY 106.5. (If I were DJ for a day, I would really shake up both of their lineups. But they both try hard.)

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs/albums?


For me, it just isn't Christmas without Amy Grant. I had a copy of her "Home for Christmas" album on tape with me in the mission field, and listening to it always made me feel like home wasn't so far away. Amy now has four (yes, four) holiday albums, and they are all great.

I also grew up with "John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together." Say what you will about the Muppets' singing (or John Denver's, for that matter), it brings me memories of many good years. John Denver and Jim Henson (as well as other Muppeteers) are now gone, but it is still not Christmas without this CD, either.


Among other CDs in my CD player right now are Michael McLean's "The Forgotten Carols," the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "Sing, Choirs of Angels!", Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and Shawn Colvin's "Holiday Songs and Lullabyes" - to name just a few. A new album I bought just this last week, "O Holy Night" by Sara Groves, is already a favorite. This lady has one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard.

Speaking of amazing voices, last night some friends and I got to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's annual Christmas concert, thanks to a ticket from our friend Mollie, who plays bassoon in the orchestra. It had been a few years since I had been given the chance to attend one of these concerts in person, and it was a fantastic show. The "Hallelujah" chorus is always great to hear, and "Once in Royal David's City" is one of my favorite hymns. I was not really a fan of organ solos - my grandmother used to say that they were "like a mouse running loose on the keyboard" - until last night, when organist Richard Elliot's rendition of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (played partly with his feet as he snapped his fingers) brought down the house.


The MoTabs's guests for this concert were narrator Edward Herrmann (aka Richard Gilmore on "Gilmore Girls") and Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell. I enjoyed Mr. Herrmann's commentary on the origin of the hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," which is a great story. And Brian Stokes Mitchell - though he reminded me of Barack Obama as he spoke (take a look at the adjoining picture, and tell me if I'm crazy) - had everyone's attention whenever he sang, particularly on "The Friendly Beasts" and "Grateful."

Mom might have said that his voice was sexy.