(12-07-2013 01:45 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Mike, your video reminded me of that there are also some traditional must-see movies on Xmas. Despite GWTW, one for me is this one (probably skip the first minute, then your feet will sure begin tapping, too):
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RCvzg67sBh8...Cvzg67sBh8

That' s great Eva. It reminded me the "at the movies" clips during the movie previews.

If you payed attention to the short scene showing divine Rudolf Nurejew in "Le Corsaire" - that's another of my Xmas-must-sees...

(12-05-2013 09:06 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Maybe some on this Forum do not know this: President Grant is responsible for Christmas being a federal holiday in the USA. Back to Christmas music: Nat King Cole's 'Merry Christmas' is to me the definitive Chistmas recording.

Thanks Bill. I didn't know that.

Amy Grant has such a beautiful voice, even if this song is a little sappy. Still, I like it.

Best
Rob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmF2rsDHOZc

Kathy Mattea sings this song with such beauty and feeling. One of my favorites - "Mary, Did You Know?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agQvboUi3mQ

How about this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNDtHdG5mVk

That was good! Thanks for posting it.

This is another catchy carol I was reminded of today (someone might already have posted it, not all links are "available" here):
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yLaHb9raSfU...LaHb9raSfU

---

This carol will ever remind me of my old English teacher, Herrn Portzer. We fervently sang it each Xmas season:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H78cavrhK5E...78cavrhK5E

Always when Herr Portzer approached the classroom, you could hear him singing, mostly this song from "Oklahoma":
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kp5HCDGJsvM...p5HCDGJsvM
Herr Portzer was a real gentleman.

I love the piano guys. Here's another from them that is great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n543eKIdbUI

And this is the story of a Civil War christmas song, written 150 years ago: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJQ2ajszyhU

We just discovered this version of Hallelujah. I hope I can get my daughter to sing it on Christmas Eve for us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQVRyPGTEc

and one of my all time favorites by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Walter Chronkite: The true story of the Christmas during World War 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGdwbzrPHos

Silent Night is a real favorite of our family - my husband served an LDS mission in Germany and ever since the first Christmas of our marriage (31 years ago!) we have had real candles on our Christmas tree and we light them on Christmas Eve and then we sing Silent Night. He sings in German. The other night my teenage daughter played guitar and sang it in Hawaiian. Maybe next year (when our missionary gets home) we'll do all the various languages our family members know: German, English, Tongan, Spanish, Hiligaynon (Philippines), and Hawaiian. Should be fun!

If you do the multi-language version next year, put it on youtube for us to hear.

Laurie that would be funny. We could also have our son-in-law do Pashto and Russian, my sister and niece and nephew could sing it in Mandarin, my brother-in-law in Korean, and nephew in Portugese, and my sister-in law in Tagalog. Others speak French and Japanese!

Do they all work at the United Nations as interpreters?

"By gracious powers" ("Von guten Mächten") is THE hymn to be sung around the turn of the year and on New Year's Day - with a wonderful tune and a sad history. It was written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in prison shortly before the turn of the year 1944/45 while he was awaiting his execution.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Feb. 4, 1906 - Apr. 9, 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, and member of the anti-nazi resistance movement. He was also involved in plans by members of the Abwehr (the German Military Intelligence Office) to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and hanged in April 1945, just 23 days before the German surrender.

It's incredible how someone can have such peace of mind to write such a hopeful song under these circumstances!

I believe A. Lincoln could have related to it in the war years!


By gracious powers

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,
and confidently waiting come what may,
we know that God is with us night and morning,
and never fails to greet us each new day.

Yet is this heart by its old foe tormented,
still evil days bring burdens hard to bear;
Oh, give our frightened souls the sure salvation
for which, O Lord, You taught us to prepare.

And when this cup You give is filled to brimming
with bitter suffering, hard to understand,
we take it thankfully and without trembling,
out of so good and so beloved a hand.

Yet when again in this same world You give us
the joy we had, the brightness of Your Sun,
we shall remember all the days we lived through,
and our whole life shall then be Yours alone.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SKLbLuOfV4k...KLbLuOfV4k

Thank you to Laurie for sending this link and text.

**************************************************

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE STORY AND THE SONG!

New Christmas song

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"?

My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios.It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goose bumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville ... still no response.

Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothing. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring...this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today.

Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults can not understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you.

Merry Christmas everyone.

WOW!

Great song and great story