Radio ... and Me ... at Christmas

There was always lots of Christmas Music at our house, and we still enjoy it, from cassettes, CDs, TV and ... of course, Radio.
While I was growing up, my Mom’s favourite was
-- Bing Crosby’s, Silent Night.
We also liked some novelty songs, such as:
-- Gene Autry’s smash hit, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer ; and
-- Jimmie Boyd’s nasal rendition of, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and
-- the comic song by Spike Jones and his City Slickers, All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.
-- The Boston Pops ‘ glorious instrumental, Sleigh Ride, was -- and still is -- popular with us.
Starting in the 70s, I’ve always been moved each time I listen to the lyrics of
-- the Harry Simeon Chorale’s The Little Drummer Boy. That conjures up one powerful image for me, especially near the end.
(Little secret: One year, when I was listening to it while driving a few days before Christmas, I had to pull over and stop, because of the tears running down my cheeks.)
I also have lifelong memories of taking part in Midnight Mass, hearing,
-- Minuit Chrétien / O Holy Night , sung impeccably in French by an older baritone in our Choir, and
-- Venez Divin Messie / O Come, Divine Messiah.
At age ten or so -- as a precursor to my work as radio announcer, public speaker, Lector and teacher -- I narrated my school’s Christmas Pageant. There, I learned the basics of using a microphone, and practiced many hours by myself to make sure I said ‘shoulder’ instead of ‘soldier’ in the appropriate scene.
(I still dread seeing either of those two words in a passage I have to deliver!)
However, the best Christmas musical event occurs after coming home from Midnight Mass, tuning in an all-night music station on my headset radio, and hearing a performance of the Alleulia! Chorus, from Handel’s ‘Messiah.’
Then, for me, it’s really Christmas!