Christmas Songs

It has officially begun. The Christmas spirit has worked its way into my heart and brain and is pouring out of my mouth. This happens to me every year, and I kind of love it. I am singing Christmas Songs. In the shower, on the street, in every train car I visit, and everywhere else I go, I am caroling at the top of my lungs to all the people not listening. My roomate says he hates Christmas songs, but I love them.

Today I was singing on the train platform with my eyes closed, when I opened them there was a little asian-american woman standing there watching and listening. It startled me a little when I opened my eyes. She asked me to keep singing. I started singing "Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel" I was instantly transported back to high school. . .

Junior Year. I was in a jazz choir called Northern Lights, and we performed Christmas tunes all over Denver. There was one night each year that we performed at the country club in my housing development. I remember standing in the dining room singing 'Emanuel' on a cold winter night. The fire was crackling. The room was filled with well dressed smiling families. The windows had little frosted curves at the corners of the mullions and muttons, and the whole room was done in garland, holly and mistle-toe. I was singing with 19 people I loved very much. I remember feeling at that moment as though life would never get any better than that. As if that was the quintessential Christmasy moment. In my mind that moment still feels like warmth and comfort resting against cold snow. I can still smell pine logs burning, and hot apple cider. I love that memory.

When I opened my eyes the woman had a tear in hers. She said "Thanks, that made me feel like Christmas." I smiled and we got on the train. I guess there really is something to the idea of the Christmas spirit. I've found it twice now, and the experiences felt the same though they couldn't be more different.