Christmas Music {Tradition}

Welcome back to Day 19 here in WeNdYs WiNtEr WoNdErLaNd !!

Being married to a SUPER Talented Musician, you can be sure that music plays a huge part of the Christmas season for me!  This quote that he has on his organ in our home says it all for him.  "Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  -Psalms"

This picture is evidence that Mr.C. eats, breaths, sees, sleeps, thinks and dreams of his MUSIC all of the time! Notice the stacks of music on the floor ?  He has been playing since he was a young boy and even had Organ Music as one of his majors in college.

I mean look at all of these keys.  I learned how to turn the thing on once but am afraid to touch anything.

 The very first time I ever saw Mr. C, he was down there in the concert hall, at college, playing piano and organ and it was love at first sight.

Lucky for me now I get to hear him practice all of the time, and I don't even have to leave my home.  Yay! This drives my children crazy though.  So by the time October comes around we are into the full Christmas music swing of things as he practices for the upcoming holiday concert season.

Our Christmas music tradition revolves around Mr. C.  With also 5 years of having my daughters in school choirs and attending their performances. Since we have been married he has always been an organist at church and for the past 20 years he plays the piano and organ for two different church groups and our church choir.   He also directed the choir for some of those years as well.  He is also an active member of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and participates in their quarterly concert series and various activities.   So when December comes around we are booked with concerts every weekend and usually a few other things going on every week!  I go to all of his activities, otherwise I would never get to see him.

Today was no exception with two different musical programs to attend.   So once again I put on a Christmas sweater and head out the door.

Here is Mr. C at the organ with the choir behind him and the symphony in front!  He has accompanied the Las Vegas Youth Symphony for a few years now at their Christmas concert!   They all did a fabulous job and so many people came last year that they added an extra night.  This year they are singing two jazzy numbers in with their program, that I have loved hearing Mr. C. practice for months, and Jazz is a favorite of mine so YAY!  One of the songs was Wendys Winter Wonderland!  I video taped it and wanted to add it to my Wendys Winter Wonderland post but I'm technically challenged.   oh well

This morning he played for the choir and the Christmas Program there and it was outstanding as usual!  They did hard but wonderful songs,  but my favorite was the closing hymn.  He did a duet of "Silent Night" as a duet with a different guy on the piano and Mr. C on the organ.  They are both great and improvise a bit too.  Incredible!  Hands down my favorite song of all time, in the way that they performed this one.  Superb!  I go to these shows and realize just how much music does touch peoples lives.

Adding to our Christmas Music tradition are my music boxes.

Child size instruments for them to join in when they were young.  None of my children went into music, although Claire took piano and is talented but didn't want to anymore and today Chelsea told me she finally wants to learn.

I have a small collection of musical waterglobes with Christmas scenes in them.  This one is of New York and the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade, which is always the kickoff for the holidays.

Since music revolves around Christmas and Christmas revolves around music... I decorate a musical inspired Christmas tree in our music room.  I purchased my first set of gold musical note ornaments the Christmas when I got engaged and just knew that I would need a Musical Themed Christmas Tree.  It is complete with instruments, drums, many musical notes and treble and bass clef signs, along with icicles and gold dripping everywhere.  In person this tree reminds me of icing dripping off of a wedding cake and it sits upon a revolving tree stand too.  It sets the scene for a great musical Christmas party!

Because of my husbands music, our home has been the center of many a holiday party celebrating music.  This is a Christmas Music Tradition for us. We've hosted the Organ Guild for dinners.  For many years we would host the whole church choir and family and friends after the annual Night of Choirs Christmas Event.  I was jut talking to someone this week that misses this event and wants to bring it back next year!  Hundreds of people would filter in for food and fun and some music.  I've had the church ladies here for the annual Ladies Christmas Dinner and program in the past.  We have also hosted the whole neighborhood before as we ate and sang Christmas Carols together.  We had neighbors who were here that had never felt the spirit of music before this.

This is about the extent of my personal musical talent and I do collect them and have 100's of CD's, since I'm really not technical and don't own an iPod!  I LOVE Christmas music and listen to it here in the kitchen and in the car.  I have been blessed with a husband that is gifted and freely shares his talents with the world!  Tomorrow night is the last of the concerts for this week, with one last performance next Sunday, and then I get Mr. C back to my self!

I am fortunate enough to have him and all of these Christmas Musical Traditions to add so much to my life during the holidays.  If you don't have much of a musical tradition for Christmas I suggest you start one ASAP and you won't be sorry!  What music do you enjoy during this holiday?