Shopping is DONE!

I did the last of my Christmas shopping today. YAHOOOO! I also finished all the wrapping I needed to do. I'm so happy to be done with it. I'm definitely not one of those people who wait till the last minute to get it all done. Nothing against them, but are they INSANE? They have to be, to wait that long to get things done. That's just setting yourself up to be stressed out, don't you think?

I listened to some Christmas music while I was wrapping. I've been taking some into work, too. I have rather strict requirements for Christmas music, and I can't listen to just anything. My personal favorite Christmas CD's--we'll do the Top Five--are:

1. Christmas With the Rat Pack - This is the best of all, in my opinion. I'm a big fan of Dino, and his voice is smooth as silk on classics like "Silver Bells." And there's funny Rat Pack banter, like after they sing a song, Dean asks Frank, "Hey--how 'bout an eggnog?" Love it! (I don't have a CD of just Dean, but I think I'm going to have to remedy that, because I love his voice.)

2. When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr. is New Orleans born and bred, and the songs that have that New Orleans feel are the best. The title song brings a tear to my eye every time. I give another nod to Harry with my Number 3...

3. Harry for the Holidays - That great voice! The song "This Christmas" just sends me, and his duet with George Jones on "Nothin' New for New Year" is almost heartbreakingly beautiful and sad.

4. Boogie Woogie Christmas - The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Brian puts such a great spin on some classics and some fun new songs, and they all ROCK! (He's a guitar god in my world, if I haven't mentioned it before.) On this CD, he does The Nutcracker Suite, and his duet with Ann-Margret on "Baby It's Cold Outside" is as good as Dino's version.

5. The Nutcracker - Still puts me in the Christmas mood, no matter how many times I listen to it. It's fun to play this and sort of prance around like you can actually dance ballet. It's fun to pretend, even for a total klutz like me!

Honorable mentions go to "Dig That Crazy Christmas," the second Christmas CD by The Brian Setzer Orchestra; The Ventures (for a surfin' Christmas); Los Straitjackets (more surfin' cool); and anything Elvis. (Elvis's "Santa Claus is Back in Town" is rockin'!) Remember: just because it's Christmas doesn't mean you have to listen to lame music. Take the time to find the good stuff. It's out there!