The story of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” is a bit fuzzy. We’ll see if we can focus it a little. Just a little. Plus bonus songs you’ll love! I do.  Email me at TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Call (323) 487-12-25. Follow the Christmas Stocking on Facebook and Twitter @XmasStocking. Thanks to the generous souls who have given to the show at MyChristmasStocking.net/Contribute. Find videos and all the episodes at MyChristmasStocking.net.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured songs:

“O Come, All Ye Faithful” by Meagan Taylor and Jason Coleman from “A Tennessee Christmas” (from Noisetrade)
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Charleene Closshey
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

See the video on YouTube (she’s amazing)

“Joy Whispered” by Rändi Fay
Buy on iTunes

See the lyric video on YouTube

Background music:

“O Come, All Ye Faithful” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”  by Chris Friesen from “I Heard the Bells” (from Noisetrade)

“Adeste Fidelis” by Frank Carter from the album “Deck the Halls”
Get the album from Frank

More information:

Learn more about “O Come, All Ye Faithful” from Wikipedia.

Hear more carols and their origins at Carols.MyChristmasStocking.net

It’s the 200th anniversary of the first performance of “Silent Night” and I talk about it and play it here.

It’s not Christmas without Christmas lights. Well, at least these days. How did the electric ones develop and get popular? We’ll talk about that and more. Every episode is at MyChristmasStocking.net, along with a lot more, including video and some pictures. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Call (323) 487-12-25. Find the Christmas Stocking on Twitter @XmasStocking and Facebook. Thanks to everyone who’s given to the show at MyChristmasStocking.net/Contribute.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured song:

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” by the Gothard Sisters from the album “Falling Snow”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

Background music:

“Goodbye Charles” by Over the Rhine from “Even The Snow Turns Blue: An Over the Rhine Christmas Compilation” (from Noisetrade) and “Snow Angels”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“The French Carol” by the Gothard Sisters from the album “Falling Snow”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

More information:

Learn more details from The Smithsonian Magazine.

Hear more episodes about Christmas trees of all types at Trees.MyChristmasStocking.net

Rereleasing the show again! Another episode from the first season back in 2006. I wrote, “How was a Middle Ages Christmas different? For one thing, no one got an iPod.” I guess our Christmases have more in common with the Middle Ages now than when I first presented it. Find out how they celebrated way back when on this edition of the Christmas Stocking. The Christmas Stocking is on Facebook and on Twitter (@XmasStocking). And call (323) 487-12-25. Find every episode, including the unaltered version of this episode at MyChristmasStocking.net. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured song:

“A Pirate’s 12 Days of Christmas” by Gastronomical Unit (from GarageBand.com)
Buy it on iTunes

Background music includes:

“What Child is This” by Stephen Bashaw. I found it at feelslikechristmas.com

“Jingle Bells” by The R&R Project (it was on GarageBand.com)

From all the way back in 2006! Back then I started the season the day before Thanksgiving, so I assumed, correctly, I’m sure, that everyone listening had already seen the parade. Well, I’m even later this year. And the info is 12 years old. I don’t know how many episodes I’ll be able to get out this year, but I hope to have a few new ones. I’ll also sprinkle in some of these chestnuts that have dropped off the feed. I hope you enjoy it. There are old ways to get ahold of me and to find the show. All the episodes are at MyChristmasStocking.net. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Find the Christmas Stocking on Twitter (@XmasStocking) and Facebook. Call (323) 487-12-25.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured song:

The Santa Claus Rock by Howard Pearlman (originally from feelslikechristmas.com)

Background music:

1) Deck the Halls by John Morgan, available on a CD of holiday music. I found it at feelslikechristmas.com

2) Birth to the Savior by Rejoice (from the old GarageBand.com–not the Apple digital audio app)

More information:

Learn more about the parade from Macy’s. And I talked about them streaming it later, and I think you may be able to stream it later on the NBC app or NBC.com. Oh–and the Verizon 360 view.

I briefly mentioned the Boscov Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, which is now the abc6 Dunkin’ Donuts Parade, and in-between was the IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade. Also America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit, the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago (now Uncle Dan’s Thanksgiving Day Parade), the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade in Houston, and the Best Buy Thanksgiving Day Parade in Baltimore, which doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.

Happy Labor Day weekend! Still summer! (At least when I’m posting.) It’s been a crazy year. It’s a mostly-favorites (mine) spectacular this year, with a couple of special previously unplayed songs I think you’ll like. Thank you for your gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They mean a lot. The Christmas Stocking is on Twitter (@XmasStocking), on Pinterest (not enough, I know) and Facebook. Email [email protected]. The phone number is (323) 487-12-25, open any time.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Christmas Valentine (With You)” by Kimly
Music and lyrics by Kimly Hoang
Arranged by Jerry Andrews and Kimly Hoang
Produced by Jerry Andrews
Originally titled “Mine This Christmas.” On YouTube.
Find more Kimly on SoundCloud and Facebook.

“It’s Christmas” by Cleveland DERUE Cathnott (from GarageBand.com)

“O Christmas Tree” by 21 AD from “Christmas…A Winter’s Love” (Lifestyles)
 Buy at iTunes Music Store
 Buy at Amazon MP3

“The Christmas Song Song” by Rocky and Balls from the album “We Like Cake And Beards And Stuff”

“Children Go Where I Send Thee” by Darby O’Gill (from Soundclick.com) An African-American spiritual they say is based on an ancient Irish patter song.

“Doesn’t Seem Like Christmas” by Dennis Hensley

“Wake Up, It’s Christmas!” by Peter Combe
 Buy at AmazonMP3
 Buy at CD Baby

Background music:

“Dance to da Beat” by 5 is Even (I found it on Mevio.com)

“Joy Kinda Holiday-ish” by Charlie Crowe  (I found it on Mevio.com)

“Nutcracker” by Dat Boi Trill

“Angels We Have Heard on High” by Rhesa Siregar (Songs of Praise)

“God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” by Kevin Zerbe from “The Christmas Wish List”

“Veni, Veni, Emmanuel” by Frank Carter from the album “Deck the Halls”
Get the album from Frank

More information:

Upcoming Christmas albums: “Shatner Claus” by William Shatner (preorder the CD); “Happy Xmas” by Eric Clapton (preorder the CD and vinyl!); Brett Eldredge’s new Christmas album, still a mystery at release time; “It’s the Holiday Season” by Martina McBride (plus a tour!)–okay, okay, I said she hadn’t released a Christmas album in 20 years, giving Brett Eldredge a hard time. EXCEPT YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT! Due to an editing mistake by my editor (aka me), I cut out info on Brett Eldredge’s Christmas album, which will come out this year. He last had a Christmas album two years ago, and he’s the one I was referring to when I talked about that. Not Eric Clapton, who’s never released a Christmas album (although he has performed a few recorded songs for compilations). I apologize to you, Brett Eldredge and Eric Clapton. And Martina McBride released “The Classic Christmas Album” in 2017. Oops.

The complete Good Housekeeping list of Hot Toys for Christmas 2018. Including Fingerlings Untamed Raptors which I saw available on Amazon, in spite of the fact that the website link previous says “Be the First to Know;” Num Noms Snackable Cereal; Hasbro’s Don’t Step in It game (oh, man, I hadn’t seen Don’t Step in It Unicorn Edition when I talked about it!); Pomsies Grumblies; Melissa and Doug Examine and Treat Pet Vet Set; Little Live Scruff-a-Luvs pets (man, I didn’t realize how expensive they are!).

More about the Capitol Christmas Tree is here.

Thanks to a suggestion Vivian made on Facebook, we learn a bit about the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, Three Magi–all the same people and all more characters than verifiable real people. Call (323) 487-12-25 any time and share whatever you’d like. Get in on next season or summer early, or just say hi. Email [email protected]. I so appreciate the gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They make a huge difference. Besides Facebook, find the Christmas Stocking on Twitter (@XmasStocking) and on Pinterest.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“We Three Kings” by Found Wandering from the album “Christmas in Country Village”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

Found Wandering’s Christmas videos are also available.

Background music:

“Wish Background” by Kevin McLeod (from Incompetech)

“We Three Kings” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“Auld Lang Syne” by Dexter Britain from “Xmas 2012” (from the Free Music Archive)

More information:

Actually, Wikipedia has a lot of good information about the Magi.

The Washington Post article by Diana Butler Bass headlined, “Why Jesus’ first Christmas gifts were truly shocking.”

The Christmas Stocking talked about the traditions of Three Kings Day at Epiphany.MyChristmasStocking.net

Find all of the post-Christmas episodes, some or all of which you may have missed, at PostChristmas.MyChristmasStocking.net

Not a story this time. More like a sermon/essay. I hope you like it. Please join us on Twitter (@XmasStocking), Facebook and on Pinterest (where I realize I’m not active enough). Call (323) 487-12-25 and share what Christmas is to you or wish Merry Christmas. Or you can email [email protected]. Thank you so much for the gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They mean a lot.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Glory in the Heights” by Ryan Flanigan from the album “Merry Christmas, Good Night Vol. 5” (from Noisetrade)
Buy on Bandcamp

Background music:

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Kevin MacLeod (from Incompetech)

“Ding Dong Merrily on High” by The Manor House String Quartet from “I Saw Three Ships and Other Carols”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

Read along with me and read the rest of _The Spirit of Christmas” on Project Gutenberg.

Some things you probably didn’t know about a holiday favorite. Thank you for the gifts to the Christmas Stocking at MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. I feel a little like Sally Brown in “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” but it really does help. Stop by the Christmas Stocking Facebook page (and Like and Follow us, too!), and Follow on Twitter (@XmasStocking), and on Pinterest (where I realize I’m not active enough). The phone’s always open, any time, (323) 487-12-25. Don’t wait if you want to share on the show. What is Christmas to you? Or email [email protected].

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Away in a Manger” by Matt diVenti from the EP “Christmas Songs Vol. 1” (from Noisetrade)
Find Matt on YouTube

Background music:

“Jingle Bells” by the California Guitar Trio
Buy their music here

“The Wassail Song” by Chris Friesen from “I Heard the Bells” (from Noisetrade)

“Christmas Medley by Gina and Kev” by Gina Kellenberger and by Kevin Zerbe

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”by the California Guitar Trio from the album “A Christmas Album”
Buy their music here

More information:

Learn all about “Home Alone” from Wikipedia.

IMDb has a lot of info, including trivia.

Learn about the making of the gangster movie in “Home Alone” (it’s totally part of the movie) from Vanity Fair, of all places.

See the connection between Kevin McCallister and Monica and Chandler.

An analysis of Marv and Harry’s injuries suffered at the hands of Kevin.

Hear about more Christmas movies in the Christmas Stocking at Movies.MyChristmasStocking.net

It’s not about Advent, really, but it’s kind of about Advent. If you want to be on the show, call (323) 487-12-25 now. We’re getting kind of close to the day. What is Christmas to you? You can also email [email protected]. Thank you for giving to the Christmas Stocking at MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. It’s huge to me. Keep in touch on Twitter (@XmasStocking), or Facebook, or Pinterest.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Star of Hope” by Katey Laurel from the double album “This is Christmas”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

Background music:

“Joy to the World” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“Star of Hope Instrumental” by Katey Laurel

More information:

Wikipedia has a lot about the history of the Tree of Jesse.

Why Christmas has a bit about how you can incorporate a Jesse Tree into your holiday.

Jesuit ministry the Loyola Press has more ideas about working the Jesse Tree into your Advent.

While we’re at it, I talked about Advent in 2009, and played a great rendition of “People Look East.” It’s at Advent.MyChristmasStocking.net

If you grew up in the ’90s, or had kids who grew up in the ’90s, you will remember these classics. Let me know if you loved any of these on Facebook, or on Twitter (@XmasStocking), or Pinterest. Make a phone call to the Christmas Stocking! (323) 487-12-25. Tell me what Christmas is to you. Or write (or send an audio file) to [email protected]. Thanks for the gifts to the Christmas Stocking at MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute!

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“An Elf Named Moe” by Carl Stuck
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

Find out more about the art contest at AnElfNamedMoe.com

Background music:

“Decking the Halls in 1966” by Juan Oskar from “Christmas is for Grownups Too” (I found it on Mevio.com)
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“El Noche De Silencio” byBrian Bunker Christmas

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“Deck the Halls” by Frank Carter from the album “Deck the Halls”
Get the album from Frank

More information:

Learn more about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from GrnRngr.com.

Wikipedia will tell you about Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo, Tamagotchi, Furby, and Yu-Gi-Oh!

Learn more about Pokémon from Bulbapedia on Bulbagarden.

Hear episodes about toys from all of the other decades of the 20th century, and find other episodes where I talk about toys, at Toys.MyChristmasStocking.net.

It’s a great story, beautifully told in this old, old carol. How old? Not sure. Thank you for giving to the Christmas Stocking at MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute! Call me at (323) 487-12-25 and tell me what_is_ Christmas to you. Or write (or send an audio file) to [email protected]. Join the Christmas Stocking on Twitter (@XmasStocking), Facebook and Pinterest.

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“The First Noel” by Sleeping at Last from the album “Christmas Collection, Volume One”
Get it on Noisetrade and support Love Does
Buy on Vinyl or CD

Background music:

“The First Noel”  by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”
Buy on iTunes
Buy on Amazon

“Peace Christmas” by Lobo Loco from the album “Memories” (from the Free Music Archive)

More information:

Learn more about “The First Noel” from CBN and Wikipedia.

Learn about the origins of many other carols, caroling and more from The Christmas Stocking at Carols.MyChristmasStocking.net