Is Last Christmas your go to karaoke song?
Or do you have Mariah Carey on in the background whilst you’re putting up those sparkling Christmas decorations?
Keeping up with the Christmassy threads, we would love to hear what your favourite Christmas songs are? 
Whether it’s an Xmas song that makes you smile, or one that holds some special meaning for you, please do share! 
Su
Don’t start me off on the subject of music as it is one of my great loves and I could go on and on.
Band Aid - Do they know it’s Christmas
Queen - Thank God it’s Christmas
Johnny Mathis - When a child is born
David Essex - A winter’s tale
Carpenters - Merry Christmas Darling
Bing Crosby & David Essex - Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
Chris De Burgh - A spaceman came travelling
John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is over)
Cliff Richard - Mistletoe and wine
Etc, etc…
I am not a karaoke girl, but I love just listening to music, none of these songs have any special meaning to me, I just like listening to them, me and my Walkman are best of friends.
Having written my post above late in the evening (for me), and saying that none of the songs had special meanings, I had trouble getting to sleep as the Johnny Mathis, When a Star is born, song went round and round in my head, a song I really love, but it brought back memories of my first marriage, which was not a happy one for me. I had this song on a tape and I used to play it a lot to take me into my own little world and one day the tape broke. I did not have very much money and I was so upset. I took the tape back to Woolworths, where it had been brought quite a long while before, and they replaced it free of charge, I was overjoyed, no wonder the brilliant Woolworths went out of business. It shows me how my washing machine mind can go round and round so easily, especially at night. No, it’s OK I do not need therapy and I am still singing the song in my mind this morning, but in a lovely way.
It’s Me again, you will be glad to know that I have just got back from my Zumba class and now I have ‘Mambo No.5’ on the brain, it is the only song I know that mentions the word ‘Erica’ in it’s lyrics !!
I am a traditional carols and Classical music lady in the main, especially at this time of year. Hark the Herald Angels has special meaning as in my first teaching job I actually sat with my class instead in the organ loft at our final Mass and Carols before the holidays began. During the final verse I was let loose on the cymbals, and then the children were dismissed and the hols began! I love singing Gaudete, and cards are written to Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Going in the supermarket can reduce me to tears if they play Stay by East 17 as my youngest slipped it on my playlist as I was being treated for my relapses. My husband went to do some shopping last week and it was played. He had to find a quiet aisle pretty smartish. I loved singing along at The Royal Albert Hall last week, something I have not done for quite a while
Hi @Pisces56 ! some really lovely choices from you too! It was so moving to hear about how the songs you describe reminded you of certain points in your life, like your teaching days as well as when you underwent treatment for your relapses. It sounds like the songs bring up mixed emotions for you?
Did you have a favourite from when you sang along at the Royal Albert Hall last week? 
Some great choices there @Erica ! As you say, whether it is a song we simply just find catchy and enjoy listening to, or song which reminds us of something very significant in our lives, as you described with “When a star is born”, music can be really powerful thing! And what a lovely story about the tape, and a great stroke of luck that Woolworths were able to work their magic and fix it for free 
Do you find there tends to be certain times during the festive period when these songs tend to help you the most? like for instance, when you are just wanting some downtime? I hope you enjoyed the Zumba class with Mambo No.5 on replay 
How does the rest of us feel? Are there any songs on Erica’s super list or Louise’s lovely choices you also like? or any that haven’t been mentioned yet?
Hi All, I have always got a tune playing in my mind and I joke that if you cut me open there would be music playing inside me. When I first got diagnosed I came home and wrote a list of music to be played at my funeral, plus writing my will and getting my affairs in order. My Walkman has over 1200 tunes on it which play alphabetically. However I do feel sorry for people that work in shops where they have carols playing on a loop for weeks.
@Erica this was really moving to read, thank you for sharing. It sounds like for many, music can not only bring up a lot of positive feelings, but in a way, also encourage us to address difficult topics, and have difficult but important discussions.
People are also more than welcome to share their experiences of how certain songs may have helped them during specific experiences/situations
@SuBloodcancerUK @Erica I just enjoyed singing with a large group again. It did bring a tear to my eye to hear the descant of Hark the Herald Angels again. During teaching days I used to have a school choir and for several years we joined up with choirs from other schools, primary and secondary, in the area and have a Christmas Concert at the National Arena in Birmingham…a cast of thousands. We practised the songs all term, then had a big rehearsal on the day with Jeffrey Skidmore, before the evening concert. The show always finished with Brummie band Wizard leading us in “I wish it could be Christmas every day”! I also used to play organ for my local Church until my illness, so music is a large part of my life. Unfortunately I am no longer able to play, and after my hearing loss I became very upset listening to music as I knew it sounded different. Now I am more accepting of the fact that I have lost hearing in the upper registers.
I do love what Erica said about funerals and wills as I was exactly the same, but we had quite a laugh while doing it too (G suddenly googling wicker caskets and the conversation that followed had us laughing with tears down our face) I went into the hairdressers last week as they were playing Forever Autumn and I remarked that it is one of the pieces I have chosen for my funeral. My hairdresser (of 35 years!!) couldn’t change the subject fast enough, even though I was smiling as I said it!!
I really love Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. It gets me dancing round the kitchen everytime! More traditionally I love 12 Days of Christmas. We have Carols on the Green on Christmas eve where I live and we always have a lot of fun singing that one. Hugo has a couple from school which are cute and good fun too and always make me smile.
Some great choices @erica and @pisces56 - you’ll have me blubbing when I hear Stay by East 17 now.
Come on @SuBloodcancerUK what are yours?
Good choice Lisa. I cried buckets when Kirsty McColl died, and have her last cd ‘Tropical Rainstorm’…but not one to be played while children or sensitive aunties are about 
I’m liking your choices too @MrsGriff! 
haha yes, I think Fairytale of New York is one of those tunes you can’t help but sing along too!
Oh, and I completely agree with you all about Stay from East 17! That one is definitely a tearjerker, and I think also one of those songs where people can attach their own personal meaning too.
Another good choice @Pisces56! Oh yes, it was so incredibly sad what happened to Kirsty McColl.
Do you have a favourite song from that album?