I say Yuletide for several reasons.

1. I’m not a Christian – in fact I’m an Atheist.
2. Christians bastardized the real “Reason for the Season” superimposing their own swindle over the original holidays.
3. There are plenty of great reasons to celebrate without the mythical embellishments.

I still put up and decorate tree, hang wreaths and garlands, listen to holiday music and exchange gifts and goodies with friends and family.  All of these traditional and symbolic Yuletide activities pre-date “Christmas” by centuries. And being of Norse descent (3/4 Danish), I find celebrating the traditional, ancestral holiday much more meaningful than some middle-eastern mythology’s counterfeit.

So today I’ll be setting up the tree, listening to some festive music, and decorating the rest of the apartment while having some well spiked egg-nog (Bailey’s being my favorite spike in Nog) – WooHoo! On that note, I found a great resource for some great, secular Yuletide music. I’ve made a playlist with many, if not all of those great selections, some repeat because I like the various artists’ performances:

• Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town (Mitch Miller)
• Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)
• Jingle Bells (Barbara Steisand)
• Santa Clause is Coming to Town (Pointer Sisters)
• Twelve Days of Chrismas (John Denver & Muppets)
• Frosty The Snowman (Mitch Miller)
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (B. Streisand)
• I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause (my nieces, w/ piano)
• Santa Clause I Coming (string/piano instrumental)
• Winter Wonderland (Annie Lennox)
• I Saw Mommy… (Mitch Miller)
• The Christmas Song (string/piano instrumental)
• Sleigh Ride (Mitch Miller)
• Christmas Bells Are Ringing (Nat King Cole)
• Christmas is Coming (Muppets)
• White Christmas (B. Streisand)
• Must Be Santa (Mitch Miller)
• Christmas Don’t Be Late (The Chipmunks)
• Good King Wenceslas (Boys Choir)
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (The Pretenders)
• My Favorite Things (B. Streisand)
• The Christmas Song (Mitch Miller)
• Deck The Halls! (John Denver & Muppets)
• I Saw Mommy Kissing SC (John Cougar Mellencamp)
• Rudolph (Mithc Miller)
• Carol of the Bells (Symphonic)
• Deck The Halls! (Mormon Choir)
• Rudolph (Dean Martin)
• Twelve Days of Christmas (Mitch Miller)
• Frosty The Snowman (Jimmy Durante)
• Little Saint Nick (Muppets)
• O Christmas Tree (strings/piano instrumental)
• Winter Wonderland (Mitch Miller)
• Coventry Carol (strings/piano instrumental)
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Chorale)
• Let it Snow! (Mitch Miller)
• Santa Baby (Madonna)
• Sleigh Ride (Symphonic)
• The Christmas Wish (Kermit the Frog)
• Silver Bells (Mitch Miller)
• The Wassail Song (Fireside Singers)
• Jingle Bells (Mitch Miller)
• We Wish You… (strings/piano instrumental)
• Happy Holiday (The Ambrosian Singers)
• White Christmas (Mitch Miller)
• Jingle Bell Rock (artist unknown – female vocalist 50’s/60’s style)
• We Wish You… (John Denver & Muppets)
• Deck the Halls! (Mitch Miller)
• Christmas Memory (unknown artist)
• Coventry Carol (Alison Moyet – ya I know it’s religious, but this rendition is too good to leave out)
• Deck The Halls! (Symphonic)
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (strings/piano instrumental)
• Merry Xmas Santa (Beach Boys)
• Auld Lang Syne (Mitch Miller)
• Must Be Santa (Mitch Miller)
• Run Run Rudolph (Chuck Berry)
• All I want for Christmas is You (Mariah Carey)
• Deck The Halls! (Manheim Steamroller)
• Santa Baby (Marilyn Monroe)
• Happy Christmas/War is Over – a.k.a. So This Is Christmas (John Lennon)
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Fozzy Bear)
• The Christmas Song (B. Streisand)

I think it runs just over 2.5 hours or so.  I’ll have to add a bit more for my 7 hour drive up to Utah for the holiday – hopefully I can get it up to 3.5 hours or so, so I only have to listen to the already semi-repetative selections twice.  We’ll See how it goes.  I wish this album weren’t so “jazzy.” If it were more “traditional” it’d be almost perfect! Already I see a few selections to add! (like I’ll be home, and Christmas Memory…)  Hope y’all are getting your shopping, baking, and decorating done!