I am just about at the end of my wonderful vacation in beautiful East End, Grand Cayman, but I would miss not saying Merry Christmas to you all! And I send you all the best wishes for the twelve days of Christmas to come (you know, the reason for the song – the three Wise Men making their way to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem).
One of the things I absolutely love about this holiday, as I have said numerous times, is the music of this season. I just love it. From the quiet haunting pieces to modernized versions of class Christmas carols, they just make my soul and heart sing as we celebrate this magical, mysterious holiday.
I have to begin with one of my all-time favorite hymns of this season, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” It is so moving, powerful, and haunting. I just love it. I hope you do, too:
Isn’t that amazing? What a wonderful version of this piece.
And then, we have Pentatonix singing, “Joy to the World”:
Not your usual version, but oh, my, I am enthralled by Pentatonix and their interpretations of such classic Carols.
Speaking of classics, next up is another one of my favorites from childhood performed by the angelic voices of “Celtic Woman”:
Truly, their voices are just like angels. How can one not be moved by such a lovely rendition of “Little Drummer Boy”?
Speaking of renditions, this one is a take on “Gloria In Excelsis Deo,” another one of my absolute favorite Christmas carols. This one is by The Piano Guys, and some special guests of theirs. And here it is:
Moved me to tears, I have to say. Such a beautiful version of this exuberant, joyous, hymn.
Honestly, I could go on and on. I do love music, and I so love the music of the Christmas Season.
Dangit, I just have to do one more. It is Christmas, after all. “Hark the Angels Sing!” seems a fitting close to this post to celebrate this special day:
And now it is all yours. Feel free to share carols, or stories, or favorite memories of Christmas, or whatever else is on your minds. This is your Christmas Day and Weekend Open Thread, friends.
Merry Christmas!
Rabblerouserruminations's Weblog 
December 25, 2015 at 11:08 am |
Merry Christmas to you both!
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December 25, 2015 at 1:56 pm |
Thanks so much, Penny! And the same to you!
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December 25, 2015 at 11:39 am |
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-0/p526x296/10401078_1133582646692499_4735701267175952624_n.jpg?oh=c1db1931717314961dd647f863883d85&oe=57123A96
December 25, 2015 at 1:54 pm |
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, Foxy!
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December 25, 2015 at 2:53 pm |
December 25, 2015 at 3:07 pm |
I hope you and Lou are having a wonderful Christmas, Marge!!
December 25, 2015 at 4:45 pm |
We are having a wonderful day. Just the two of us – quiet and peaceful.
Hope your day is what you want it to be.
December 25, 2015 at 7:43 pm |
Glad to hear it, Marge. Those are often the best kind!
We just had dinner at Bombay Chopsticks, right around the corner from the resort for our final dinner here. All in all, it has been a good day, and a great trip.
Merry Christmas, my dear friend!
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December 26, 2015 at 7:01 am |
December 26, 2015 at 7:13 am |
I tried, and succeeded, in being “nice” yesterday. Holding fire on Christmas day doesn’t make me eligible for sainthood but it’s a gesture I make to remind myself that in in spite of all the problems we, as Americans, as singularly blessed. I strive to be “nice” more often. Not real successful with that but I do try.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
December 26, 2015 at 7:23 am |
Sad but true, isn’t it? Thanks for this!
And good on you for succeeding in being nice yesterday! I totally hear you abt the striving for that, not always achieving the goal. It is a worthy goal to be sure, but hey, we are just people, right? 🙂
Your great sense of humor adds a lot to the lives of those whom you touch, dear Marge. Thank you for sharing that here!
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December 26, 2015 at 8:16 am |
Thank you. I’m glad my humor adds to your lives since it’s what gets me through many a long and dreary night. If we can’t laugh…
December 26, 2015 at 7:21 pm |
Oh, it most definitely does, Marge. And you are so right. Thank heavens for humor!
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December 26, 2015 at 7:11 am |
December 26, 2015 at 7:31 am |
Sigh – truer words were never spoken!
December 26, 2015 at 8:17 am |
I’ll drink to that!
December 26, 2015 at 8:19 am |
Mike Huckabee: If I don’t finish top three in Iowa, I’m done
Not actually true. It’d be more accurate to say that if he doesn’t win Iowa outright, he’s done.
Even more accurate: If he does win Iowa, he’s still done.
If Huckabee finishes a close third in Iowa, it may be Ted Cruz who’s effectively done. A split evangelical vote among the two, especially with Carson picking off a few social conservatives here and there, might be enough to let Trump sneak through for the win. Cruz will soldier on, as his campaign is built for a long run, but the media will brutalize him for losing in what was supposed to be his must-win state. If he doesn’t bounce back and win South Carolina, the narrative will be that “Ted Cruz just can’t seal the deal.” And that’s a possibility if Huck finishes a close third in Iowa: He’d be encouraged by that to roll on to SC, which he nearly won in 2008, and that would divide the social-con vote there too.
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/12/24/mike-huckabee-if-i-dont-finish-top-three-in-iowa-im-done/
If Huckabee and Santorum had the “class” of Walker, Jindall and Parry they would get out NOW! I do so loathe these ego trips of men who haven’t a snowball’s chance. We hear from them when our focus should be on learning as much as possible about those that do have a chance.
December 26, 2015 at 7:25 pm |
No kidding. I totally forgot that Santorum was even still in it. He needs to drop out already. Heck, he never should have gotten in. Same for a bunch of the other fellas. Time to whittle it down to a manageable number of candidates already…
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December 26, 2015 at 8:21 am |
And here comes the brilliant Branco again. This has to be one of my all time favorites!
December 26, 2015 at 7:28 pm |
ROTFLMAO, oh, dang – that is fantastic!
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December 26, 2015 at 1:05 pm |
All those are great songs, and I love your blog, Amy. Best wishes for a great 2016!
December 26, 2015 at 7:47 pm |
Thank you so much, lyn! I appreciate that a great deal, and I am so glad you like the songs, too! Merry Christmas (we have eleven days to go!) and Happy New Year to you!
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December 26, 2015 at 2:16 pm |
December 26, 2015 at 7:48 pm |
Wow, that is quite the pairing! Thanks for this, lyn – wonderful!
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December 26, 2015 at 7:47 pm |
FrontPage Magazine’s Man of the Year: America’s Sheriff
One man stands tall against Obama and the Left.
By Daniel Greenfield
There is a war on police.
It’s the post-Ferguson truth that every cop knows, but there is one man who has emerged as a passionate and articulate spokesman for law enforcement and is willing to call it a “war on police.”
“War had been declared on the American police officer led by some high profile people, one of them coming out of the White House, and one coming out of the United States Department of Justice,” he said. “And it’s open season right now.”
For decades, Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr. put his life and his energies into protecting and serving the people of Milwaukee County. Though always a man of strong opinions, it was when the White House cheered a war on police and pushed through pro-crime policies, freeing drug dealers while locking up police officers that he emerged as a national figure of unquestionable moral authority.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/261208/frontpage-magazines-man-year-americas-sheriff-daniel-greenfield
December 26, 2015 at 7:52 pm |
Oh, NICE! He so deserves it, too. The only thing I wish is that Sheriff Clarke was heard by more people. He is a voice drying out in the wilderness, and I am most thankful for him.
Thank you for this!
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December 27, 2015 at 6:05 am |
Hillary Clinton’s Kwanzaa greeting is another idea for the reject pile
http://twitchy.com/2015/12/26/hillary-clintons-kwanzaa-greeting-is-another-idea-for-the-reject-pile/
It would appear that Hillary’s pander projects aren’t working out so well for her. Perhaps it’s time to put the shovel down Hillary.
December 27, 2015 at 9:07 am |
Good grief. The pandering really DOESN’T stop, does it?? Wow…
December 27, 2015 at 9:12 am |
I saw this yesterday and now that I am home and on my computer, I can put it up. I thought it was absolutely fantastic: http://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-ambassador-to-us-sends-boycotted-products-as-holiday-gift-packages/
December 27, 2015 at 6:44 pm |
And speaking of Israel, SO thrilled that the USA is now engaging in talks with a country whose President has called for all Muslims to unite int he fight against Israel – NOT: http://unitedwithisrael.org/rouhani-calls-for-united-moslem-front-against-israel
December 27, 2015 at 7:59 pm |
December 27, 2015 at 8:12 pm |
ROTFLMAO, that is fantastic!
December 28, 2015 at 8:07 am |
Will Jim Webb Run as an Independent?
He seems to be setting the stage with recent attacks against Hillary, Obama, and “the left”
While observers typically have analyzed the prospect of a third-party or independent run by Republican front-runner Donald Trump—or even one from Sanders—Webb could still alter the dynamics of the race even with his smaller profile.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/12/will-jim-webb-run-as-an-independent/
Wouldn’t that be delightful? Because if my choice end up being Hillary or Trump, I’d vote for Webb in a heartbeat. No nose holding necessary.
December 28, 2015 at 8:13 am |
Marge, you took the words right out of my mouth. I feel exactly the same way. My ONLY complaint abt Webb is that he voted for Obamacare. But he is an extremely accomplished man, with a wealth of experience and expertise.
Yep, right there with you.
And GREAT cartoon!
December 28, 2015 at 8:19 am |
Speaker Paul Ryan convinced GOP House chairmen to okay a one trillion-one-hundred-billion-dollar budget that will keep the U.S. government running for ten months. It’ll increase the deficit to nearly nineteen trillion dollars. America hasn’t been attacked by this many zeroes since Pearl Harbor.
December 28, 2015 at 8:35 am |
You have got to be KIDDING me with this. I thought Ryan was ALL abt reducing the deficit! Isn’t that his big thing? That he’s a numbers guy? I guess that, once again, the implication of that wasn’t clear. WOW.
I understand he is going to have a challenger now. Good. I hope he gets someone who can take him down, especially considering the smugness with which he is responding to the anger abt the budget: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/264114-fury-of-the-right-falls-on-ryan