Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music » SteveandAmySly.com (6)

Introduction – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2011: Navidaddy

Returning once again for our 11th season is Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music, a tradition we share via the TannerWorld Junction discussion forums, SteveandAmySly.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

For those who are just joining us, here's what Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music is all about. Starting December 1 through December 25, I'll be posting new music each day that you can download, no strings attached. It's all FREE, FREE, FREE! Songs will be in MP3 format — so you can listen via any media player or your iPod. It's just like an audio advent calendar, except that you won't have to fight with your dumb sister over who gets to open the next little door!

Dec

December 25: A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 25: A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's

Featured Foods: Pudding, pumpkin pie

Our journey through a Culinary Christmas has come to an end, and what do we end up with? Pudding and pumpkin pie!

We may all know the classic song "Over the River and Through the Woods" but probably not in the way that it's performed today by Danny Kaye and the Andrews Sisters. The song is expanded and modified to have more of a Christmas theme in this 1951 recording of A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's. I thought the journey to eat food with loved ones was a fitting way to wrap up our theme of this year's Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music.

Dec

December 24: We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 24: We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Featured Foods: Figgy pudding

My favorite version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas is performed by John Denver & The Muppets, and we featured that track back in 2002. During the song, Miss Piggy confuses the reference to "Figgy pudding" as "Piggy pudding" and has a little conniption. It's all quite delightful.

However, since we've already used that version, I present to you this track by Roger Whittaker. There are no pigs mentioned, but he sure does make a big deal about figgy pudding. You hear it a lot… and even in a round! Personally, the stuff sounds amazingly gross.

Dec

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December 23: Good King Wenceslas – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 23: Good King Wenceslas

Featured Foods: Feast of Stephen

The Glad Singers are back with their cheery tunes and made-up lyrics for popular Christmas songs. We first encountered them when they rewrote the words to "Joy to the World" during 2006's Under the Tree, A to Z theme. Today they jump in with their take on Good King Wenceslas. I just love the way that pronounce the title!

Why is this song included in our Culinary Christmas? Why, it features the "Feast of Stephen", of course!

Dec

December 22: Frosty the Snowman – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 22: Frosty the Snowman

Featured Foods: Corn

Move over Jimmy Durante. Ella Fitzgerald lights it up today with her rendition of Frosty the Snowman.

This contribution to Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music is pure class. I just love the prelude lyrics you hear right away (though I'm having trouble figuring out line 3… any help?)

~/~
Who's debonair with a tall silk hat
Muffler of wool and a tummy that's fat
King for a day and he loves [to roam?]
With a broomstick cane and a heart of gold
~/~

Dec

December 21: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 21: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Featured Foods: Pumpkin pie

Does anyone remember Hanson, the one-hit-wonder group that recorded "MMMBop" back in 1997? (I'm really hoping I can ask that same question in a few years in regards to Justin Bieber.) Believe it or not, they recorded a Christmas album, which we're featuring on today's installment of Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music.

Fortunately for our Culinary Christmas theme, they decided to sing Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree, which just happens to make reference to pumpkin pie.

Dec

December 20: The Boar's Head Carol – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 20: The Boar's Head Carol

Featured Foods: Wild boar, bays, rosemary

It's the final week of Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music for 2010! What does our Culinary Christmas have on tap? How about some wild boar?

The Boar's Head Carol, per Wikipedia, "is a macaronic 15th century English Christmas carol that describes the ancient tradition of sacrificing a boar and presenting its head at a Yuletide feast. Of the several extant versions of the carol, the one most usually performed today is based on a version published in 1521 in Wynkyn de Worde's Christmasse Carolles.

Dec

December 19: Christmas is Coming – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas

Culinary Christmas - December 19: Christmas is Coming

Featured Foods: Goose

The very first song EVER in the history of Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music was Christmas is Coming by John Denver and The Muppets, posted on December 3, 2001. A primary lyric in that song is "Christmas is Coming/The goose is getting fat", which is perfect for our Culinary Christmas.

Thus, today we present the same song, but performed by a different artist. Yes, Harry Belafonte fans, today is your day! Enjoy this 1971 rendition which is a LOT more reserved than the Muppets version I grew up with.

Dec

December 18: Have A Holly Jolly Christmas – Steve's 25 Days of Christmas Music 2010: Culinary Christmas