We're here tonight and that's enough.

(Paul McCartney)

I can't believe that it's already December. I've been in survival mode the past few weeks and I was just wondering what happened to October. I have a lot of holiday catching up to do! There are cards to be written and sent (I believe there's nothing quite like a hand-written card to make you feel loved) and gifts to be bought and cookies to be baked and movies to be watched! And songs to be listened to.

My favorite Christmas songs:

- Paul McCartney- "Wonderful Christmastime". It's so quirky and delightful.

- The Beach Boys- "Little Saint Nick". Coke commericals are my favorite at Christmas time. I don't care if it's blatant consumerism- that little polar bear? Adorable. And this song sounds like Florida at Christmastime.

- Vince Guaraldi Trio- Um, absolutely anything. "Linus and Lucy" is my ring tone, but "Skating" sounds the most like Christmas to me.

- Louis Armstrong- "Christmas in New Orleans". I adore Louis Armstrong and this is one song that you don't hear in every department store during the holidays.

- Eartha Kitt- "Santa Baby". Classic, and covered way too many times, but it's not Christmas without it.

- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I like the Kermit the Frog version, personally, but really just about any version of this song is a good one.

- Brenda Lee- "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". I always listen to this when I'm decorating our tree. It feels very Mad Men- Christmas on too much eggnog.

- Ramones- "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)". So fun.

- Charles Brown- "Please Come Home for Christmas". (Lots of sources say that this song is "Bells Will Be Ringing".) Blues-y and a little sad. I didn't really get the meaning of this one until I was living in DC and far away from most of my nearest and dearest during the holidays. I feel extra lucky to be celebrating our second Christmas in our little home (and our third together) with a real live extra-good-smelling tree and a small dose of sweater worthy weather.

- Gayla Peevy. "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." This is so me at 8 or 9.

Can you tell I dig the quirky? What are your favorite holiday tunes?