It may be a bit odd, but Xmas for me has always meant the Muppets. One of the earliest presents I remember the whole family getting one Xmas was a VHS player. We didn’t get one until sometime in the early/mid 90’s. Xmas 1993, I think, as the movie that my folks bought with it for us all to watch was the Muppets Christmas Carol, which came out in 1992.
We watched that movie so many times since then and it’s kinda become one of the longest christmas traditions. Back then, we’d rent out one video every so often, as a treat, and watch it all together as a family, but the Muppets Christmas Carol was one of the ones we actually owned and was rewatched so often. I know the songs in that movie as well as any of the Christmas carols I grew up listening to and singing in choirs.
I still love the music in that movie, and indeed the music in many of the Muppet movies is absolutely wonderful, and I’d rank it up there with the best Disney musicals. Nothing makes me happier and feeling more Xmas-y than sitting down to watch this brilliant retelling of the Dicken’s classic.
The melody in “One More Sleep ‘Till Christmas” is absolutely gorgeous:
The variety of character singing in “Scrooge” is brilliant, and sets up the movie wonderfully:
The Muppet movies manage to mushy, happy, heart-warming songs so well, without becoming overly sickly sweet, in my opinion. I can’t help but smile at “Bless Us All”. Simple song, beautiful little harmonies, and a lovely sentiment.
And “It Feels Like Christmas” captures the essence of Christmas better than most any other song. A lot of the best Christmas songs have a sadness or nostalgia in them (“Last Christmas” by Wham, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, “White Christmas”), but this song just celebrates the different parts that go together to make a classic christmas, from choirs singing, to fireplaces, to present giving, to meeting up with old friends and family… It’s a wonderfully happy joyous celebration of the best things about Christmas, and is probably my favourite Christmas song ever. The key changes are beautifully subtle (Westlife, take note) and lifts your spirits. True, it’s hardly subtle with the message of “wherever you find love, it feels like christmas”, but it is a movie aimed at all ages and I don’t think subtlety is really the point of the thing. ;) But still. This song makes me feel like it is Christmas.
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