No matter what time of the year it is, I love Christmas music. Of my 300 CD’s, about a third are holiday music of all genres. My spirit soars listening to everything from elite boys’ choirs or cathedral music, to Bony M’s “Long time ago, in Bethlehem.” My favorite parody is by a choir in New Jersey who put together “N.O.E.L.” to the “Y.M.C.A.” tune and disco beat. But no sooner do I laugh myself through that track, than I turn to Handel’s Messiah, or even Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. And doesn’t the Trans Siberian Orchestra do a remarkable job with Pachelbel’s Canon? Then, of course, it is back to “Santa Claus is coming to town.” A few years ago, for obvious reasons, I made up words that started, “Menopause is coming to town.” Now, my absolute favorite amidst all these favorites is the Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas music. Chip Davis and his friends have taken Christmas classics and worked them into absolutely spellbinding “new age” arrangements. Sometimes the familiar melody is hidden in plain sight, and that is often how I think of the Christmas message itself. Sometimes the music is so beautiful it nearly hurts, but the next track will be full of rollicking energy. Mannheim Steamroller is the best amongst the best!

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