Christmases of Our Youth

This morning, my classical music station (WKNO, who I love like my own child; sincerely, if I did not have an heir I would leave everything I own to this NPR radio station) played a little Christmas piece that was like one of those walks down memory lane where everything becomes more and more in-focus the further down the lane you amble.

[On another note, I worked til 10:30 last night. So I am stupid tired today. As perhaps you noticed by that first paragraph sentence.]

The piece was Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus — which, let's face it, it doesn't get any better than Robert Shaw, as much as the Mormons like to think they have a corner on the choral music market — from The Many Moods of Christmas. It was a medley of Good Christian Men Rejoice/ Silent Night/ Patapan/ O Come, All Ye Faithful. The recapture of my long-term memory went like this:

First Movement
Chorus: "Good Christian Men Rejoy-oy-oyce, with heart and soul and voy-oy-oyce..."
Me: (hums a little)
Chorus: "Give ye heed to what we say..."
Me: "News! News! - oh hey, I know this carol- Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before him lay.."

Musical Interlude into Second Movement
Me: "This...sounds...wait, did I sing this in high school?"
Chorus/ Sopranos and Altos: "Si-i-lent night! Ho-oh-ly night!"
Me: "Yeah...wait I think I remember this arrangement actually..."

As Second Movement Wraps up
Me: "If another carol starts after this one, then we definitely sang this in high school."
Orchestra: (begins instrumental "Patapan")
Me: "Oh yeah...I remember now. The Gulf Coast Christmas Sing at the Biloxi Coliseum. My junior year. We sang this."
Chorus: "Willie, take your little drum; With your whistle, Robin, come! When we hear the fife and drum"
Me: "Tu-ra-lu-ra-lu, Pat-a-pat-a-pan! When we hear the fife and drum, Christmas should be frolicsome..."

Fouth Movement takes me by surprise, as I'd forgotten there would be one more
Chorus/ Tenors and Basses: "Adeste Fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem!"
Me: "OMG, remember how Bill Thomas used to blast out this part because he was so proud of himself for knowing all the words to O Come All Ye Faithful in Latin??? Ahh, good times..."

What's your favorite holiday song?