I’m not entirely sure how the song title above became a Christmas staple, but it has. Aside from “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” there are, of course, references to …
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I’m not entirely sure how the song title above became a Christmas staple, but it has. Aside from “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” there are, of course, references to some “things” associated with the holiday. I‘m pretty sure that “warm woolen mittens” could pass, as well as “doorbells and sleigh bells” but “schnitzel with noodles”? Not so much. I mean, brown paper packages tied up with strings could mean almost anything, and as for “wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings”—I’m gonna just say “no.”
Still, I have recently learned that Julie Andrews performed the song, which was penned by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, on a Gary Moore TV holiday special before the film version of “The Sound of Music” was released in 1965. Which is when people (IMHO) might have begun making a connection that the songwriters (according to Rodgers) “never intended.”
I’m thinking that folks (including myself) heard phrases like “snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes” and just ignored less festive items like “dog bites, bee stings” and “cream-colored ponies.” They chose instead to remember “silver-white winters” and make it an honorary Christmas classic.
And so, as tradition would dictate, I continue to call this end-of-year column “My favorite things” as I have for lo these many years, with a tip o’ the hat to Julie and Co.
Normally, I would scan some of the thousands of photos I’ve taken over the last 12 months and select a few highlights to include here, but this time around I chose to look back at the pics on my cell phone, which revealed a different take on my year in review. Less studied, less controlled and with far less forethought, these moments in time are always snapped on the fly as I careen through the world of arts and leisure here in the Upper Delaware River region. While I did not come across any “girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,” I did discover a few gems, and plan to keep ‘em around. That way, if I do find myself feeling sad in 2025, I can look back and remember “my favorite things” and perhaps “then I won’t feel so bad.” Happy New Year!
Fun Fact: Jack Jones was the first artist to include the song on a Christmas album in 1964. Others who followed suit include Herb Alpert, Kenny Rogers and Diana Ross and the Supremes.
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