Thursday, December 4: “The Christmas Waltz” by Laufey
This tune was originally written for Frank Sinatra in 1954, and that version continues to make regular appearances on the Billboard Holiday 100. The composers struck upon the idea for a “Christmas waltz” when they realized one hadn’t been recorded before (unless you count “We Three Kings,” which isn’t exactly dance music).
In this case, Laufey’s elegant, classically trained vocals bring a fresh feeling to this Christmas classic. When she sings, “It’s that time of year / When the world falls in love,” there is both longing and beauty in the way she holds the note.
There’s something heartwarming about hearing songs you’ve grown used to reimagined by new artists. It’s the combination of what’s comfortable and familiar with something fresh and unexpected—kind of like the way Christmas brings nostalgia and anticipation every year.
The truth is, so many of us do expect to fall back in love with the world at Christmas. At the same time, many of us, for whatever reason, don’t find the season so enchanting. The line between “The Christmas Waltz” and holiday schmaltz is a thin one and all too easy to cross. But when we celebrate Advent as a season of Christ’s coming, and not only as an occasion for frosted window-panes and candy canes, the real reason for the wonderful feelings around Christmas itself makes that much more sense.
Conversation starter:
“Why do you think some people get more excited to celebrate Christmas than others?”
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