Listen: Christmas Medley

As a Jewish boy, Christmas music always seemed to wag a finger at me. I hated the Santa Claus conspiracy and pitied my cousins for believing in such a fallacy. I still haven’t totally forgiven my uncle, whom I considered one of the greatest proponents and defenders of the myth. The thing was, I knew. I knew it was a lie. I had to watch my cousins who I loved get duped. The adults told me I wasn’t supposed to say anything. The joy and wonder I could see in the eyes of my cousins as I watched them open their presents by the tree just made me feel like you might imagine a 6-year old Jewish boy would – left out.

It wasn’t until I met my wife that Christmas took on new meaning. At her family’s house we ate and drank tasty things and received stockings filled with little goodies. And it was her father playing Christmas standards on the piano that really cemented my love for the music of Christmas. I may not be ready to hit the pews for a midnight church service, but sit me down with some spiked eggnog and put some Christmas classics on and I’m good. Maybe Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” (a Jew wrote that) or “The Christmas Song,” (also written by a Jew) – it seems I’m not the first Jew to enjoy a few Christmas tunes.

Both songs I mentioned are part of Ironing Board Sam’s medley recorded just last night in Music Maker’s studio by Intern Thomas Heisler, as are “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and others. As is his custom, Sam throws his whole heart into the music and delivers versions of each song that are like you’ve never heard them before. When it ends, you will be tempted to listen to it again; don’t feel ashamed, just do it.

— Aaron