December 20, 2020
The soundtrack of my Christmas memories as a child was provided to a major extent, by one Christmas record. This record was by a group you might have heard of; 101 Strings, and was called “Christmas Moods.” At the time, it had come to be included in my family Christmas memories as a promotional “gift” given with a fill-up at a gas station. (Now I am happy to get gas a few cents a gallon cheaper once in a while.)
The other trappings of my childhood Christmas memories are long gone. They either wore out when still in use or were lost when my parents parted ways just after I graduated from college. Even this original recording was lost with the rest of the family records. But the memories are still there; how hearing it played, heralded the start of each Christmas season. My sister made sure of it. The second the last of the Thanksgiving feast was put away, out came Christmas, starting when she played this record for the first time of the season.
Over the years, my siblings managed to replace it. My sister found a copy of the record in a garage sale. My brother found a re-release compact disc version in which the producers had added in a few other songs to fill out the length of the CD. I took that CD version and made us copies that included only the memories of the original recording. It sounds just like the original release, minus the skip that later developed from our LP being played too many times on a record player that was a bit sketchy as far as quality goes.
I never had kids myself, or I am sure this same recording would have been a part of their memories as well. And even though I had no children, hearing this recording still triggers the memories of being a kid at Christmas for me. Whatever the memories of my childhood are related to other subjects I may explore at times in these writings, my memories of Christmas are pretty good. And they can be summoned by playing this record that provided the backdrop of our holiday family gatherings.
When I first had an idea to write a piece for this blog about my Christmas memories, it came at a time in the night that I was awake and unable to sleep. The piece I wrote in my head then was perfect, as things usually are in memories. When I later tried to write it down, I just could not get it right. It was all too much to keep straight. Listening to this music now, I realize that the most important part of my memories of Christmas came from it. The music is still there. The memories are still there.
To the friends I know are out there, and those readers I do not know;
Have a Merry Christmas!
And may you all find the link to those memories you cherish the most, at any time of the year.
Memory is the Key 