Best/Worst Christmas Song List

[quip]

Both: Any song sung at a elementary school Christmas program!

 

[rocketman]

I love all the old favorites listed here but, for me Christmas morning in my parents home as a child and now in my home is always welcomed with this classic. You all may not like it but, for me it is Christmas...

For Unto Us A Son Is Born-Handel's Messiah

​

 

[patrick jane]

i like "so this is Christmas" by john lennon, among many others, mostly older songs and childhood songs. so many:singer:

 

[Cruciform]

Didn't remember that line, but you're still a couple of alleged ghosts short of:

I'm certainly not going to wade through the entire book to dig up more examples for you---nor do I need to (see Post #59). You've been categorically disproven on a public forum. You're arguing now from the sheer pride of not wanting to lose, and only managing to embarrass yourself. Your claims have been objectively refuted. Get used to it.

Which still wouldn't make it a ghost story.

Well sure, 'cause a story filled with ghosts doesn't qualify as a ghost story... The author himself labels it "A Ghost Story"!

:darwinsm:​

You're done. Give it up.

But that's before we even get to the principle note that the Victorian tradition of ghost stories died out of popular culture a wee bit prior to the 1960's in America. lain:

Entirely irrelevant, for the numerous reasons already demonstrated in previous posts above. Review the thread.



Gaudium de veritate,

Cruciform
+T+

 

[patrick jane]

casper

 

[Town Heretic]

No. Go look it up. Telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve was traditional.

I know. But not in the country and time period when the song was written. That was my objection.

...9. Most Wonderful Time (because no one tells scary ghost stories at Christmas, that's why) :mmph:

As opposed to, "No one told scary ghosts stories a long time ago."

At best, some people tell a ghost story. Though traditionally a ghost story is actually a story about a ghost. I suppose that's why, cover notwithstanding, I've never thought of it as a ghost story, only a story where one particularly memorable one appears.

In fact, I've used Marley's chains as a rhetorical device since the first time I read it.

The tradition of holiday ghost stories was pretty much squelched in America.

Exactly. And so my objection. The rest with CC is mostly for fun, though it does represent my thinking, as does the above.

If you're serious, get a grip.

Now that sounds overly serious, don't you think.

That it's a great piece of literature doesn't mean A Christmas Carol isn't a ghost story.

Absolutely.

Have some fun.

I'm smiling. Promise.

It's okay that it's a Christmas ghost story.

No harm in it at all, though I don't and can't think of it as one for the reasons given, however Dickens sold it...I suppose "A Tale of an Old, Greedy Man Who Wasted Life In Pursuit Of Pointless Accumulation Of Wealth Instead Of Cultivating Human Kindness" wouldn't have been a draw.

Merry Christmas, zoo. :cheers:

 

[zoo22]

"Who and what are you?" Scrooge demanded.
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past."​

Didn't remember that line, but you're still a couple of alleged ghosts short of:

...a story that features four ghosts as main characters, and describes dozens of ghosts as background individuals.

Which still wouldn't make it a ghost story.

You're out of your mind.

The Title of the book is "A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas"

All told, the word ghost is used over 100 times (and it's a short novella). That's not to mention the rattling chains, graveyards, phantoms, gloom, moans, black shrouds, ghostly apparitions, cellar doors flying open, spectres wringing shadowy hands, perfectly motionless eyes, fog and frost hanging around old gateways, yards so dark that even Scrooge, who knew every stone, was fain to grope with his hands... Have you ever actually read A Christmas Carol?

As well as Marley's ghost, the spirits of Past, Present, and Future Christmas are all identified as ghosts:

Ghost of Christmas Past:

"Who, and what are you?" Scrooge demanded.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past."

The Ghost of Christmas Past is referred to as a ghost over 25 times.

Ghost of Christmas Present:

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," said the Spirit. "Look upon me!"

The Ghost of Christmas Present is referred to as a ghost at least at least 25 times.

Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come:

A little trickier because The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come doesn't speak... Only points it's ghost finger. "It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand."

"I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?" said Scrooge.

The Spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand.

But Dickens refers to the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come as a ghost at least 10 times.

"Spirit!” he said, "this is a fearful place. In leaving it, I shall not leave its lesson, trust me. Let us go!"

Still the Ghost pointed with an unmoved finger to the head.

Here's Dickens' initial description of the final spirit:

The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.

It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded.

He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved.

“I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?” said Scrooge.

The Spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand.

“You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in the time before us,” Scrooge pursued. “Is that so, Spirit?”

The upper portion of the garment was contracted for an instant in its folds, as if the Spirit had inclined its head. That was the only answer he received.

Although well used to ghostly company by this time, Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him, and he found that he could hardly stand when he prepared to follow it. The Spirit paused a moment, as observing his condition, and giving him time to recover.

But Scrooge was all the worse for this. It thrilled him with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky shroud, there were ghostly eyes intently fixed upon him, while he, though he stretched his own to the utmost, could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of black.

“Ghost of the Future!” he exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?”

It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed straight before them.

If you can't recognize that as a ghost story, I don't know what to say. But try me; I'm sure I'll be able to manage something. lain:

 

[Town Heretic]

You're out of your mind.

Often. Though I think Dickens uses ghost where we'd use spirit these days, ghosts being typically the spirit of a dead person and not the spirit of a season, etc. Now Marley is an example of a ghost in modern parlance.

For the rest I'd point to the post before your last post that you hadn't a chance to read.


:e4e:

 

[Ktoyou]

Bing Crosby - White Christmas

 

[Ktoyou]

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

 

[zoo22]

Often. Though I think Dickens uses ghost where we'd use spirit these days, ghosts being typically the spirit of a dead person and not the spirit of a season, etc. Now Marley is an example of a ghost in modern parlance.

Again, you can read what Dickens said in A Christmas Carol, instead of speculating:

Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face.

“Mercy!” he said. “Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?”

“Man of the worldly mind!” replied the Ghost, “do you believe in me or not?”

“I do,” said Scrooge. “I must. But why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they come to me?”

“It is required of every man,” the Ghost returned, “that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world—oh, woe is me!—and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!”

 

[Ktoyou]

Doris Day: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

 

[Town Heretic]

Again, you can read what Dickens said in A Christmas Carol, instead of speculating:

I already agreed that Marley was a ghost. I even acknowledged what I never denied, which is how Dickens wrote it. At least I thought I did. If I didn't, Marley most definitely was a ghost by any definition and Dickens wrote ghost all over the place.

Also, you really should have read the post you still don't seem to have. Here it goes again:

No. Go look it up. Telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve was traditional.

I know. But not in the country and time period when the song was written. That was my objection.

...9. Most Wonderful Time (because no one tells scary ghost stories at Christmas, that's why) :mmph:

As opposed to, "No one told scary ghosts stories a long time ago."

At best, some people tell a ghost story. Though traditionally a ghost story is actually a story about a ghost. I suppose that's why, cover notwithstanding, I've never thought of it as a ghost story, only a story where one particularly memorable one appears.

In fact, I've used Marley's chains as a rhetorical device since the first time I read it.

The tradition of holiday ghost stories was pretty much squelched in America.

Exactly. And so my objection. The rest with CC is mostly for fun, though it does represent my thinking, as does the above.

If you're serious, get a grip.

Now that sounds overly serious, don't you think.

That it's a great piece of literature doesn't mean A Christmas Carol isn't a ghost story.

Absolutely.

Have some fun.

I'm smiling. Promise.

It's okay that it's a Christmas ghost story.

No harm in it at all, though I don't and can't think of it as one for the reasons given, however Dickens sold it...I suppose "A Tale of an Old, Greedy Man Who Wasted Life In Pursuit Of Pointless Accumulation Of Wealth Instead Of Cultivating Human Kindness" wouldn't have been a draw.

Merry Christmas, zoo. :cheers:

That said it remains a really irksome tune.

A very merry to each and to all. :cheers:

 

[Town Heretic]

R2D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Original Star Wars Cast

No, really. They made an album. lain:

 

[Town Heretic]

Nearly as bad...

Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) – Alan Jackson

 

[FellowServant]

"I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" ..

 

[Town Heretic]

"I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" ..

Sneaky rascal. Which list does that go on for you?

I'm busy at the moment listening to Sean Connery's Cheese Sandwich Christmas.

It begins: "All I want for Christmas is a cheese sandwich," said Charlie...who was a moron."

It helps if you read it in Sean's voice. :chew:

 

[zoo22]

I already agreed that Marley was a ghost. I even acknowledged what I never denied, which is how Dickens wrote it. At least I thought I did. If I didn't, Marley most definitely was a ghost by any definition and Dickens wrote ghost all over the place.

Not sure whether to file this under A for Annoying, R for Ridiculous, S for Sad or W for What Remarkable Hubris.

Maybe P for Puffy.

I guess under S. It'll go with Lighthouse saying "Bob [Cratchit] was part of the problem as well by not seeking better and more gainful employment."

Also, you really should have read the post you still don't seem to have. Here it goes again:

I read it the first time and I didn't buy it then either.

 

[musterion]

z-ojreIfAd0

My favorite Christmas song.

(don't pout, Zoo)

 

[Town Heretic]

Not sure whether to file this under A for Annoying, R for Ridiculous, S for Sad or W for What Remarkable Hubris.

Maybe P for Puffy.

I guess under S. I'll put it with Lighthouse saying "Bob [Cratchit] was part of the problem as well by not seeking better and more gainful employment."

I'll file the above under N, for Nanged. lain: It was that or A and a banning. On the bright side, you just made CC's Christmas card list.

So that's something. (insert Latin here)

I read it the first time and I didn't buy it then either.

:think: That's a hard thing to overcome. Impossible even. So I won't try and we'll be even. :thumb:

Or, as a friend of mine once wrote:

...Have some fun.