not unalloyed joy

I know I wrote about this before.

I do like - at least, as an adult, I do - the Christmas songs or hymns that recognize that life isn't perfect. That acknowledge that this world is fallen, people can be selfish, circumstances can be against you.

And yet, at the same time - you can still find moments of hope or even of happiness.

First, the straight-up hymn. I've said before how this is a favorite of mine, from a poem by Longfellow. (And I vastly prefer the tune by Calkin by the modern arrangement by, I guess it's Casting Crowns? Though a lot of the Youtube videos credit Calkin and then have the (IMHO) more-insipid modern tune)

I'm using the Burl Ives version again because I can't find another version that (a) uses the Calkin tune and (b) isn't needlessly "oversweetened" (this one approaches it, but pulls back a little):



Again, my favorite bit is the second and third verses....

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And then some popular songs. I think the 1930s and 40s provided us with more good pop-music Christmas music than most other decades. I don't know why. But I do know in the 40s there were lots of people longing for home, because they were on some distant shore. And at home, people were longing for their loved ones and also trying to figure out how to manage with rationing (which was worse in the UK than here, but still, it existed here).

So we get "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (spoiler alert: he won't really, if you listen to the last line. I'm pretty sure this was written because of Our Boys Overseas in the 1940s).

It is kind of a sad song, full of longing - but again, there are some years (or some circumstances, if you have no family left) that being "home for Christmas" is just not possible. And I think acknowledging that not everyone will be among family - or perhaps, even among friends -  at Christmas.

I tend to think Crosby's version is the best, it was certainly among the first if not the first:



And of course, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," at least in its original (movie based) version - there's acknowledgement that this year isn't so hot, but, maybe, sometime in the future, things will be better. And again: sadness and longing (things aren't that good) but hope (maybe sometime soon, they will be):



Yeah. That was kind of how last Christmas happened, with my mom laid up and me scrambling around to try to "make Christmas" all myself, as much as I could. (Here's hoping this year is better)

(And yeah. I also kind of miss having a lot of family nearby. Not that we ever did....but I can imagine how it might be nice if you had well-loved aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents in the same town, and could just go from house to house, admiring the decorations and enjoying the holiday).

And another one, from a bit later in time (in terms of production, though the story is set - at this point - at 1929):



And here, here is someone (Auntie Mame) somewhat-desperately trying to keep her spirits up (in light of the Depression just having started) by celebrating, by jumping into the whirl. And yeah, I think there are a lot of us who do try to dump a bunch of glitter and stick snowman stickers on whatever conflicted feelings or sadness we might be feeling....and maybe that's okay, at least for a while, as a coping strategy, too....

And yeah, I know there are others. (I don't particularly like "Blue Christmas," even though that's another one that comes to mind). And I do think it's good and right to acknowledge that Christmas isn't necessarily 100% happy