Christmas has arrived.  Well, for those of us who start the actual celebration this evening with opening gifts from family and friends.  I was happy to have gotten all the gifts completely wrapped on Friday, so we’re all ready for the big event tonight after dinner.  You know how I’d been behind with the tree decorating mode?  Princess Nagger completely decorated the tree, save for the very tippy top even I needed the tall ladder to reach:

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That’s our 6-1/2 foot tree atop a table (to keep Little Dude’s paws off the ornaments, and give us a nice big area underneath to stash gifts – which I filled up.  More (read: better) pictures will be coming later this week).  She did a great job, don’t you think?  Maybe next year I’ll set her loose even earlier so it doesn’t take up until days before Christmas to actually be decorated.  Ahem.

Since it’s Monday, you know the drill – and it’s the final Christmas Theme Monday of the Month, so obviously I’m going to inundate you with some great (and fun) Christmas music for your listening pleasure.  Let’s start off with a fun ditty that I heard on the CMA Country Christmas last week by one of my favorite artists (who just had her baby on December 6th)

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Here’s the very pregnant Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland with “Naughty Would Be Nice For Christmas”:

Next is another favorite artist who has a fun song on his album released back in 2006 (and happens to be his first album of Christmas music which features a mix of traditional and newly written songs).  This song is actually a cover of a song done years ago by Buck Owens, but this is the only version I’ve ever heard (I think).

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Even if I’ve heard the original, this one would still be my favorite.  Here’s Brad Paisley with “Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy”:

Once upon a time there was an entertaining legal comedy-drama with an eclectic and often times hilarious cast called Ally McBeal.  I’m a fan of their soundtrack – Vonda Shepard is an amazing artist.  In addition to Vonda, various cast members would show their singing chops when they’d meet after a long day downstairs at the bar in their office building.  This of course led to some great Christmas music when they came out with the “A Very Ally Christmas” CD:

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One of my favorite Christmas songs from that album is sung by a star who had joined the cast later, and when he ran into some personal problems left the show too soon.

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Here’s Robert Downey Jr. and Vonda Shepard doing an awesome job with “White Christmas”:

If any of you are New Girl fans (I am), you’ll recognize this next artist.  And if you’re Bones fans (I am) you’ll know her sister is one of the stars of that show.  This quirky artist is part of a duo who just released their Christmas Album, “A Very She & Him Christmas”:

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This video totally cracked me up – with her unique voice and her partner’s smokey-voice, this next song is a no-brainer for them to do.  They flipped the script of this song for their rendition of this classic, and the quirky animated video makes light of the modern, darker interpretation of the song by showing her animated sprite go through a series of increasingly Misery-like exercises to keep him from leaving.  It’s a fun and lighthearted interpretation of an old classic.

Without further ado, here’s Zooey Deschanel and Matt Ward of She & Him with “Baby It’s Cold Outside”:

Next we go back to Robert Downey Jr. and Vonda Shepard – because we can’t not – with this next song (also from Ally McBeal’s Christmas album) a song that gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.  Give a listen to Robert Downey Jr. featuring Vonda Shepard with “River”:

Last, but certainly not least, when I heard this version of this song on the CMA Country Christmas, I knew I had to share it with you.  Because I’m cool like that.  And I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did and do.  Besides, he’s certainly not hard to look at:

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For your listening pleasure, here’s Keith Urban with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”:

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

Now on to the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:

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I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and her cohorts in crime, Lorie of The Shewbridges of Celebration, Florida, Callie from JAmericanSpice, Cathy from Cathy Kennedy’s Blog, and for the month of November, our Honorary Co-Conductor is none other than Santa Claus.

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!

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INTRODUCING OUR “SPOTLIGHT DANCER”:

 

Mrs. Santa Claus!

 

APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

 

The awesome Run DMT also hosts Music Monday (who graciously helps out with our hostessing every time we need it, and who I had the privilege of meeting in person at BlogHer – she’s even more adorable than I imagined):

More Monday Hops – hop along, won’t you?

The Things We Find InsideSuper Sunday Sync

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12 Comments

    1. I love Zooey’s voice, too! 🙂 And thanks for the heads up on the video’s – ever since WordPress did their latest and greatest upgrade, when I schedule a post that has embedded HTML it’s fine, but for some reason when it goes live all the embedded HTML gets stripped out – UGH. I put them back now, though! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you! 🙂

    1. Thanks, Lucy – I’ll pass your compliments to PN! 🙂 I fixed the videos – WordPress’s latest upgrade for some reasons strips embedded HTML code when a schedule post goes live – guess I better dig into the ‘why’ of that…or start publishing my posts before I go to bed instead of scheduling them for when I’m in bed! 😀 Have a Merry Christmas!!

  1. Oh, I love the Sugarland song!! That is a good version of “Baby it’s cold Outside” but I do like Betty Garret and Red Skeleton’s flip flop version from Neptune’s Daughter too 🙂
    Once again, love your picks, I had no idea Robert Downey Jr, could sing!!
    Lucy would like you to read ..Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasMy Profile

  2. I really like the Naughty Would be Nice song, and I forgot all about the Brad Paisley song. Robert Downey Jr. speaking just the alphabet would make me smile. He’s a hottie! All great choices! Hope you have a merry Christmas!!
    Amethyst Moon would like you to read ..Music Monday, Christmas Eve!My Profile

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