Last year about this time, this photo was making it's way around the interwebz, on Pinterest and Facebook and Tumblr. The premise was suggesting that you take an empty jar, and write down all the fun/happy/memorable moments of the year and put them in the jar, then take them all out at the end of the year and look back on the events of the year. Being the trend-follower that I am, I also pinned the photo to my arts-and-crafts board and determined that I would follow through with it. But I (like many people) make resolutions every year and (let's be honest) who really follows through with those anyway?? They are always good ideas in theory, but rarely do I seem them come to fruition. I didn't have high hopes for this one.
Lo and behold, I sit here twelve months later, surrounded by all the awesome things that happened to me this year! Somewhat in shock, I might add. It dawned on me earlier this week that the year is almost over, and I actually completed this project.
I've always kept a journal, but since I went to college, my entries got more and more sporadic, and it took me until the end of my senior year (December 2012) to completely fill the journal that Linna gave me on my 16th birthday (in my defense, it WAS enormous). I bought a blank journal, ready to start chronicling the new season of my life in 2013.... and it just never happened. So I have never been more glad that I completed my Mason Jar Journal. At least the best moments of my year were recorded.
Some of the highlights:
Thanks to everyone who helped make this year a fantastic one!
I just... have this beef with everyone who thinks this song is a holiday song. I want to know who decided that it should be played on Christmas radio stations. Whoever it was.... please know that it was a stupid idea.
There is really only one reference to anything remotely related to Christmas: "brown paper packages tied up with string" and seriously, it's a biiiiit of a stretch... Maybe it's mail. WHAT IF IT'S JUST MAIL. Everybody loves getting mail, right? Who doesn't love mail? And that is why it's on a list of Julie Andrews' favorite things.
And then there are the decidedly winter-y phrases: "snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, silver white winters that melt into spring" "warm woolen mittens" "door bells and sleigh bells."But that's not the point. The theme is not winter here! The theme is "my favorite things." The song also talks about girls in white dresses (most likely worn in the spring) and bees stinging (which they only do in the spring) and raindrops on roses (let's be real... probably spring time) and whiskers on kittens (could be anytime, but they're cutest in the spring).
I just don't understand why it became such a popular Christmas song! It's not like they sing it at Christmas time in the movie. In fact, due to the thunderstorm raging outside and the events of the following "Do Re Me" sequence (frolicking in the meadow, falling in the lake, etc), I'd guess that it's probably summer time. The movie does not have a single Christmas scene in it.
Wikipedia lists at least 34 Christmas albums that feature this song. And that's not even necessarily all of them! It's not a new phenomenon, either. These albums range from as early as Jack Jones' album in 1964 to Barbara Streisand's brand spankin' new 2013 album.
Last night, I heard this horrendous rendition, which is what sparked this soap box:
It's long and drawn out and melancholy (It's a song about favorite things. How can you be sad when you sing it?!). The song starts with some tinkling bells, like something out of The Nutcracker. Then halfway through, all of the sudden the music is grand and sweeping like she's about to go into battle, and everything is so dramatic! It's basically the "Sugar Plum Fairy" meets the Narnia soundtrack. (Sidenote--her hat thing.... futuristic space bathing cap?)
I just don't understand. I will never understand. Please join me in boycotting this song as part of the holiday tradition! I promise to never include it on a Christmas album. I promise to never include it on a Christmas play list. I promise to never play it at holiday parties and family gift exchanges! I promise to restore this song to it's rightful place: far FAR AWAY from Christmas!!
