As the title says this will be the last post of 2020. It has been a strange year lots of highs and lows. Thanks for sticking with me, reading the blog and leaving comments. It is always nice to know when you have liked a post.

Over on my personal Facebook profile and on The Myasthenia Kid  page https://www.facebook.com/themyastheniakid  that is linked to this blog, I have been posting a carol a day during the month of December. It was something I used to do years ago and then stopped for whatever reason. This year, with its multiple lock downs, Tiers, Tears and crap health I decided to bring it back. So today I am going to share with you my Christmas Carol Advent calendar. Enjoy!

I just need to point out that I am an atheist that just loves Christmas carols. Bizarre I know!!

1st December

I kicked off the festive season with a stunning rendition of The Carol of the bells performed by Libera. I only discovered the Carol of the bells a few years ago and it has been a firm favourite ever since.

 

2nd December

Today’s carol was “Oh Holy Night” I provided two version of this one as I liked both performed by Kings College Cambridge. The second version is by Alexander Jean.  Another beautiful carol that I didn’t discover until a few years ago.

 

3rd December

I had never heard this Christmas Carol until I started compiling my December playlist all those years ago, again there are two versions of “Oh come, oh come Emmanuel” the first by Enya and the second by Hymns and Hers.

 

4th December

Today’s carol was something different, “God rest ye merry gentlemen” by the superb Annie Lennox.

 

5th December

Behind door number 5 of my Christmas carol advent calendar is “It came upon a midnight clear” again another carol I didn’t know until I started compiling my calendar all those years ago. Performed by Celtic Woman.

 

6th December

One of my all time favourites today “The first Noel” by Kings College Cambridge.

I also provided the second version as it was the theme tune of a TV show called the Box of Delights when I was a kid and I think this is just magical

 

7th December

Behind door number 7 is the traditional “Good King Wenceslaus”

 

8th December

Today’s offering always reminds me of primary school Nativity plays, “Whilst Shepard’s watched their flocks by night” performed by Westminster Abbey Choir.

 

9th December

Another one that reminds me of primary school carol concerts “Hark the herald angels sing” performed by Celtic Woman.

 

10th December

Now this one behind door number 10 will always remind me of Nelson on The Simpsons singing an alternative version! “Joy to the world” performed by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

 

11th December

Behind door number 10 in its originl language of German is the carol “O Tannenbaum” or as we English speakers know it “Oh Christmas Tree”

 

12th December

It is amazing what you find carol wise consulting Wikipedia and finding out that different countries have different carols. Some of the ones for England ( even though I am British) I hadn’t heard of . Here is “Gloria (Angels we have heard on high).” Performed by BYU Noteworthy.

 

13th December

As I kid I would record myself singing Christmas carols and send them to my grandparents ( the must have wondered what they had done to deserve such torture!) One of my favourites from those days is “Oh come all ye faithful”, performed by Carrie Underwood.

 

14th December

Lurking behind door number 14 is “In the bleak midwinter” this is one of my favourites as an adult, we didn’t sing this at school, that I can remember. I have included two versions as one of my favourites is by James Taylor which I know isn’t to everyone’s taste. The second version is by Kings College.

 

15th December

I didn’t find this version of the “12 Days of Christmas” until a few days after I had posted my original choice. As I loved it so much I posted it the day I found it. Absolutely hilarious and really well done Bravo!

For the purists amongst you here is a non comedy version

 

16th December

Today’s offering is a real find. I had never heard of this group / band until I was searching for versions of carols that would provide not just the classical arrangements but alternatives. I absolutely adore this version of “We Three Kings” performed by Alexander Jean featuring Casey Abrams.

 

17th December

I used to love singing this one at Primary School as well. There is something quite pagan about it, which I like as I am actually an atheist who loves Christmas carols. Strange I know! So here it is “The Holly and The Ivy” sung again by Annie Lennox

If you enjoy the Annie Lennox Carols more can be found on the link below, it is well worth a listen.

 

18th December

Behind door number 18 is another one of my favourites from my Christmas Carol concert days at primary school “Deck the hall”.

 

19th December

Todays Christmas carol is I know I keep saying it but I do love my Christmas carols, one of my favourites and with it sung in Gaelic is particularly haunting “Silent Night” sung by one of my favourite artists Enya.

 

20th December

The first time I heard this song was on a CD containing lots of Christmas carols, until then I had never come across it. I do like this one an awful lot too . “I saw Three Ships” performed by Blackmore’s Night.

 

21st December The winter Solstice

I have known this Christmas carol since I was a tiny tot as most people my age would as it was a firm favourite for Christmas concerts. “Oh little Town of Bethlehem” sung by Nat King Cole.

 

22nd December

Now it gets very difficult to find 24 Christmas Carols without a bit of research, I could put up some more of the ones we sang at school but they are a bit infantile. I love it when I come across a carol I have not heard of before and can share it whilst falling in love with it. The beautiful “Do you hear what I hear” sung by the incredible Susan Boyle.

 

23rd December

Whilst hunting for Christmas carols to feature in my advent calendar I stumbled across this absolute gem. I am in love with this arrangement from The Five Strings, “I heard The Bells on Christmas”. I love the PoP element of it and the choral backing. Hubby hates it but then he has been subjected to it numerous times since I first found it!

 

24th December

The grande finale, there is only one carol that could possibly occupy this spot for me. This is one that signifies that Christmas has begun. It is the one I would hear on BBC Radio 4 late sung at midnight mass. It would give me the feeling that anything was possible, Christmas was magical oh to be a kid again. So here it is

“Once in Royal Davids city” Sung by Kings College Cambridge.

 

I hope you have enjoyed my Christmas Carol advent calendar as much as I have.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful new year.