I love Christmas.  That probably doesn’t come as a surprise to most of you.  After all, I run a Christmas music radio station and a Christmas music record label.

I also enjoy watching Christmas movies, though they’re a little scarce this time of year.  Not completely scarce, as I’m watching “Jingle All The Way” on one of the STARZ channels as I type this.  Some would argue that that isn’t really a Christmas movie, but I think it is, since the whole movie revolves around the attempts by a father to get his son a Christmas present.  Plus, it’s also filled with Christmas music.

There are lots of lists of top Christmas movies (though I doubt “Jingle All The Way” is at the top of too many of those).  Some are arranged by box office grosses, while others are by popularity, either by the fans or by various critics.

Many of those movies really have little to do with Christmas.

“It’s A Wonderful Life” is frequently at the top of many of those lists.  It originally flopped at the box office, but has become an annual favorite.  And while it certainly gets across the theme of “Good Will Towards Men” and the belief that “It’s Better To Give Than Receive”, it actually has very little to do with the holiday.

George’s backstory has nothing to do with Christmas.  And his present-day problems don’t, either.  He leaves his home on Christmas Eve, has his none-Christmas experiences with Clarence, and returns home with his faith restored. 

Nevertheless, “It’s A Wonderful Life” is almost always at the top, or near the top, of most Best Christmas Movie lists.

So is “Home Alone” (and “Home Alone 2”).  They’re set at Christmas time, and there are decorations and presents.  There are even Christmas songs, which “It’s A Wonderful Life” also lacks. But both of the “Home Alone” movies are really about young Kevin’s battles with the Wet Bandits.  Christmas is just window dressing.  His family could just have easily left him behind at Easter, or for a summer vacation.

Still, “Home Alone” is considered by many as one of their favorite Christmas movies.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Home Alone” (even “Home Alone 2”).  But I’m pretty sure almost everyone considers them Christmas movies.

There are many more, also set around the holidays, that don’t get that distinction.  But if you love Christmas like I do, and you want that seasonal fix without getting ridicule from others about watching a Christmas movie in February, I’ve put together a list of my Top Ten favorite Christmas movies, that don’t aren’t really about Christmas.

Michael (1996) – Christmas has a very minor role in this one, but still, I think it’s my favorite Christmas movie that’s not really about Christmas.  Three tabloid reporters are sent out to get the story about a woman who claims she is living with a real angel.  Near the beginning of the film, there’s a large Christmas tree being set up (like the Rockefeller Christmas tree in New York).  There are a couple of mentions of Christmas, though it isn’t connected to the plot at all (and seems to go away by the end of the movie, though their experiences with Michael take place over the course of just a few days).  Plus, there’s Dion’s version of “Winter Wonderland”.  Warning, there’s a good chance that at a certain point in this movie, you will want pie.

Trading Places (1983) – Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in a terrific 1980’s comedy that starts just before Thanksgiving and ends just after New Year’s.  There’s a Christmas party scene, and Dan Aykroyd as a somewhat-deranged Santa Claus.  It doesn’t really have to take place at this particular time of year, other than the climactic scene at the Stock Market, which is supposed to be just after New Year’s Day.  “Getting Even” isn’t really a Christmas theme, but there is lots of Christmas-related stuff in the background through most of the movie, for those wanting that holiday fix!


The Sure Thing (1985) – John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga go coast-to-coast during college winter break.  There are several mentions about when this is taking place, though there isn’t a lot of actual Christmas in it.  Except for a bar scene that finds John Cusack singing a little of “The Christmas Song” with some new friends.

Better Off Dead (1985) – Another John Cusack movie, and it’s even from the same year as the last one!  This time, Cusack is back in high school, dealing with being dumped by his girlfriend, a skiing rivalry and the foreign exchange student across the street.  A couple Christmas songs (Darlene Love, the Carpenters).


Serendipity (2001) – John Cusack one more time.  Here, he meets Kate Beckinsale when they both reach for the same pair of gloves at Macy’s.  They go out and spend the evening in New York at Christmas.  This sets up the tone, and the conflict, for the entire movie, as they each try to find the other over the course of several years.  The movie begins and ends at Christmas, and we also get Louis Armstrong’s “Cool Yule”.


Gremlins (1984) – Hoyt Axton gives his son an early Christmas present, and when the boy proceeds to break the three important rules about caring for his new pet, little monsters are unleashed on the town.  This movie is almost anti-Christmas, including a terrible story from Phoebe Cates about what happened to her father when he dressed up like Santa Claus.  More tension and violence than in most Christmas movies, but there are Christmas presents and decorations everywhere, and a couple Christmas songs (Darlene Love, Johnny Mathis).


Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in a true story that has nothing to do with Christmas.  However, several key scenes take place during Christmas, including many of the interactions between the two stars.  Plus Christmas songs from Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.


Batman Returns (1992) – The Penguin and Catwoman take on Michael Keaton during Christmas time in Gotham City.  Lots of decorations in the background, and near the end, Alfred and Bruce Wayne wish each other a Merry Christmas.


When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Sleepless In Seattle (1993) – These two kind of go together, and I don’t think it’s just because they both include Meg Ryan.  “When Harry Met Sally” didn’t have much Christmas in it, beyond a scene where Meg Ryan drags a Christmas tree home.  The climax for that one is on New Year’s Eve, which doesn’t really count, either.  But it’s significance here is that it introduced the world to Harry Connick Jr. (and his first Christmas recording – “Winter Wonderland”).

“Sleepless In Seattle” has a plot that begins on Christmas Eve, as Meg Ryan is driving to be with her fiancée and his family on Christmas morning and Tom Hanks’ son is setting things in motion by calling into radio talk show.  And while there’s lots of great classic music, the song I most enjoyed hearing (of y Rogers and Dale Evans’ take on “Jingle Bells/Sleigh Ride” (on one of the many stations Meg Ryan is listening to in her car).

1941 (1979) – John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd head an all-star cast to save Hollywood days after the Pearl Harbor attack.  History dictates that this has to take place a couple weeks before Christmas.  And there are decorations, including a wreath that sends Ned Beatty’s house off a cliff.  And let’s get out these lights!


So if you need that Christmas movie fix, any of these should be able to give you a little something to tide you over. 

Got any suggestions for more Christmas movies that aren’t about Christmas?  Feel free to add them in the comments!  And for those who want to know where “Die Hard” (and “Die Hard 2”) are, all I can say is that I liked these movies better.  Feel free to make your own list!

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I came across this story in a couple places, so I thought I'd pass it along.

There's a casting call for a sequel to "A Christmas Story", which has the working title of "A Christmas Story, Too".

This time around, Ralphie is a teenager, and he wants a certain, special convertible for Christmas.  Since it's been almost thirty years since the original movie came out, none of the original cast members would be the right age. And, of course, Darren McGavin, who was fantastic as Ralphie's father, passed away a few years ago.

The original movie was based on the writings of Jean Shepherd.  Several stories from his collection "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" were used, and Jean actually served as the film's narrator, too.  Sadly, Jean passed away in 1999.

There's no word on whether this new film will be based on other writings by Jean Shepherd, or if it's a completely new story.  It's much too early in the process to really know much of anything,beyond the announced casting call.

I know it's rare that a sequel lives up to expectations, or comes close to equaling the original.  But personally, I'd love to check in on Ralphie's family at another Christmastime.  For that matter, I think it's time the Griswold's took another Christmas Vacation, too.

You can find out a little more about casting here, where you can also read about the previous sequel "It Runs In The Family", which also had a completely different cast (and had nothing to do with Christmas).
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_The calculations are finally done, and out of the thousands of songs we played this year, here are the top one hundred!  These are the most-requested and highest-rated songs from the Sounds of Christmas 2011! 

1) Stevie Wonder "What Christmas Means To Me"

2) Huey Piano Smith and the Clowns "White Christmas Blues"

3) David Bowie and Bing Crosby "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy"

4) REO Speedwagon "Deck The Halls"

5) Chris Squire "Run With The Fox"

6) Harry Connick Jr. "Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers"

7) Lisa Kessler "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

8) Mannheim Steamroller "Catching Snowflakes On Your Tongue"

9) David Crowder Band "Carol Of The Bells/Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)"

10) Hipwaders "Yes, It's Christmas"

11) Carpenters "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

12) Yule Logs "Northpole 45789"

13) Richard Marx "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day"

14) NRBQ "Christmas Wish"

15) Beatles "Another Beatles Christmas Record (1964)"

16) Vanessa Peters "The Christmas We Hoped For"

17) Katharine McPhee "Silver Bells"

18) John and Yoko "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

19) Al Jarreau "The Christmas Song"

20) Harry Connick Jr. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"

21) Kenny Vance and the Planotones "Doo Wop Christmas"

22) Marshall Crenshaw "Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me"

23) Motels "Santa Baby"

24) Pretenders "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

25) Trans-Siberian Orchestra "Nutrocker"

26) Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping"

27) Laura Vane and the Vipertones "Christmas Day With Me"

28) Josh and the Empty Pockets "Baby It's Cold Outside/Baby Please Come Home"

29) Mulberry Lane "Christmas In The Car"

30) Trans-Siberian Orchestra "Siberian Sleigh Ride"

31) Percy Sledge "My Christmas Wish For You"

32) Embers "I Love Christmas Music"

33) Sheryl Crow and Eric Clapton "Merry Christmas Baby"

34) Tina Lambert "Gabriel's Message"

35) BarlowGirl "Carol Of The Bells/Sing We Now Of Christmas"

36) Ben E. King "The Christmas Song"

37) Newsboys "Winter Wonderland"

38) Sheryl Crow "The Christmas Song"

39) Trans-Sibierian Orchestra "A Mad Russian's Christmas"

40) Bing Crosby "Good King Wenceslas"

41) Mulberry Lane "Happy Holidays"

42) Ronnie Spector "It's The Time (Happy Holidays)"

43) Beatles "The Beatles Christmas Record 1963"

44) Cheap Trick "Come On Christmas"

45) Harry Nilsson "Joy To The World"

46) James Brown "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"

47) They Might Be Giants "Santa Claus"

48) Tommy James "The Christmas Song"

49) Carolyn Sills "George Bailey"

50) Dean Martin "A Marshmallow World"

51) Guster "Tiny Tree Christmas"

52) Bob Sirois and Rachel Taylor "Christmas Like A Lullaby"

53) Louis Armstrong "Zat You Santa Claus"

54) She and Him "Little Saint Nick"

55) Bette Midler "Cool Yule"

56) Drifters "White Christmas"

57) Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

58) Jack Sheldon "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

59) Monkees "Christmas Is My Time Of Year"

60) Royal Crown Revue "Christmas Lights"

61) Elvis Presley "If Every Day Was Like Christmas"

62) Honeymoon Suite "I Believe In Father Christmas"

63) Lisa McClowry "Before The Tree Comes Down"

64) Northern Light Orchestra "Gloria"

65) Pretenders "Happy Christmas"

66) B.B. King "Christmas Love"

67) Carole King :Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday"

68) James Taylor "Deck The Halls"

69) John Mellencamp "Teddi's Song"

70) Wilson Phillips "Christmastime"

71) Chicago with Steve Cropper "Rocking and Rolling On Christmas Day"

72) Glasvegas "A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)"

73) Katharine McPhee "Christmas Is The Time"

74) Bryan Adams "Christmas Time"

75) She and Him "Christmas Day"

76) Belinda Carlisle "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

77) Brian Setzer Orchestra "(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man With The Bag"

78) Carole King "Carol Of The Bells"

79) Stephen Colbert "Another Christmas Song"

80) Blondie "We Three Kings"

81) Coldplay "Christmas Lights"

82) Otis Redding "Merry Christmas Baby"

83) Roy Holliday "Christmas Time On The Beach"

84) Tina Lambert "O Christmas Tree"

85) Mannheim Steamroller "Little Drummer Boy"

86) Brian Wilson "Christmasey"

87) Jean Meileur "Driving Home For Christmas"

88) Jennifer Cella "Come Home For Christmas"

89) Lisa Kessler "Christmas Vacation"

90) Michael Keaton "Frosty the Snowman"

91) Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"

92) Billy Joel "Christmas In Fallujah"

93) Chris Rea "Driving Home For Christmas"

94) Eagles "Please Come Home For Christmas" (Live)

95) Robbie Robertson "Christmas Must Be Tonight"

96) Tommy James "I Love Christmas"

97) Trans-Siberian Orchestra "Promises To Keep"

98) Ella Fitzgerald "The First Noel"

99) Frank Sinatra "Christmas Memories"

100) Puppini Sisters "Here Comes Santa Claus"

Thanks again for listening!  And we're looking forward to spending next Christmas with you, as we plan to be back on the air again on November 1!

All our best for you and yours for all of 2012!  And may you always believe in Santa Claus!
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Another one of our most-requested songs this season was this live version of "Santa Claus Is Back In Town"and "Blue Christmas'

Happy Birthday, Elvis!


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I'm working on building a jukebox of the most-requested and highest-rated songs from the past season on The Sounds of Christmas.

In the meantime, there's always YouTube!

Here's Stevie Wonder, with the number one song on the Sounds of Christmas 2011!
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Another Canadian teen drummer is stealing a bit of Justin Bieber's thunder this holiday season with his own hip version of Little Drummer Boy.

High school junior Sean Quigley, 16, of Winnipeg, posted his rock rendition of the famous Christmas song on YouTube three weeks ago, and now the video has gone viral, attracting more than 1.3 million views.

Quigley produced, played the instruments and sang on the track, and directed, starred in and edited the video, which looks professionally done. He's appeared on Canadian news shows, gotten calls from the The Rosie Show, launched his official website and even hired a talent manager after the video hit nearly 40,000 views overnight.

Read the rest of the article here --> http://www.dailyrecord.com/usatoday/article/52172224?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

Check out Sean's website here --> http://seanquigleyband.com/?p=238

And check out the video below!

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_The annual sleigh-load of new holiday music ensures enough variety of seasonal strains to satisfy every branch of the family tree. But wading through that yule tide can be tough sledding. USA TODAY music critics Elysa Gardner, Edna Gundersen, Steve Jones, Brian Mansfield and JerryShriver offer sound advice on selecting sonic stocking stuffers.


FOR YOUR CROON-CRAVING MOM

Michael Bublé, Christmas

When the weather outside is frightful, Bublé's creamy bari-tenor can smooth away all the rough edges. The Canadian adult-contemporary favorite approaches a range of golden oldies with his usual mix of playfulness and reverence, putting a jazzy New Orleans spin on Blue Christmas and turning Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You into a power ballad. He's joined by a children's choir on Silent Night and by Mexican siren Thalia on a flamenco-flecked Feliz Navidad. Other guests: fellow traditionalists the Puppini Sisters (Jingle Bells) and a slinky Shania Twain (White Christmas). There's also a Bublé original, the earnestly romantic Cold December Night (co-written with Alan Chang and Bob Rock). — Gardner

Also consider:

•Paul Anka, Songs of December

•Tony Bennett, The Classic Christmas Album

•Dean Martin, My Kind of Christmas

FOR YOUR TWEEN NIECE

Justin Bieber, Under the Mistletoe

Dismiss Bieber if you want, but kids have made many of Christmas' most enduring records, from Brenda Lee to the Jackson 5. And Mistletoe, which sold more than 200,000 copies in its first week alone, is a solid addition to the canon of youthful, R&B-oriented holiday albums. The choice of material often plays to Bieber's burgeoning skills as a romantic balladeer, and he brings in guests with cross-generational appeal, including Boyz II Men (a cappella Fa La La), Mariah Carey (All I Want for Christmas Is You) and Usher (The Christmas Song). Only the silly couplets in a rap version of Drummer Boy— "Playing for the king, playing for the title/I'm surprised you didn't hear this in the Bible" — seem like an obvious misstep. Maybe Mistletoe won't have the timeless appeal of Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, but they probably said that about the J5's Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, too. — Mansfield

Also consider:

•Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2

•Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring David Archuleta, Glad Christmas Tidings

•The Sing-Off: Songs of the Season

FOR YOUR HIPSTER SISTER

Scott Weiland, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The Stone Temple Pilots rocker takes an unexpected hiatus, shelving his flamboyant wail to reveal a silky baritone on lush arrangements of holiday classics. The spark for the collection was a performance two years ago on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, inspired by Frank Sinatra's 1957 recording. Weiland's sentimental set covers standards popularized by Bing Crosby (White Christmas), Perry Como (Winter Wonderland) and Nat King Cole (The Christmas Song). But it's not all croon tunes. He enlists steel drums on a reggae rendition of O Holy Night, jazzes up What Child Is This?, adds a bossa nova beat to Silent Night and submits his original Happy Christmas and Many More. — Gundersen

Also consider:

•She & Him, A Very She & Him Christmas

•Jack Johnson and various artists, This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Volume 2

•Shonen Knife, Sweet Christmas

Read the complete original article on USA Today's site right here

_

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Rating Songs 11/13/2011
 
I've gotten lots of questions about our top ten and how songs are rated, so I thought I'd jot down a couple notes about it.Live 365 rates songs in a couple ways.  The first is negative.  When you turn the station off, whatever song is playing gets a strike against it.  I don't know exactly how the math works on that, I just know that it counts against a song when you turn off the station.  So, the bottom line for this is - don't turn the station off on a song you like (if you can help it).  The best thing is to turn it off during one of the station I.D.'s or greetings.

To positively vote for a song, you need to listen through Live 365.  The player on their site has a couple small cartoon hands in the upper left corner - one giving a thumbs up and one giving a thumbs down.  Clicking on the thumbs up counts as a vote for that particular song.  I haven't experimented with it enough to know if clicking it lots of times means lots of votes, or if it's just one vote per person per song.

Since we have such an extensive on-air library, the top ten list changes almost every day during November, as all the music gets added.  By December, the library is pretty much set, though there's still a lot of fluctuation from one week to the next.  I'll do my best to post new lists on Friday's, so make sure you check back!

And if you want your voice to be heard, just listen to the Sounds of Christmas through Live 365, which you can do right here:  http://www.live365.com/stations/soundsofchristmas

Thanks so much for listening!  And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken
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We're On Our Way 11/09/2011
 
So it's been a week already!

We're still loading lots of new music and putting together new episodes of Meet the Artist, but I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for stopping by and listening.

I know it's early for some.  I mean, we just got rid of our Halloween pumpkins. 

Nevertheless, the Sounds of Christmas is on, and for anyone who's ready for Christmas music, we're ready for you!

It looks like we're starting out with another record-breaking season.  One week into November (okay, 9 days) and we already have listeners in 45 states, Washington DC and 35 other countries!

Don't forget to click on the bottom of our home page to send us your requests!  And if you want to be a part of this year's fifth year anniversary, click on BE A PART OF THE SHOW to see how you can...well...be a part of the show!

Thanks again!

And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken
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We're back! 11/01/2011
 
We officially started the Christmas tunes last night at midnight, as October gave way to November.  And I'm blown away by the reception!

As I type this, we've been back on for about 16 hours.  And we already have listeners in 33 states and 13 other countries!

Thanks so much to everyone that has already tuned in!   And for those who aren't quite ready for Christmas music, yet, we'll be hear, ready for you, when you are!

And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken
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