I don’t want a lot for Christmas There is just one thing I need I don’t care about the presents Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true All I want for Christmas is you, yeah
I don’t want a lot for Christmas There is just one thing I need And I don’t care about the presents Underneath the Christmas tree
I don’t need to hang my stocking There upon the fireplace Santa Claus won’t make me happy With a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true All I want for Christmas is you You, baby
Oh, I won’t ask for much this Christmas I won’t even wish for snow And I’m just gonna keep on waiting Underneath the mistletoe
I won’t make a list and send it To the North Pole for Saint Nick I won’t even stay awake to Hear those magic reindeer click
‘Cause I just want you here tonight Holding on to me so tight What more can I do? Baby, all I want for Christmas is you You, baby
Oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere And the sound of children’s laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing I hear those sleigh bells ringing Santa, won’t you bring me the one I really need? Won’t you please bring my baby to me?
Oh, I don’t want a lot for Christmas This is all I’m asking for I just wanna see my baby Standing right outside my door
Oh, I just want you for my own More than you could ever know Make my wish come true Baby, all I want for Christmas… is you You, baby
All I want for Christmas is you, baby All I want for Christmas is you, baby All I want for Christmas is you, baby All I want for Christmas is you, baby All I want for Christmas is you, baby
“The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” is a novelty Christmas song written by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. (a.k.a. David Seville) in 1958. Although it was written and sung by Bagdasarian (in the form of a high-pitched chipmunk voice), the singing credits are given to The Chipmunks, a fictitious singing group consisting of three chipmunks by the names of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. The song won three Grammy Awards in 1958: Best Comedy Performance, Best Children’s Recording, and Best Engineered Record (non-classical).
“The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” written by Ross Bagdasarian (also known as David Seville) and performed by the animated characters, The Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore reach #1 on the music charts. Released only weeks before, it would become a holiday favorite for generations.
In the recording, Dave Seville asks the Chipmunks if they are ready to sing their song. Simon and Theodore immediately answer “Okay”, but Alvin hesitates, causing Dave to yell “ALVIN!!!”, to which Alvin responds emphatically, “Okay!”
In the vocal performance, the Chipmunks sing about the presents they want for Christmas; Alvin wants a hula hoop. An instrumental interlude follows, which repeats the musical accompaniment to the Chipmunks’ singing. Near the end of the interlude, Dave tells the Chipmunks to get ready to sing again, compliments Simon and Theodore for singing well and scolds Alvin for singing a little flat. Alvin again hesitates to respond, so Dave yells at him again, and Alvin again answers, “Okay!”
The Chipmunks reprise the last four lines of the vocal, followed by another instrumental performance of the music. In the end, Dave compliments the Chipmunks for their performance. However, the Chipmunks want to sing the song again, to which Dave tells them not to overdo it. The Chipmunks and Dave argue as the instrumental music fades out.
Commercial performance
The song was very successful, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, becoming The Chipmunks’ first (and only), as well as David Seville’s second and final, No. 1 single. It had the distinction of being the only Christmas record to reach No. 1 on the same chart until Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” did so 61 years later in 2019. The single sold 4.5 million copies in seven weeks, according to Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.[2] Before the song’s success, “The Chipmunk Song” was featured on American Bandstand‘s “Rate-A-Record” segment and received the lowest possible rating of 35 across the board.[3]
Between 1958 and 1962, the single managed to re-enter the Hot 100, peaking at No. 41 in 1958, No. 45 in 1960, and No. 39 in 1962. (Starting in 1963, Billboard would list recurrent Christmas songs on a separate chart.) The song managed to chart on the Hot Digital Songs for the first time in 2005, peaking at No. 35 on that chart.
“The Chipmunk Song” is the last Christmas/holiday song to reach No. 1 on any US singles record chart totaling performance of all available records.
With the release and popularity of the film Alvin and the Chipmunks in December 2007, “The Chipmunk Song” re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 70. At the same time, a remixed version of the song that appears on the Chipmunks’ 2007 album (and soundtrack to the film) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, peaked at No. 66 and was credited as “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) (2007 Version)”.
Working as an Orphan, could sometimes be Fun, if the Nun in charge and I could get along?
Some Nuns (I hate to say ) just were not really the best kind of “Role Models” for children, and should have been in some other kind of an institution than having to work with children.
But, as “LUCK” would have it… there were a few of the Nuns that I have found… living with them, for some seven years… that I liked enough, to keep in touch with them, for the rest of their lives.
One of these, Special Nuns, was Sister M. Emeline!
She was in charge of the Boys Dining Room, and I worked for her, when I may have been in the sixth grade.
Job changes were made in September and February – six month job assignments with a different Nun!
So, as Thanksgiving approached, I asked Sister M. Emeline, if I could check out the “Boys Side Attic” – to see if there were any “Christmas Decorations” that the previous NUN used for and to decorate the Dining Room with?
She suggested that I check with Sister M. Alvira, as she was not as bold – to assume, that she – could give to me the permission to roam around in the “Attic.”
But… if you don’t ask – you don’t find out, anything! I follow through with checking with Sister M. Alvira, and was given permission, and up to the Attic, I went!
In the Attic – I found boxes with rolls of red and green garland material, silver bells , and so much more… all kinds of decoration stuff. I did manage to get some of the guys to help me bring down the boxes – four (4) flight of stairs to the Dining Room. This turned out to be a real job.
“Lucky to have some helpers to carry these garlands along the ceiling with a dip in the center, and in a Criss Cross pattern around the room and making sure that the dips were even and not too low. Special decorations were then hung from centers and their were silver bells spiralled in the windows… that could also be seen as people were driving into the circular drive way … to enter the Orphanage.
Did I say… that, I had to confiscate a ladder – as I was up and down and moving tables and chairs, eye-balling for those decorations to be the same height and pattern matching all around the dining room!
The Dining Room had three rows of tables set up for the children of each family to sit together, at a table , and then nine tables in a row… and also the cleanup area, in the area where we washed all of those dishes by hand and the cabinets to put away the clean dishes and take out those dishes which we set each table, so as to be prepared for the NeXT meal…
Take for instance… Dinner meal would be at 12 Noon.
We leave our class rooms maybe 11:45… march to the Play Rooms… change from our School Uniforms and for those that work in the Dining Rooms rush to the Kitchen for the food and some run to the Bakery for the bread and we workers line up behind the serving table.
The NUN for that meal marches with the children from the PLAY rooms to the Dining room, each family at their assigned table, we say Grace… and then one row takes their plate from the table … in hand and moves in a straight line to be served… and march back to their table…usually no talking… eat your meal.
Only one half hour, done eating… and then we say our prayers… all children not assigned to work in that Dining Room… leave, all the others go to their assigned places to work their jobs… as those that are in the Dining room must clean the dishes and all tables and reset the tables for the Supper meal. Get to the Play room… change to your School Uniform and all must be ready to march to your class rooms by 1:00 p.m.
Each day and each meal… basically the same… work and hurry… you have somewhere to be … and to be there on time!
Now that I think back…I don’t think Sister M. Emeline ever thought… that… I could do it, but I did!
This was the best decorated room in the Orphanage!
The local news station was interviewing an 80-year-old lady because she had just gotten married for the fourth time.
The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband’s occupation.
“He’s a funeral director,” she answered.
“Interesting,” the newsman thought.
He then asked her if she wouldn’t mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living.
She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years.
After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she had first married a banker when she was in her 20’s, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40’s, and a preacher when in her 60’s, and now – in her 80’s – a funeral director.
The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.
(Wait for it)
She smiled and explained,
“I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.”
(Oh, just hush-up and send this one on to somebody who needs a laugh.)
A montage of Saturn and its moons as captured by the Voyager 1 probe
(photo credit: NASA)
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In a few days, our solar system’s two biggest planets – Jupiter and Saturn – will come within close proximity of one another in what is known as a great conjunction, a rare event that may resemble the biblical Star of Bethlehem, also known as the Christmas Star, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The term “conjunction” in astronomy is used to refer to the meeting point of celestial objects in space. A great conjunction refers to the rare moments in our solar system’s history when its two largest planets have come close together.
“You can imagine the solar system to be a racetrack, with each of the planets as a runner in their own lane and the Earth toward the center of the stadium,” said Henry Throop, astronomer in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, according to the NASA website. “From our vantage point, we’ll be able to be to see Jupiter on the inside lane, approaching Saturn all month and finally overtaking it on December 21.”
Jupiter and Saturn have been traveling together all year. But over the first three weeks of December, they have gradually come closer together. This form of celestial teasing will culminate on Monday, December 21, when it might seem like the two planets have completely integrated into one massive star.
“This rare astronomical event, known as the great conjunction, only appears every 20 years,” NASA Headquarters guide Tahira Allen explained, according to the space agency. “However, the last time they’ve been seen this close was in 1623.”
And that’s not all. This year’s great conjunction will be the closest observable one since 1226, according to EarthSky news website.
Witnessing the closest connection between Saturn and Jupiter seen in nearly 800 years is guaranteed to be a spectacular event – and will not even require a professional telescope. In fact, the two huge planets will be so close together, and close enough to Earth, that the cosmic event will be viewable with the naked eye in clear weather conditions.
Jupiter and Saturn are both considered extremely bright, with Jupiter being “brighter than any star” and Saturn shining with a “distinctly golden color,” EarthSky noted. Saturn has even been referred to as the “jewel of the Solar System.” But, unlike stars, the meeting point between Jupiter and Saturn will not appear to be twinkling. Instead, it will shine steadily.
Over the years, theologists and enthusiasts alike have speculated that the Biblical Star of Bethlehem that appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew was actually an instance of a great conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn in disguise. In the story, the bright star guided “wise men from the East” to baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
However, there are quite a bit of reservations to this theory. For starters, no one has actually seen a great conjunction like this one in 800 years, and there’s no guarantee that the two planets will appear to overlap. As Jupiter is brighter, some astronomers believe you will be able to distinguish the individual planets with the naked eye.
Bible experts are also divided, according to the UK Express website. The Reverend Dr. M.W. Burke-Gaffney wrote in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada that “no matter how close together two planets come – even if one planet should be so close to another as to partly obscure it – Wise Men would not mistake them for a single star. A few nights’ watching would show them separating – as they would have also been seen to come together.”
In any case, this is the greatest great conjunction between the two giants for the next 60 years. They will not appear so close in the sky until the year 2080. So whether you believe it made a guest appearance in the Bible a couple of thousand years ago or not – it’s an event worth marking in your calendars.
My classic Snowball Cookies recipe combines ground pecans, rich butter, and powder sugar to create a holiday cookie you’ll want all year round!
Servings: 25
Cookies Ingredients
1cup(8 oz. /225g) butter,room temperature
1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz. /71g) sugar
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
¼teaspoonsalt
2cups(10 oz./284g) all-purpose flour
2cups(8 oz. /225g) toasted pecans* (finely ground)
1½cups(6 oz. /172g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Using a large whisk or electric mixer cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Using a spatula, gradually add flour in 2 batches. Lastly, stir in the nuts and mix until fully incorporated.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for approximately 45 minutes. (You can store the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 6 weeks)
Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Place powdered sugar in a small bowl, set aside.
After chilling, use a 1 tablespoon measure to scoop your cookies. Roll between the palms of your hands to achieve a rounded ball. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and DO NOT flatten, leave as little balls.
Bake in preheated oven for 14-15 minutes. Do not overbake. The underside of the cookies should be only lightly browned but the top will still be pale in color which is correct.
Cool cookies on the baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the powdered sugar.
Place the sugar-coated cookies on wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled roll cookies in the powdered sugar for a second time.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
