Holiday Story

This time of year I share a lot of Christmas stories when I perform. I wanted to share at least one with you here. Maybe it will illustrate something meaningful for Christmas. When I was a kid I was what can only be called spoiled rotten. I know that may be hard to believe, but I was that kid you want to spank at the store because he misbehaves so much. So you can imagine how much this would mess up the whole naughty and nice thing, and so it did one year. That particular year I had one toy that I wanted from Santa in the worst way, and I think it was all I asked for. I don't remember what it was. I guess my parents thought that year was a good opportunity for a lesson in being more nice than naughty, because it wasn't wrapped up under the tree for me on Christmas morning. After I had opened all my presents I was visibly disappointed, so my mother asked me what was wrong. I told her that I didn't get the toy I really wanted from Santa, and my mother asked me why I thought that was so. I told her it was probably because I was so bad that year. She asked me if I thought I could be better the next year, and I told her I would try. She then told me that she thought she heard Santa in the front closet when he was delivering the presents, and maybe I should look there for the toy I wanted. I went to the closet, and there was the toy I had asked for. Now of course you'll want to know if I was nice the next year, and I'd love to tell you I was, but the truth is probably that I was bad once again. What can I say? I was not the best-behaved kid. Luckily I think I grew out of it. So does that illustrate something meaningful for Christmas? I guess not. At least I don't see how I can spin it into something for you to take away. I hope it was at least good for a laugh!

Highlights from the last two weeks

I've been playing a ton of Christmas events - mostly at my Alzheimer's and nursing facilities. I love to spread cheer and reminisce about Christmases gone by. Also we had a great time at Magpies on the 5th. We didn't do any Christmas sing-along songs, but that just sets us up for this next Friday all the more.

What's up this week?

Friday will be our Christmas Sing-Along at Magpies 7-10 then. We did this last year for the first time, and it was fun beyond anything I had hoped for. There's just something magical about sharing these songs that are so much at the core of our beings in our shared culture. It's one of the only phenomena that we share so broadly like this in our world. It's truly something special and sacred in its own way. Of course we don't have to just do sing-along songs, but I'll have my song sheets so we can do as much or as little as everyone wants. It will be great fun however we do it, and I'm really looking forward to it! Please come out if you can.

So that's it for this week. If you don't hear from me next week, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Let it wash over you and fill you with joy!

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing for the sing-along
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, December 19, 7-10 pm