"fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la"

Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la
Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la

I have Christmas carols in my head. Constantly. Ceaselessly.
This is the time of year during which the same songs are recycled over and over again, year after year, and apparently no one is tired of them. Well, I'm not, at the very least.

Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas Day

I sing carols as they pop into my head. I find myself humming them while I'm Christmas shopping, cleaning my apartment, doing dishes, folding laundry, ordering coffee, even filing paperwork (my friend Julie will attest to this).

I hear those sleigh bells jingling
Ring ting tingling too
Come on it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you

I sang carols several days ago at the annual carol sing hosted by the MacSweeney family, my former neighbours. They began the tradition more than a decade ago, and what began as a simple huddle with apple cider around their creche outside on Christmas Eve has become an evening long feast of food and song held the Sunday night before Christmas every year.

Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled

I sang carols with the Victoria Scholars as they included an audience participation number during their fantastic Christmas concert on the weekend, just as I did at the St. Michael's Choir School Christmas concerts at Massey Hall for all the years my brother was a student there.

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

I sang carols last night, at our annual Medri cousin Christmas get-together, harmonizing together for over an hour. I didn't realize that a room full of my cousins, all of us musicians in one discipline or another, could sound so ridiculously good.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing

I will sing carols on Christmas Eve, at J.'s parents' house, as I join for the first time in their annual tradition of drinking eggnog, making merry, and singing carols with family and friends.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I will sing carols in the evening on Christmas Day, presents scattered around the room, my dad on the piano, my family sprawled on couches around the fire, my grandmother's now frail soprano singing sweetly in her beloved Slovenian mother tongue.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace

This year, heart full to bursting with happiness, I'm wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a holiday season filled with family, friends, laughter and love...and Christmas carols.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sight

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Merry Christmas.