We are just about to kick another Christmas season into gear. I mean we as in, well, me,

and this podcast, and we as in all of us as we get into the spirit to welcome Christmas of 2022.

Thanksgiving seems to be the official start of the season, and I'm using air quotes around the word

official, because who's to say when it's okay to start, and I'm using air quotes around the word official,

because who's to say when it's okay to start celebrating? I have a feeling you and I are of like

mind, and get what others might consider an early start on things. I've already watched a few of those

made-for-TV Christmas romances, and some retro Christmas episodes of the sitcoms I grew up with.

I've also been playing plenty of my favorite Christmas music, and my favorite way to do that

is with the vinyl records I've had all my life. We all have our go-toes that we, uh, go to,

year after year. Sometimes we also discover classic songs that somehow escaped us previously.

Over the last few days here at Christmas Past Headquarters,

I've been playing John Denver's rendition of Christmas for Cowboys pretty much constantly.

It's not that I'd never heard the song before,

I own Rocky Mountain Christmas on vinyl after all,

but I never really heard it until recently,

and it's become my favorite Christmas song

of the moment. Yes, there's nothing like honoring those traditional favorites while also expanding

our musical palette by discovering new favorites. And if you believe that, too, then boy, do I

have a treat for you today. Once again, in what's become a tradition of its own here on Christmas

past, I've got seven new, of its own here on Christmas past,

I've got seven new, or at least seven new to you, Christmas songs from independent musicians from around the country.

To start out, let's cast our minds back to those days of martini glasses and suits with thin lapels.

...