I'm sitting here in the Magic studio, sprinkling in some Christmas tunes.  And it got me thinking that there was a time when all you had to play were the old standards, like Bing Crosby's “White Christmas,” and Nat King Cole's “Christmas Song.”  Not anymore.  I'm playing all kinds of Christmas music, from Mannheim Steamroller to Mariah Carey to James Taylor.

There's a huge market for Christmas music. Popular artists are almost expected to put out an album of Christmas favorites.  And in some cases, they've created brand new standards.  I remember when Paul McCartney released “Wonderful Christmastime.”  That wasn't an arrangement of an old classic. It was a fresh song that we now expect to hear every holiday season.

Movies such as “Elf,” “The Grinch”(the Jim Carey version) and “The Polar Express” have brought us new Christmas songs to play. There have also been some great takes on carols and hymns, like Bruce Springsteen's “Santa Claus is coming to Town, and one of my favorites, Josh Groban's version of “O Holy Night”.

So, as you're celebrating the season, decking the halls and rocking around the Christmas tree, I hope you're enjoying the great variety of holiday music you find on Magic. I know I'm enjoying playing it!  Fa la la la la!!