Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: This time of year, we can't get enough Christmas music, or eggnog

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

This time of year, we can't get enough Christmas music, or eggnog

This time of year, we can't get enough Christmas music, or eggnog

By Kevin Dayhoff Posted on Explore Carroll 12/14/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE

The Christmas season means different things to different folks.

I have many great childhood Christmas memories of growing up in Westminster.

I'm biased of course, but I can't imagine a better place in the world for the pageantry, art, decorations and music of Christmas in Carroll County.

Everyone has his or her favorite Christmas music. A few at the top of my list include: "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Johnny Marks.

Of course, my list also includes "The Chipmunk Song" sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1958 and "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," written by John Rox and recorded in 1953 by Gayla Peevey -- who was just 10 years old at the time.

Other classics that come to mind are a little more offbeat and mischievous, such as "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by Tommie Connor. Tommie was only 13 years old when it was recorded in 1952. The song was initially banned by the Catholic Church in several cities including Boston.

An account by entertainment journalist Robert Fontenot notes that the "cute novelty (song) about a kid who can't understand why mommy is cheating on daddy with Santa" was not cleared by the "Council of Churches" until a special conference took place.

Alas, before we throw snowballs at someone else, let's remember that Carroll County was also the scene of Christmas mischief as far back as the 1800s.

According to research for the Historical Society of Carroll County by Jay Graybeal, one of the earlier references in local newspapers about caroling can be found in the now-defunct Democratic Advocate on Jan. 3, 1873. The article indicates that not everyone on the community was well behaved on Christmas:

"Christmas masqueraders were out in full force on Wednesday (Dec. 24) and Thursday (Dec. 25) nights. If they would behave with more propriety when entering the residences of our citizens, they would be treated better, but as it is they seem to take the occasion for showing how rudely they can misbehave."

Ahhhhh, that holiday glow.

Read the entire column here