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Sing-along Café Thursday, December 18th, 2025

What a wonderful last gathering of 2025 we had! 

We were a good-sized bunch and we did a good amount of singing with lots of good conversation too. The hour goes by too quickly. We hardly had time to nibble on the cookies and treats I brought. 

Christmas music is always fun and meaningful and there are so many familiar melodies to sing! I still learn ‘new’ songs every year though, and always have songs on my list that are new to some people. 

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas was recorded in 1953, but is new to some. Peter, Paul & Mary recorded Christmas Dinner in 1969. It’s a favourite of mine and Robin’s but one that you might not have heard. It doesn’t get played enough. That's Christmas to Me by Pentatonix is a new favourite of mine. Pentatonix puts a great new spin on old classics too.  

There’s always a bunch of new versions of old classics. It seems that every big singer has to put out a Christmas album. Often a new version of an old classic becomes the standard, or the one you like best. The season begins when Michael Bulblé sings "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" but maybe you still prefer Bing Crosby's version? I love the Barenaked Ladies’ version of God Rest You Merry Gentlemen best of all. And, Rend Collective does an awesome Ding Dong Merrily on High! We ended our time with that, and it was so uplifting and energizing that we all left with a smile and a bounce in our step. 

We’ll have a break for the holidays and we’ll meet again in mid January, probably the 15th. I’ll confirm that date with Sandra at Trinity and I’ll post here and on Renate’s Baton.

Merry Christmas! 

Enjoy the holidays, and the quiet times in between. 

See you in 2026! 

Here’s a list of some of the songs we sang and listened to:

  • Away in a Manger by John Denver
  • Christmas Dinner by Peter, Paul & Mary
  • Ding Dong Merrily on High by Rend Collective
  • Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by the Carpenters
  • Here Comes Santa Claus by Gene Autry
  • I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey
  • Mary, Did You Know by Pentatonix
  • Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord by Boney M.
  • Jolly Old St. Nicholas/The Little Drummer Boy by Ray Conniff
  • Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes
  • That's Christmas to Me by Pentatonix 
  • Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Jon Secada
  • White Christmas by Kenny Rogers
  • 12 Days of Christmas by Pentatonix 

 holiday christmas card with singing snowmen - singing-christmas-cards stock illustrations


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