Remembering My Grandmother’s Favorite Christmas Song

Perhaps I’m not very original, but I often latch onto others’ favorites. I would never have tried fish tacos had my husband not raved about them. The same with Clark shoes—mom suggested those and actually bought me a pair to get me started.

The same is true with my favorite Christmas song. But first, a little background. I grew up in a musical family. Though my siblings and I didn’t carry on the tradition (Sorry Dad!), we loved listening to and singing along with my dad, uncles, great-aunts and cousins as they strummed guitar and banjo, played piano and harmonica, or pounded out the base. My dad’s mom, Grandmother—then G.G. when her grandkids started popping out children of their own—placed herself center stage for their many “concerts” at family reunions, birthday parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas. No one cared how anyone sounded; we just belted out favorites from country to rock-n-roll. G.G.’s favorite song was Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting for a Train,” it became one of my favorites. Occasionally, I still sing it—when I’m alone—as a tribute to my wonderful grandmother, who, by the way, made THE best homemade cinnamon rolls on the planet. Similarly, I adopted her Christmas favorite as my own: “Silver Bells.” Whenever I hear it, I remember fondly my wonderful grandmother.

I’m also a big fan of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” When I was a kid, I could sing it at breakneck speed.

Blessings,
Leslie Porter Wilson