Mom and Grandma loved to play piano and sing songs together. When Christmastime rolled around, sheet music for the season was displayed prominently on the piano. I’ve carried on that tradition. Same sheet music and the same old well-worn piano. The love it has seen has left ivory keys and varnish all chipped. But I treasure it, just like memories of music sung over the years.
I love this picture of my mom sitting at her child-sized piano playing for her dollies.
Another favorite photo tucked safely away (somewhere…) is of mom with grandma, all dressed up in their holiday clothes, sitting together playing the piano. The smile on my mom’s face spoke to the jolly she was having.
When the piano was moved to our house, after grandma passed away, mom and I would play and sing songs together. We both had favorites, but extra special were those that we sang at Christmastime.
I still have the sheet music for most of the songs we (she) played. They were important to her. She wrote her name on them, just like her mom had.
I don’t have the sheet music for the song mom and I loved singing the most at this time of year. We must have worn it out or I accidentally sold it when we cleaned out her house. No worries, I remember the words and can sing (maybe not carry the tune though-I didn’t get that gift) it without needing the sheet music.
The song is Jolly Old St. Nicholas, an 1833 – 1913’s poem originally by Emily Huntington Miller with song lyrics later attributed to John Piersol McCaskey in 1867.
My grandma was born in the early 1900s. I am assuming she grew up during the time the song (poem) became popular with youth. She sang it to my mom when she was a child and then the tradition handed down to me by both of them when I was little.
I often think the song was sung by many young girls who asked Santa for a dolly. I know I loved it when I had sung it and then received a new dolly for Christmas. Now, I’m happy with a surprise gift, anything that is just right (and not too tight).
Yes, I have jolly memories of the song. And for today…I don’t mind that the lyrics are stuck in my head.
Jolly old St. Nicholas
Lean your ear this way
Don’t you tell a single soul
What I’m going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you’ll bring to me
Tell me if you can
When the clock is striking twelve
When I’m fast asleep
Down the chimney broad and black
With your pack, you’ll creep
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one
You’ll be sure to know
Johnny wants a pair of skates
Suzie wants a dolly
Nellie wants a storybook
She thinks dolls are folly
As for me, my little brain
Isn’t very bright
Choose for me, old Santa Claus
What you think is right
Post Inspiration – Linda G Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday Musical
PS – (Reposted and updated from 12/11/2017) Please share in the comments your favorite Christmas song and why you enjoy the song! Can you carry a tune or are you like me – you sing anyhow when you love the song?
Lovely memories here. Bravo! Keep enjoying!
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your inspirational feedback! Much appreciated!!
I love this post and especially love the photo of your mom playing for her dolls.
Thank you, Gail! I appreciate you stopping by to read and share your feedback!
You’re welcome!
This is a great post. Whatever brings back fond memories is a precious thing. Music in our house was from albums being played. My mom loved musicals and would play them on Saturday mornings as she cleaned. I still think of her when I hear some of them. If I hadn’t already written an SoCS post referring to musicals, I would have gone there today.
Thank you, Dan! I appreciate hearing your memories of music and your mom – I’m sure she’s smiling knowing you’re still rocking the clean thoughts with her in mind 😉 Your post was perfect for the prompt!
Thanks Shelley.
What a sweet story. I remember that song, although my memory of it is on a little 45 record going round and round on the turntable. I love the images on old sheet music. They’re a glimpse into another time.
Thank you, Ally – YES – I remember the 45 records going around too. Fun memories – glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for stopping by!
I love singing Christmas songs. My daughter and I used to sing together all the time. We harmonized on Silent Night. That was before she became too self-conscious to sing with me, but I have hopes that I’ll get her to do it again on some future mother-daughter road trip. I didn’t know the words to “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” beyond the first time, so this was a treat to sing this morning. It really paints a family portrait, especially with Nellie wanting a storybook and thinking dolls are folly.
Aw, those are fun memories you have with your daughter. I’m sure someday you’ll sing again together! Yes, the words to Jolly Old St. Nicholas are fun – I can still hear my mom singing those words – warms my heart every Christmas!
I like the traditional songs, like “O Come All Ye Faithful” (I only sing it in Latin, though), “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and of course “Silent Night.” Aside from that, the goofy songs, which I’ll be playing one of these Mondays…
So many traditions are falling along the wayside. To see how you are carrying this on warms my heart and the season. Great post.
Aw, thank you, I appreciate your feedback!