Monthly Mix - Christmas Tree Farm

Music to make Christmas magic by.

My Dearest Friend,

I’m so sorry for the lack of playlist for November, it’s been all a bit hit and miss health-wise and some days I have boundless energy, but then that is followed by weeks of not so much and actually probably having about two useful hours out of every 24.

Right now it is ten past five in the afternoon, 4 (or 5, depends how you count it I suppose, do we include Christmas day itself? It was all easier in sleeps but that feels like a long gone phase linked to our littles) days before Christmas, the house is a mess and I’m about to have cheese on crumpets (one of those things that I think has wildly different names depending on where you are in the world and even the UK in fact) for dinner with a side of blanket and a movie, because in true Harry Potter chocolate frog style, my good leaps for the day are gone.

No new playlist for December because quite frankly I think I peaked last year putting four out at once and they are, if I do say so myself (which I am / do - what a odd saying now I think of it!), perfection. I have started working on something new for January though and pretty excited about things we get to share in the next year in musical terms (the new Ludovico Einaudi sounds like it will be sublime). For now here are last year’s beauties from this post. I’ve put most of the original text and playlists below. I don’t know if Substack frowns on that sort of thing, but it’s easier for you so - as the kids say, “whatevs”…

I plan on the next two weeks mostly consisting of games / jigsaws / reading / putting a fire on to cosy down in front of, and filling the house with festive smells (highly recommend Studio Bond’s Winter essential oil blend or candle for this, all the beautiful scents of sweet Christmas cooking with none of the fuss, I used to sell the candles when I had a little shop and keep buying them year on year as they’re so lovely), I hope you can find similar calm in the chaos and joy in the daylight returning to us from tomorrow onwards (if you’re “down south” then you’ve got cosying down season to look forward to…).

If you love a list or don’t have Spotify, the playlists are below as always.

With love and literal season’s greetings for those who take joy in the seasonal shift of the solstice,

V.V

P.S If you are in the UK and looking to treat yourself, I’m running a big sale over on my website for those in the know, i.e - you! I don’t shout about my art site, ever actually, but head over to victoryvictory.co.uk for some flowers that last and use the ever so inventively titled code BIGSALE for 55% off. Apologies to those not in the UK, the postage thing has always outfoxed me for delicate items that need to not be bent and are too thick to roll, but also the environmental impact never sat quite right either - please support your local artists!

‘tis the season

A raucous romp through covers of the usual suspects and some original Christmas themed songs too. Not for the faint-hearted or those who are, quite basically, allergic to Christmas.

‘tis the damn season

If an anti-Christmas of sorts is what you currently crave, I’ve got a treat for you. This is a playlist for those moments when you need Christmas to just calm the eff down a bit and get back in its corner. Inspired by the lead track by Taylor Swift - mostly mellow music for making moments of stillness in the storm we call Christmas.

‘tis the classic season

Music to match the sound of snow gently falling to the ground, to soundtrack the vista of a misty moor as you drive home for Christmas (or whatever view is seasonal and local), for a quiet pause in the chaos that arrives with Christmas and all of the people and moments. Or, for friends in the southern hemisphere, to evoke ideas of ivy covered in a crisp and diamond like frost and conjure all the cold and twinkly Christmas feelings.

‘tis the film season

Christmas when I was young was a dependably film filled affair. Cosied down watching movies together is the perfect antidote to the oh-so-short days and the very best way to spend twix-mas. A leftovers buffet and a film is the perfect recharge and reset prior to the walk in the woods or on the beach that has become our New Years Day tradition. This playlist is the gift that keeps on giving. Full of musical delights it also serves as a list of recommendations for films to fill your festive days with (the films are noted in the text version of this playlist below).

‘tis the season

1. Opening - Patrick Stewart

2. Is This Christmas - The Wombats

3. Let It Snow - Luscious Jackson

4. Christmas Treat - Julian Casablancas

5. Kids At Christmas - Scouting For Girls

6. Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas - Eels

7. Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World

8. I Want An Alien For Christmas - Fountains Of Wayne

9. Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong

10. Just Like Christmas - Low

11. The Millennium Falcon For Christmas - John Anealio

12. It’s Christmas Time Again - Horsehead

13. The Holidays With You - Sara Watkins

14. Red Suit - Josh Rouse

15. Festivus! - Mountain Sons

16. My Favorite Time Of Year - L.A. Exes

17. She Came Home For Christmas - Mew

18. Christmas Lights - Coldplay

19. Make Way For The Holidays - Le Bon

20. Here We Come A-Caroling - Pomplamoose

21. Santas Lost His Mojo - Jeremy Lister

22. All I Want For Christmas Is A Funky Brass Band - Phats2sDay

23. Christmas In Hollis - Run-D.M.C.

24. Christmas Rappin’- Kurtis Blow

25. Ms. Clause - The Grapes & Friends

26. Feels Like Christmas - Marc Scibilia

27. Christmas Tree Farm ( Old Timey Version) - Taylor Swift

‘tis the damn season

1. ’tis the damn season - Taylor Swift

2. Our Favourite Christmas Movie - Ian McGlyn

3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie

4. Cold White Christmas - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone

5. Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Make Phantoms

6. Carol Of The Bells - Mae

7. Happy Christmas My Dear - Passenger, Stu Larsen

8. This Time Next Year - Road Kill Roy

9. The Christmas Song - The Ravonettes

10. Deck The Halls - This Coast Bias

11. Christmas On Ward #7 - Chris Flew

12. Christmastime - The Smashing Pumpkins

13. With List - Pearl Jam

14. A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - Glasvegas

15. Christmas TV - Slow Club

16. Christmas Song - Phoebe Bridgers

17. Christmas in Suburbia - The Perfect English Weather

18. Blue Christmas - Sharon Van Etten

19. The Lights and Buzz - Jack's Mannequin

20. Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith

21. A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn’t So) - The Flaming Lips

22. Christmas with You Is the Best - The Long Winters

23. Snow Day - Matt Pond PA

24. The Winter Solstice - Sufjan Stevens

25. A Long December - Counting Crows

‘tis the classic season

1. Over The Pines - Time For Three

2. Parliament Of Owls - Agnes Obel

3. Reel - Dmitry Evgrafov

4. I Remember - Jon Hopkins

5. Holm Sound - Erland Cooper

6. Intro - Gabríel Ólafs

7. Avril 14th - Aphex Twin

8. The World Was Her Notebook - Alex Kozobolis

9. Hoxa Sound - Erland Cooper

10. Berceuse - Felix Rösch

11. An Ending, a Beginning - Dustin O'Halloran

12. Keep - Nils Frahm

13. Blue Notebook - Isobel Waller-Bridge, Iskra String Quartet

14. Running By The Roads, Running By The Fields (Solo Piano) - Library Tapes

15. Eyes Closed And Traveling - Peter Broderick

16. By the Deep Sea - Federico Albanese

17. Ursa Minor (Caroline's Theme) - Simon P. Castonguay, Tambour

18. A Catalogue of Afternoons - Max Richter

19. The Ballad of the Lake of Tears - Chris Palmer

20. The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson

21. Sleeping Lotus - Joep Beving

22. Redford (for Yia-Yia and Pappou) - Sufjan Stevens

23. Dear, Dolores – Rework - Illuminine

24. Mirror Lake - Angus MacRae

25. Borderland Sorrows - Slow Meadow

26. The Stars We Follow - Federico Albanese

27. Éxta - Sebastian Plano

28. Earthly Heaven - Rachel Grimes

29. Bylur - Eydís Evensen

30. Biomes – James Heather

31. re:member – Ólafur Arnalds

‘tis the film season

1. Christmas at Hogwarts - the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Harry Potter

2. Christmas Eve montage - Danny Elfman - The Nightmare Before Christimas

3. Gumption - Hans Zimmer, Atli Örvarsson, Henry Jackman - The Holiday

4. Meg’s Hair - Thomas Newman - Little Women

5. Carol of the Buy and Sells - Christophe Beck, ‘Michael Paraskevas - Hawkeye

6. Mr. Knightley - Isobel Waller-Bridge, David Schweitzer - Emma

7. New Beginnings - Brian Tyler - Iron Man 3

8. Father Christmas - Harry Gregson-Williams - The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

9. Orchard House - Thomas Newman - Little Women

10. March Into the Unknown - Amie Doherty - Happiest Season

11. Christmas Breakfast - Alexander Desplat - Little Women (2019)

12. Granny Wendy - John Williams - Hook

13. Fast Forward - Alan Silvestri - Serendipity

14. Main Title “Somewhere in My Memory” - John Williams, Boston Pops Orchestra - Home Alone

15. Main Title - John Debney - Elf

16. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms - James Newton Howard - The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

17. Draw Me A Sheep - Hans Zimmer, Richard Harvey - The Little Prince

18. Winter’s Waltz - Christophe Beck - Frozen

19. Christmas Morning - Harry Gregson-Williams - Arthur Christmas

20. The Christmas Chronicles - End Title Theme - The Christmas Chronicles

21. Ice Dance - Danny Elfman - Edward Scissorhands

22. Full House - Alan Silvestri - Night at the Museum

23. Theme From Jurassic Park - John Williams - Jurassic Park

24. Eshkeri: Tristan & Yvaine - Ilan Eshkeri, London Metropolitan Orchestra, Andy Brown - Stardust

25. Declaration of Independence - Trevor Rabin - National Treasure

26. Uncharted - Ramon Djawadi - Uncharted

27. The James Bond Theme - Royal Philarmonic Orchestra - James Bond

You can find more playlist joy right here. To make sure you don’t miss the next one…

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This month’s mix. Love it? Hate it? Recommendations? I’m here for all of it, please do share your thoughts in the comments below.