Saturday 9

Saturday 9: First Christmas (2024)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The song mentions snowmen and snow on a windowpane. Has it snowed near you yet? Yes. More than once. We ended November with the snowiest Friday that month has ever seen here in Chicago. More snow fell after that and we're expecting up to another inch this weekend. So YAY! White Christmas!

2) Diane Keaton sings that hearing "I'll Be Home for Christmas" makes her miss someone she loved who won't be coming home at all. Is there a Christmas song that reminds you of a loved one? The wretched "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" reminds me of my favorite uncle. He looooved it. Especially the line, "As for me and Grandpa, we believe." It is not representative of him. He was a clever, sophisticated man. Yet Elmo & Patsy got him every time. So every time I hear that vomitous song, I smile despite myself.

 

3) After the song was first released for Christmas 2024, Diane said she appreciated how many people posted on her Instagram, sharing their "First Christmas journeys," explaining how they navigated the first holiday season without someone special. What have you recently posted on social media (other than this blog post)? Two Facebook friends – one a former coworker, the other a member of my movie group – celebrated 12/12 birthdays. I wished them each many happy returns of the day.

4) Diane appeared in the Broadway musical Hair and sang in movies like Annie Hall and The First Wives Club. Still she didn't consider herself "much of a singer." How about you? What's something you do, even though you're not completely comfortable doing it? Signing people up for the rewards program at the card shop. I have to enter the customer's name and email address myself. Chicagoland is very diverse. Normally I embrace this, but admit I stumble over the spelling of surnames like Czajkowski and Carrasquillo.

 

5) This was Diane's first and, sadly, her only record. She was nervous doing it, but it helped that the lyrics was written by her friend, Carole Bayer Sager, and that both Carole and her writing partner, Jonas Myrin, were with Diane in the studio. Tell us about a friend who came through for you. Last month, my friend Joanna went out of her way to make this a happy birthday for me. She knows it's been hard for me after the deaths of two close friends last year. It was so kind of her.

6) After her 75th birthday, Diane said she was excited that new ventures were coming her way and she found herself saying "yes" more often. In addition to recording this week's song, she accepted an unexpected offer from Look Optic to design eyewear. Have you recently tried something you've never done before? OR What's something you'd like to try? More than a decade ago, I tried to learn Spanish. I was interrupted by a health challenge. Once I got through it, I just didn't return to Spanish lessons. I should!

 

Now for some questions about the holiday season ...

7) Do you display the holiday cards you receive? Yes. I have 9 taped to my door so far. Looking at them makes me happy.

8) This is a big time of hear for necklaces, hats and headbands decorated with jingle bells. Will you be wearing any bells this season? No.

 
9) The website Morning Save included these three items on their list of this season's popular gifts. Would you rather receive: a. cup holder/phone mount for your car; b. sherpa lined clog slippers; c. set of three stainless paring knives with rosemary green plastic handles? Slippers. What's not to like about slippers?