12 Songs of Christmas - #11 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Sarah McLachlan
2006

Disclaimer: All perspectives, opinions, and memories in this entry are mine and mine alone. Some content is rugged, raw, and - sometimes - NSFW, but it's all authentic and included with purpose.

To read the "12 Songs of Christmas Intro," please CLICK HERE To read Song #12 - "God Bless Us Everyone," please CLICK HERE

Why it's on the List...

***SPOILER ALERT***

Ok I’m going to ruin a little bit of the “12 Songs of Christmas” mystery here: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is actually my #1 - no doubt - All Time Favorite Christmas song. No competition. No close #2.

So why is it here at #11?

I love this song so much that TWO different versions of the classic made it to my list.

Some quick backstory to the song:

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was performed for the first ever by Judy Garland in the 1943 film “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

And here’s what separates most versions of the song for me:

I can’t stand it when the original line of “Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow” gets unnecessarily changed to “Hang a shining star upon the highest bow.”

The song was written about the spirit of Christmas getting a family through a rough year (“Have Yourself” should be the ANTHEM of 2020’s holiday season) but humanity doesn’t like rough. Humanity likes bright shiny stars on high bows.

Woof.

Sarah McLachlan’s version is amazing but gets knocked down to #11 for the lame line change.

I just love how quiet and thoughtful and cozy this song is. I love how the notes bounce on the piano and I LOVE how she accentuates the “A” in each “Have yourself A merry little Christmas…”

While We’re Here…

Since we are talking about stars on bows, thought I’d take this opportunity to rank my Top 5 All-Time Favorite Christmas Tree ornaments:

5. Baby Yoda (Click HERE to view)

We get a new ornament every year and this was 2020’s addition to the tree. I can’t stand how much I adore Baby Yoda (or I should now say "Grogu") on “The Mandalorian.” It makes me crazy how nuanced they can make an inanimate, animatronic doll act and behave. Baby Yoda has been a great bonding mechanism between me and the kids so we had to get him on the tree.

4. "A Christmas Story" Leg Lamp (Click HERE to view)

Don't want to ruin another future post but this is the iconic emblem from one of my all time favorite Christmas movies. This one is actually version #2 as I was told the first one broke. Seems a little too on the nose, right? I feel like Summer might have "accidentally" broke the first one just like the mom in the movie. No evidence but I'm highly suspicious.

3. Ruxin's First Christmas (Click HERE to view)

Melts my heart every year.

2. “Back to the Future” Delorean (Click HERE to view)

Because it’s awesome.

1. All the ornaments from all the trips we’ve been on (Click HERE to view)

My wife had an amazing moment of inspiration on our honeymoon back in 2009 - every time we go on a trip, we get a Christmas tree ornament. 11 years in, it is SO COOL to have so many memories of great adventures in great places.

Listen to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" here: