For those of us who celebrate the holidays, it’s officially time to crank those carols!

Gosh, I have soooo many holiday faves, as you can imagine a singer might:

• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting …)
• Winter Wonderland
• Grownup Christmas List
• O Holy Night
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Right?!

At the same time as I’m celebrating the magic of the season, I feel conflicted. ‘Cuz the thing is, I’ve been harbouring a sinister little secret:

I always fast-forward “The Little Drummer Boy.”

(We still friends?)

I know, I know … it’s okay not to like ALL the holiday songs. But, oy … this one is everywhere, and I feel like a right Grinch because I just can’t seem to get into it. I actually want to like it. A wee lad who loves to drum and lands the gig of a lifetime— cute, right? So each year, I make a wish that the wee drummer will pa rum pa pum pum into my heart. And every year comes and goes … with my teeny non-pa-pum-pumming heart.

Well, today I learned that miracles do happen.  

Are you ready for this?

As I right this blog post, I am currently listening to “The Little Drummer Boy.”

ON REPEAT!!!

I know—I can’t believe it either!!

What happened, you ask?

I guess you could say I heard the song for the first time.

(Well, I heard the Pentatonix version for the first time, which actually felt like hearing the song for the very first time.)

Here’s the version that swept me off my feet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc

It grooves, it has pizzaz, and—get this—it has belter notes! Big glorious belter notes in “The Little Drummer Boy”—can you believe it?!!

So here we are. And I’m a new woman.

The point I’m trying to make is this: (1) it’s okay to like what you like (2) know that judgments and opinions can be changed, and (3) we need all voices to share their unique gifts with the world, whether it be original songs or cover songs. Because you never know who’s listening and whose heart just might grow three sizes bigger because of you.

Happy singing!