MINDY PETERSON, NCTM

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

What’s the secret to making your holidays unforgettable? Music! From nostalgic carols to fresh new tunes, live shows to cozy piano duets, discover how to create a festive soundtrack that brings joy, comfort, and cherished memories to your season. Whether you’re decking the halls or finding solace during tough times, this episode will inspire you to enhance your celebrations with the magic of music.

I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music makes our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.

It is December, and for those of you like me who love Christmas, it is “the most wonderful time of the year!” Whether you celebrate Christmas religiously, culturally, both, or neither, I hope this micro episode will inspire your own creative ideas on how to enhance your life with music in the holiday celebrations that are meaningful to you.

Here are some of the ways that music enhances the holiday season for me and my family.

1. Soundtrack Your Season: Christmas music is played a LOT in our household during December – it’s the soundtrack of our season and plays a huge role in creating a festive atmosphere all season long. I have long noticed that there is nothing like a Christmas song to immediately put me in the Christmas spirit and transport me to a festive frame of mind! When I started this podcast in 2019, this phenomenon was one of the top topics on my list to explore! And that December, I did talk with a psychologist and professor of nostalgia in Ep. 19, titled: What IS it about Christmas Music?! Love it or not, why the response?
   
   Some favorite songs of mine: I can listen on repeat to any Christmas song by Aaron Neville, Celine Dion, or Amy Grant; but also have a special place in my heart for traditional carols that are not frequently heard but WERE played in my house when I was growing up. I’m talking about carols like “Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow;” and “Mary’s Boy Child.” Another favorite from my youth is Michael Card’s 1980s album, “The Promise,” which tells the story and meaning of Christmas, pulling many of the lyrics directly from the Bible.
   
   
2. Seasonal musical alarm clock: As soon as the calendar turns to November first, I change the song that my alarm clock plays to “Oh, Holy Night,” by Celine Dion. I talk more about this tip in Microhance 2. I’ll put a link in the show notes.
   
   
3. Live Show: My husband Ian and I have always taken our kids to a live show during the holiday season. Shows have included A Christmas Carol; The Nutcracker; but also shows that aren’t holiday themed –we’ve used the season as an excuse for a special live show treat, including Hamilton, Blue Man Group, and Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman in Nashville. Last year I went to an Andrea Bocelli concert with my sister. She and I have also been to the Amy Grant and Vince Gill Christmas concert at the Ryman. The Messiah and How The Grinch Stole Christmas are just a couple more of my personal favorites for this time of year.
   
   
4. Christmas Eve: On Christmas Eve itself, our family’s tradition includes attending church service followed by some at-home traditions – one of which is each of our kids and me playing Christmas music on the piano. Duets must be included, and one of our favorites that is played every year is “Somewhere in My Memory” from the Home Alone movie. I’ll put a link in the show notes to our favorite duet arrangement (or buy the entire book – we love many of these arrangements: A Merry Little Christmas: Piano Duet Play-Along Volume 43).
   
   
5. Making Christmas Music: In addition to making music on Christmas Eve, I love playing Christmas music on the piano all season long. Some of my favorite scores have been my favorites since I was a kid – they include Mannheim Steamroller piano books (especially A Fresh Aire Christmas); Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas, by Carol Tornquist; and Sleigh Ride, by Leroy Anderson.
   
   
6. Consider new sonic Christmas memories: Back to the professor of nostalgia I interviewed in Ep. 19: She had some really interesting info on nostalgia during the different life stages, and I definitely have noticed that I’ve gotten less sentimental and nostalgic the older I get; and tend to gravitate toward brand new Christmas songs and traditions. I still like the old classics, but I’ve really enjoyed refreshing my Christmas playlists with songs by Eric Clapton, Kelly Clarkson, Cher, John Legend, TobyMac, and more. If you’re like me – or if traditional Christmas music brings back negative memories – you could try something I’ve enjoyed recently: doing a search for “best unfamiliar christmas songs” or “underrated christmas songs” or “lesser known christmas carols”. This will give you ideas for making new Christmas or holiday sonic traditions that reflect your current positive experiences or stages of life, or simply refresh your Christmas playlist if that’s what your season of life calls for.
   
   
7. Holiday Loss: My last tip is for those of you who are dealing with loss this holiday season. Two years ago, a dear friend of ours passed away from pancreatic cancer. It was only two months from the date of his diagnosis until he passed. That December, I flew home early from a work trip to attend his memorial service, and on the plane was listening to a Music from the Soul podcast episode featuring the song, “It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas This Year.” It was the perfect song and conversation for me to hear at that moment. I couldn’t find the exact episode I listened to that year, but it just so happens that Music from the Soul‘s most recent episode (Ep. 90) also features this song at the end and is titled: Tips for Overcoming Sadness at the Holidays (with a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). I am linking to this episode in the show notes and hope it is comforting and encouraging for those of you who are experiencing sadness this season.

I hope these personal examples of how music enhances MY holiday season and Christmas celebration inspire your own creative ideas on making YOUR season even better, with music. Music has the power to illuminate the holidays like twinkling lights on a winter’s night—inviting joy, offering comfort, and creating cherished memories that echo through the seasons of our lives.

If you have a special sonic holiday tradition that enhances your season, I would love to hear about it.

You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.

I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.

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