Christmas Songs to Avoid

You know, there are some Christmas songs I just can't abide. Hopefully, that doesn't make me a Scrooge, but you know there are a few that you turn off as quickly as they come on the radio.  Here are my top 3 Christmas songs to avoid:

3. "Do you Hear What I Hear?"  I'm with the song until we get to the part where "a child, a child..shivers in the cold...let us bring him silver and gold..."  How about a blanket?  Not only does the tune irritate me, but the lyrics--both the repetition of them and the stupidity of that line in particular make me cringe.

2. "The Christmas Shoes" Good heavens, this song is depressing.  The only reason it's not number one is that I'll at least give them a little credit for the redemption of the narrator of the song.  Still, grungy boy buying shoes for his dying mama on Christmas Eve?  That makes the middle part of It's a Wonderful Life look cheerful.

1.  "Same Old Lang Syne" Please explain to me the popularity of this song.  Let's run into an old lover who's NOT married happily and have a six pack of beer in a parking lot on Christmas Eve. Ugh. Way to bring down my Christmas cheer, Dan Fogelberg.  Pandora, don't you even think about throwing that one in with all of my Big Band/New Orleans Christmas music!

So, what about you?  Any songs you'd like to ban?  Oh, and be sure to tune in tomorrow for my faves.

This Week's Reason my House Isn't Clean: Haint Misbehavin'

Okay, so actually this is last week's reason my house isn't clean, but I'm always happy to share books that reel me in and distract me from cleaning.  (See my last entry on The Front Porch Prophet, another excellent book.)

I just finished Haint Misbehavin' by Maureen Hardegree, a YA novel from Bell Bridge books.  Have a teen or tween who's interested in what might happen if a girl inherited a ghost along with her menstrual cycle?  This is the book for you.  Like a good read about a middle child who can't seem to get anything right? This book might be better than therapy--and it would definitely be cheaper.

Hardegree has an easy to like protagonist, Heather, and she captures the awkwardness of being  a teenager so well, I winced a few times in memory.  My favorite part of the story, though, revolves around the ghost herself. At first, Heather can't figure out why Amy, the ghost, is hanging around.  Over the course of the novel, though, she grows up enough to focus more on helping Amy than on the pain Amy's drama causes her--and that part of the mystery is so much fun to unravel.

Hardegree also leaves the book open for potential future stories, and I really love the two male characters: the dreamy lifeguard Heather lusts after and the loyal geek who lusts after her.  I left the book wanting Xavier to have his day, but I'll just have to wait until Book 2 in the Ghost Handler series to see if he has any luck.

If you, a teen, or a tween are looking for a good read, be sure to check out Haint Misbehavin'. Oh, and as always, you have my leave to ignore dusting, dishes, and laundry to just enjoy.