2024 Yuletide Spirit Reading Challenge and Readathon

Here we are at the holiday season again! Time to sign up for the Yuletide Spirit Reading Challenge and Readathon co-event!

Dates: Monday, November 25 through Tuesday, December 31

Three ways to participate:

1. Challenge - Pick a level
2. Readathon - read as much (or as little) as you want
3. Participate in both!

AND new this year....a fun (optional) BINGO challenge! Download the card below (click on image, right click, and then save image as OR if on mobile, you should be able to hold down on the image and an option list with save to phone should appear). Alternatively, download it on Google Drive here.

Regarding the reading of Christmas books, for the readathon, you do not have to read only Christmas books. I am always reading regular genres along with Christmas books during the season. Please do try to read at least one though.

For the reading challenge (and the BINGO challenge), these must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore, a book of Christmas short stories or poems, books about Christmas crafts, children's books (we even have a level for them!), etc.

Reading Challenge Levels:
--Candy Cane: read 1 book
--Mistletoe: read 2-4 books
--Christmas Tree: read 5 or 6 books, or more (this is the fanatic level!)

Additional levels:

--Fa La La La Films: watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!
--Visions of Sugar Plums: read books with your children this season and share what you read

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

I will have a review linky posted here on Yuletide Spirit the day the challenge starts. You will find it in the menu at the top of the blog.

Sign up in the linky below. This linky will be the same one on this site and over at Seasons of Reading. No need to sign up both places (though you can leave a comment here and over there if you are indeed participating in both). For this readathon in particular, we will do a wrap-up linky, in keeping with the regular process for the reading challenge.

THE PRIZES: 

The first person to post a review (must be from a book started on or after November 25) in the review linky will win a $15 charitable donation to human rights organization of their choice, such as a Ukraine relief charity, ACLU, Boys and Girls Club, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, Amnesty International, It Gets Better, Planned Parenthood, or another human rights organization of your choice (food banks, homeless shelters would also apply), perhaps your local chapter or a local organization. Animal rights or rescue organizations are another option. This giveaway is open internationally. Note: I will not donate to any organization that does not believe that all are equal, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.

The first person to successfully complete the entire BINGO card will win a $5 Amazon eGift card. Just take a screenshot of your completed card and email it to me at truebookaddict AT gmail DOT com, or if you post about it on social media (or your blog), leave the link in the comments of this post, or the starting line post. This will be awarded after the end of the reading challenge/readathon.

Final notes:
You can participate even if you don't have a blog. Just link up with your Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (and just post your updates from whichever venue you choose) AND don't forget the Seasons of Reading Facebook group, Facebook Page, Goodreads group, Instagram...and Discord. Yuletide Spirit also has a Facebook page.

Event hashtag: #YuletideSpirit You can also use #readathon and/or #readingchallenge

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New holiday music for 2024 - Ken from the Sounds of Christmas (and spooky music through Halloween)

Time for our yearly tradition! Please join me in welcoming back Ken from the Sounds of Christmas. He has a ton of new Christmas music to share.

Thanks so much for once again inviting me back to your blog, Michelle!

As usual, I am very excited about the upcoming season for the Sounds of Christmas (which starts on November 1, which is next Friday)!

We’re already on, of course. Truth is, we’re always on. These days, we’re playing Halloween music through the end of October, as the Sounds of Halloween.

For the last seventeen Christmas seasons, I’ve played a huge variety of Christmas music, and I’ve worked hard to play thousands of songs, without repeating the same song and the same artist. This way, you won’t hear “Jingle Bell Rock” twice an hour, and you won’t hear Mariah Carey over and over.

I have just always felt that there’s so much good Christmas music out there, and more and more coming every year, there’s no reason to play Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” every other hour. Don’t get me wrong, I love Nat King Cole. But he recorded a lot of great Christmas music, and “The Christmas Song” isn’t the only song of his that gets played on the Sounds of Christmas!

I do the same kind of thing with Halloween music, spreading out different versions of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and others, as well as separating out the songs by the same artists. You won’t hear “Monster Mash” over and over, and I have multiple versions of that in rotation, including versions by the Beach Boys and Vincent Price (not together).

By the way, if there’s a spooky song you’d like to hear, you can certainly let me know and I’ll do my best to play it for you!

So, what’s new in Christmas music this season?

Once again, there is a lot of terrific new music this year, much of which is already out! I’m sure I won’t be able to get to it all of it in this blog, and there are always surprise releases that show up as the season gets going!

First, here’s some of what’s already been released…

One of the first releases of the season happened back in July! The band Fans Of Jimmy Century released the album “A Coupla Holiday Spirits (Halloween Perils and Christmas Carols)” As the title suggests, it’s split between Halloween songs and Christmas songs. If you’ve been listening to the Sounds of Halloween, you’ve probably already heard some of their Halloween songs, and you’ll be hearing plenty more in November and December from the Christmas half of their album!

Just before Labor Day, George Kahn and the Jazz and Blues Revue released “Christmas Soirée”, which feels like it’s destined to be one of the most fun releases this season!

In September, we got a new release from Amy Grant and Vince Gill called “When I Think Of Christmas”. It’s mostly a compilation of previously released Christmas songs from each of them, but there are two new tracks – Amy singing the title track, and both of them singing together on the song “’Til The Season Comes Round Again”.

Also in September, we got a third Christmas album from Brett Eldredge and the first-ever Christmas release from Tower Of Power!

October kicked off with the first Christmas album from Little Big Town. We also got the highly anticipated Christmas album from Jennifer Hudson. There’s also a new Christmas book from Sandra Boynton that is accompanied by a CD featuring Christmas songs from Lyle Lovett, Zooey Deschanel and Patti LuPone (among many others).

Also out in October are new Christmas albums from Dan + Shay, Amanda McBroom, Rick Braun, Gaither Vocal Band and Carpenters Legacy (an amazing duo that sounds just like the Carpenters – plus they have an original song on the album done in the style of the Carpenters)!

Due out today are Christmas albums from Ben Folds and Chapel Hart (not together).

The big one for November, due on the first, is Kelly Clarkson’s deluxe version of her most recent Christmas album. This one’s called “When Christmas Comes Around…Again” and it features two new tracks, an original “You For Christmas” and a cover of “Sleigh Ride”.

Also highly-anticipated and due on November 1 is the Christmas album from Jimmy Fallon. In addition to his previously released Christmas singles, this one features duets with Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Will Ferrell and many more!

That’s certainly not all for November. Also on the way are Christmas albums from Kalen Allen, Lea Salanga, Alicia Witt, Phil Wickham, CeCe Winans, Albert Hammond, Luminare Christmas, Clay Aiken, Mindy Abair, Home Free, Mickey Thomas, Dean and Britta (with Sonic Boom), Elizabeth Chan, Sixpence None The Richer and a third volume from the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s also live Christmas albums from For King & Country and Wizards Of Winter (not together), and Steve Perry has a third version of his Christmas album on the way with a few more songs. And Pentatonix are hinting at something – could be a single or an EP or an album.

Jethro Tull have also put together a four-volume deluxe version of their Christmas album, including live performances!

Lots of singles and EPs out and more on the way! Some include Ruben Studdard, Cliff Beach, Ed Sheeran, the Hollyberries, Dan Ashley, Liz Kennedy, Ronnie Martin, Libera, Sara Evans, Crash Adams, Curtis King Jr., Diana Krall, Kesha, Michael W. Smith and Blake Shelton.

And actors Kate Hudson and Jeff Goldblum (not together) have also released Christmas singles.

And then, there’s vinyl.

In fact, there’s so much Christmas vinyl on the way, that I’m pretty sure I’m going to miss some (and that’s not intentional, so my apologies if I don’t include your favorites)!

Christmas vinyl that’s either already out, or on the way, include Ray Conniff, Brett Eldredge, Ben Folds, Tower Of Power, Chet Baker, the Carpenters, Jimmy Fallon, the Good Lovelies, Home Free, Kenny Rogers, Lea Salonga, the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Nat King Cole, Albert Hammond, Burl Ives, the Judds, Brenda Lee, Point of Grace, Frank Sinatra, Michael W. Smith, Jennifer Hudson, Mickey Thomas, Clay Aiken, Erasure, Marc Martel, James Brown, Olivia Newton-John, David Phelps, Andre Rieu, Jethro Tull, Little Big Town, Sixpence None The Richer, Elvis Presley, Steve Perry, Ray Charles, Tyler Shaw, Mariah Carey, Christopher Cross, Ella Fitzgerald, Nick Lowe, Harry Connick Jr., Sarah McLachlan, New Edition, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Barenaked Ladies, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Randy Travis, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Crash Test Dummies, Donna Summer, Boyz II Men and Bobby Sherman!

I am sure I’ve missed some, and I apologize if I skipped one of your favorites. Hundreds of new releases come across my desk (and into my email) every year, and I try to get to as many as I can. Unfortunately, every year, I come across truly wonderful songs that I don’t actually discover until January.

Plus, there are always surprises. Usually, these are surprise singles, or even EPs. Every once in a while, there’s a surprise Christmas album, but that’s pretty rare.

The Sounds of Christmas shifts back to Christmas music on November 1. I know not everyone is ready for it that early, but we’re here for those who are. And we’ll be here, playing all your favorites alongside the tunes I mentioned here, whenever you are ready for Christmas music!

Hope you’re able to spend at least some of your holiday season with us!

And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken
https://www.SoundsofChristmas.com

A big thank you to Ken for keeping up this Yuletide tradition with us! I definitely have my eye on the Alicia Witt, Clay Aiken, and Jimmy Fallon releases. Which ones are you looking forward to? 

Be sure to tune in to Sounds of Christmas on November 1st, and all season long. I have a link to the Sounds of Christmas in the right sidebar so you can listen while you're online. Look for the Sounds of Christmas Christmas tree, click the image and you'll be taken to the site where you can listen. Also, Sounds of Christmas has an app on Google Play so you can listen on the go...and it's free! You can find it in the Play Store here.

Always in spirit...

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2023 Yuletide Spirit Reading Challenge and Readathon - Wrap-Up

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed your holiday reading. I managed to read two Christmas books. Plus, I finished a couple others I was reading.

The winner of the charity donation giveaway was Marla, who was first to post a review in our linky (in menu above). Her chosen charity was The Trevor Project.

How did you do on the reading challenge/readathon? Share your wrap up link in the linky below. It's the same linky as the sign-up so just add "wrap-up" when you enter your name, like so "Michelle@truebookaddict-Wrap-up" (you don't have to put a blog name, you can just put your name).

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A Festive Yuletide - Merry Christmas...Blessed Yule

Good King Wenceslas
BY JOHN MASON NEALE

Good King Wenceslas look’d out,
On the Feast of Stephen;
When the snow lay round about,
Deep, and crisp, and even:
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gath’ring winter fuel.

“Hither page and stand by me,
If thou know’st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence.
Underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

“Bring me flesh,and bring me wine,
Bring me pine-logs hither:
Thouand I will see him dine,
When we bear them thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went,
Forth they went together;
Through the rudewind’s wild lament,
And the bitter weather.

“Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know now how,
I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, good my page;
Tread thou in them boldly;
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.”

In his master’s steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor,
Shall yourselves find blessing.

Christmas Trees
BY ROBERT FROST

(A Christmas Circular Letter)

The city had withdrawn into itself
And left at last the country to the country;
When between whirls of snow not come to lie
And whirls of foliage not yet laid, there drove
A stranger to our yard, who looked the city,
Yet did in country fashion in that there
He sat and waited till he drew us out
A-buttoning coats to ask him who he was.
He proved to be the city come again
To look for something it had left behind
And could not do without and keep its Christmas.
He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas Trees.
I doubt if I was tempted for a moment
To sell them off their feet to go in cars
And leave the slope behind the house all bare,
Where the sun shines now no warmer than the moon.
I’d hate to have them know it if I was.
Yet more I’d hate to hold my trees except
As others hold theirs or refuse for them,
Beyond the time of profitable growth,
The trial by market everything must come to.
I dallied so much with the thought of selling.
Then whether from mistaken courtesy
And fear of seeming short of speech, or whether
From hope of hearing good of what was mine, I said,
“There aren’t enough to be worth while.”
“I could soon tell how many they would cut,
You let me look them over.”

“You could look.
But don’t expect I’m going to let you have them.”
Pasture they spring in, some in clumps too close
That lop each other of boughs, but not a few
Quite solitary and having equal boughs
All round and round. The latter he nodded “Yes” to,
Or paused to say beneath some lovelier one,
With a buyer’s moderation, “That would do.”
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.
We climbed the pasture on the south, crossed over,
And came down on the north. He said, “A thousand.”

“A thousand Christmas trees!—at what apiece?”

He felt some need of softening that to me:
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”

Then I was certain I had never meant
To let him have them. Never show surprise!
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents
(For that was all they figured out apiece),
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends
I should be writing to within the hour
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
A thousand Christmas trees I didn’t know I had!
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,
As may be shown by a simple calculation.
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,
In wishing you herewith a Merry Christmas.

Always in spirit...

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