The Clever Pup's Guide to Making Christmas Work - Listen - Loreena McKennitt

No, this isn't Helen Mirren in a red wig. It's the fabulous Canadian singer and harpist, Loreena McKennitt. We have a long tradition of listening to her in our house at Christmastime and it's a tradition I plan to continue.

A Midwinter's Dream is a seasonal collection featuring Loreena on vocals and harp. Her musical influences range from Celtic to classical to Middle Eastern. Her exotic arrangements of  “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” are as much a part of Christmas in our house as a Charlie Brown Christmas.

Loreena's first foray into Christmas music was the exquisite and far-too-short A Winter Garden: Five Songs for the Season. Of the recording Loreena said " I hope some of the scent of frankincense and myrrh comes through." And it does. There is some duplication with A Midwinter's Dream above, but it's shorter and sweeter. 

More winter tunes are found on To Drive the Cold Winter Away. Ethereal, it really is the kind of music to listen to in a half-darkened room with your feet tucked under a blanket. You have to have glass of good red wine with you too. 

I tear up listening to these samples. I guess Loreena McKennitt makes Christmas work for me.