This blog post originally was posted on December 22, 2014. I wonder what my siblings would say was their favorite Christmas song today?

A week or so ago, I sent my brother and sisters a text message asking them to name their favorite Christmas movie. Within 30 seconds, I got a response from my brother. It was clear that he had misunderstood my question, because his answer was “Happy Holidays by the Williams Brothers.”

I immediately understood that he thought I had asked him about his favorite Christmas song. After that immediate first thought quickly came my second thought – Happy Holidays by the Williams Brothers?

Whaaaaaaat?

I wasn’t even sure that there was such a singing group as the Williams Brothers. Upon Googling it, however, I learned that there indeed was such a group – Andy Williams (whom I know) and his three brothers apparently performed together, if not regularly, at least occasionally, circa 1960.

This was not the answer I would have expected from my brother.

The answer I would have expected was something like, “I don’t listen to Christmas music because I’m too busy watching sports, but if you hold my feet to the fire, I would say Joy to the World or Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

But the Williams Brothers?

So I called to ask him if he really meant the Williams Brothers.

Yes, friends, he certainly did mean the Williams Brothers. And furthermore, HE OWNS THE ALBUM.

“Mom had the album and listened to it at Christmas,” he explained. I had forgotten that fact until he told me. I remembered an Andy Williams solo Christmas album, but not a Williams Brothers album. And then I looked at the album cover. Oh yes, indeed she had. Memories came flooding back.

Isn’t it funny how music, maybe more than anything else, can bring back such strong memories. My mother loved to listen to music, and especially at Christmastime. We had a huge stereo console in the living room on which she played her LPs. I remember Christmas music by the Ray Coniff Singers, Andy Williams, Mantovani, and, of course, the Williams Brothers. I’m sure there were more.

By the way, here are the responses I got from my sisters, when I asked them about their favorite Christmas song. Actually, what I asked them was what song or songs they were playing over and over this year.

Beckie surprised me by saying that rather than music from a CD, she was watching a couple of videos over and over – Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix, and Angels We Have Heard on High by Piano Guys, Peter Hollens, and David Archuleta.

Jen said she also is listening to Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix, and plays her Michael Buble CDs over and over.

As for me, this year, as in previous year, the Christmas song I play again and again is We Need a Little Christmas, from the musical Mame, performed by Glee.