Holidays and Music

The holiday season has always been filled with some of my most treasured childhood memories. From helping prepare the Thanksgiving turkey to picking out and decorating the perfect Christmas tree, those moments are permanently etched in my mind and heart. I can still picture the fireplace adorned with stockings and garland, and I can almost smell the cinnamon potpourri that filled our home. And through it all, music was always there, weaving its way through November and December days.

Music came early in my life. I taught myself to play our family organ—first by ear, then gradually learning to read music. My dad and sister introduced me to it. I have a photo of my dad holding me as a baby while playing with one hand, and another of my sister teaching me simple classics like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” when I was only three.

I’ve never fully understood why God gave me such a deep love for music while also making me hard of hearing. But I do believe wholeheartedly that He knew music would be a lifelong gift—one that would carry me, uplift me, and guide me in discovering who I am.

Christmas songs, in particular, became my practice ground. I challenged myself to read new pieces, learn rhythms and chord progressions, and eventually create my own arrangements. Playing and singing these songs became a joy I looked forward to every year. Now, my own children join me, and it has become a treasured tradition—singing together in the weeks leading up to Christmas and on the holiday itself.

Music has always been a part of my holidays, just as it has always been a part of my life. It is a gift, a comfort, and a way to connect—with family, with memories, and with God. I feel blessed to continue exploring this gift, creating music, and sharing it with others, hoping it brings the same joy and inspiration that it has brought me for so many years.