Getting Discomfortable with Christmas

Episode 31 is a holiday bonus special! I recently returned to Canada for the holidays and I finally found an old cassette tape I’ve been searching for for years. It’s a Christmas album my siblings and I recorded in 1988 as a present for my parents. I only vaguely remember the actual recording of the album, I was just 8 at the time, but I’ve never forgotten certain lyrics and jokes featured on the tape itself. It also stars my younger brother Ian, at age 6, and my older brother Jamie, at age 10. The whole thing was spearheaded, directed, written, orchestrated, conducted, and generally forced on us by our older sister Cali, at age 12.

Listening to it again after all these years, I have to admit that it’s pretty impressive! Keep in mind this is the 80s, before digital became a household technology, so the entire thing — music and sound effects and all — was recorded live (with some stopping and starting between songs), like an old-timey radio play. It’s clear that the entire production (coming in at over 30 minutes) must have required significant writing, rehearsal, and direction (a testament to my sister’s overachieving personality, not to mention militaristic control over her younger brothers). My brother Jamie was in charge of most of the piano playing, I was the sound effects artist and character actor, and my younger brother Ian giggles and yell-sings in the background as well as can be expected for age 6. My sister Cali presumably did everything else, including writing and performing a few now infamous original Christmas tunes.

This is a photo of my siblings and I from the summer of 1987, the year before this album was recorded, just for context. From left to right, Ian is peeking over Jamie’s shoulder, Cali is the tall one, and I’m holding what looks like a hard-earned penny from our lemonade stand. Coincidentally, my oldest niece and nephews are exactly these ages now, and I can’t imagine them creating something as elaborate as this Christmas album in their spare time and of their own volition, even with all the fancy digital tech at their little fingertips. 

I’ve edited the tape down to the most amusing songs and skits, peppered with my commentary and memories, for your holiday listening enjoyment!