My favorite time of the year has officially begun. One of the many reasons for Advent and Christmas being the best is because of all the great music (including the album shown above) that I love to revisit every year around this time.

I get nostalgic around the middle of November, and I’m drawn to the music that my parents and grandparents have loved. I go back to those old records I listened to when I was little and couldn’t wait for Santa to show up.

I really believe that music is the closest thing to time travel that we have. It’s amazing how certain songs can conjure up memories and images from the recesses of your mind and almost bring them back to life again. I can almost see the faces and hear the conversations and smell the bread baking in the oven.

The last two years, I have been tracking down all the old records from way back when, especially those classic Christmas recordings of yore. As much as I like some of the new music (or more accurately, a small fraction of it), I yearn for the tried and true acts like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and so many others who set the standards and recorded the definitive versions of so many Christmas songs that we all know and love.

So from now until possibly the middle of January, I will be revisiting my Christmas collection (and adding to it whenever I get the chance). Throw in a peppermint mocha and a comfy chair and I am a very happy dude.