It’s that time of year, when the hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, baking, wrapping, and everything else we do, frazzles us. At times, some people enjoy just sitting alone in quiet, maybe putting on some music, and think back to Christmases past recalling memories in their lifetimes.

I’ve seen posts on Facebook where people share information about themselves on a number of topics, listing things about themselves, sometimes naming their favorites (food, book, movie, etc.). Combining sitting in quiet, remembering, and the Facebook activity, The Voice from the Bullpen thought sharing a list of his Christmas “Odds and Ends” might be fun.

Here’s mine:

¯ Favorite Christmas album? The Old Sweet Songs of Christmas by Frank DeVol and the Rainbow Strings.

¯ Favorite Modern Christmas song? Tie — A Baby Just Like You by John Denver, and Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

¯ Favorite traditional choral Christmas song? Tie — Adeste Fideles and Bring a Torch.

¯ Favorite past sitcom Christmas episode – The Odd Couple.

¯ Favorite Animated Christmas Show? Tie — Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

¯ Favorite Christmas Movie? 1951 black and white version of A Christmas Carol starring Alastair Sim

¯ Favorite Annual Christmas traditions? Mailing my Christmas cards, our letters to Santa, our pre-Christmas gathering, our Christmas Manger, Santa buffett.

¯ Favorite Past Christmas traditions with our children? Decorating the day after Thanksgiving while watching black and white 50s, 60s, 70s, Christmas TV programs. Also, our youngest putting the star on the tree, our oldest putting Baby Jesus in the manger before bed Christmas Eve.

¯ Favorite Christmas Eve food? Braciole.

¯ Favorite Christmas specialty? Nutty Irishman.

¯ Favorite Christmas Cookie? mini pecancups and cuccidati

¯ Favorite Christmas things that never grow old? JHS A Capella Christmas Concert, preschool/primary elementary school Christmas programs, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter,” smells of Christmas Dinner; seeing Christmas light displays while driving during holiday season; String of Christmas lights lighting up Main Street, in Sherman, N.Y.

¯ Favorite Christmas Tie? Hand-painted tie with Santa wearing a Cleveland Indians cap and waving a Tribe pennant.

¯ Things I miss the most at Christmas? My parents, my Dad’s red plaid pants, green shirt, and Christmas suspenders, not having all my family together on Christmas Day, little kids running downstairs Christmas morning.

¯ Favorite Christmas Passage? Linus’s biblical quote (Luke 2:8-20), from A Charlie Brown Christmas: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

¯ Most interesting Christmas service? 2016, visiting Chasy in Tennessee. We attended Christmas Eve Mass at a small church in Franklin, Ky. The church seemed to be split almost 50-50 of English- and Spanish-speaking people. The priest began Mass, celebrating the first part in English, then restarted in Spanish, then did the second part, again in both languages. He gave two homilies, one English, one Spanish. It continued that way throughout the service. It was interesting and educational, as I got to go back to my three years of high school Spanish feeling good. I actually remembered a few things from then.

I’m sure I’d be able to add to this list with little effort, but this is a sampling of things I thought of in my past Christmases. Make your own list. It’s nice to think about it.