Can you believe it’s Christmas week already??? Okay, I admit it. I’ve been feeling festive for MONTHS. Lucky for us all, I’ve calmed down since age five. A little. As a kid my holiday vigor was so intense, I often came down with the flu promptly after. (Red and green tinsle-topped butterflies that flitter up must eventually come down…) If only I’d had this song back then…
“Every Day is Christmas” started out as a gift from my hubby. A talented drummer and overall brilliant guy who’d never before written a song came out with these perfect lyrics and a melody to boot. (Hmm… Love must have that effect… ;)) We finished it together, took it to a friend’s in-home recording studio and vwa-la! The first McLaughlin holiday hit was born. Now it’s my gift to you.
So sit back and enjoy! If you dig it, please purchase “Every Day is Christmas” at iTunes. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Center for Adult Literacy, an organization responsible for over three decades of cutting edge, high-impact research, training and innovation toward increasing adult literacy in the U.S. and worldwide.
What’s the best gift you’ve given or received? Besides this one (kidding! ;)), what’s your favorite holiday tune?
best gift came this year – it involves paperwork to adopt my teenage daughter.
best tune – The Waitresses Christmas Wrapping
Wow, CONGRATS, Lance! Sounds like your family has much to celebrate this season. I’ll give ‘Christmas Wrapping’ a listen.
Very fun song and a great message too.
Are you the singer???? Excellent~
The best Christmas gift was one I picked up on the way from Christmas Mass; our new puppy Roxy! She was a big hit for the whole family and still is!
Great post!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Susie! Yes, I did the singing. Harmonizing with myself was quite a treat.
There are no better gifts than animals… Roxy’s a lucky pooch!
Fabulous tune – I really love it. You have a beautiful voice and the lyrics are great. I enjoyed the images too. There is one with the kids eating donuts and looking out the window. Those donuts look like the traditional Polish paczki
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I’m going to download your song this afternoon.
I’ve been wondering what those sugary-yums are…LOL Thanks for clarifying. But darn it, now I want one. Off to Poland… Thanks so much for your kudos and support!
My favorite gift ever would be my ipod. I love it and use it all the time, but it’s not something I would have bought for myself.
My favorite christmas song is “Last Christmas” by George Michael. I’ve loved it since I was, like 8 years old.
You’re song is beautiful and a good message.
Gifts we wouldn’t splurge on for ourselves are ultra-special, aren’t they? So glad you have an ipod to enjoy your holiday and anytime favorites, Emma. Adding “Last Christmas” to my soon-purchase list!
Beautiful voice and I love the photos in the video too!
Thanks, lady! Means a lot.
Great song to put me back in the Christmas spirit! Thanks for the gift!
What a fantastic gift and song August! Those are the best king. The ones that had thought and effort put into them. You have talent! Your voice is beautiful!
Aw, thanks, Debra! And you’re so right… I know you apply the same thoughtfulness and creativity principles with your kidlets.
Wow – LOVE IT!! It’s fantastic – congrats. You guys are uberliciously talented. THANK YOU for the wonderful gift…here’s to you and yours enjoying the best holiday ever! xoxox
Thank YOU, Natalie. Fantastic holiday wishes back at ya!
PS Uberliciously… A new fab word to add to the mix.
What a cool, modern day Phil Spector style Christmas song, hopefully without the Spector baggage! What a talent you are, great tune, thanks.
Wow, me and Phil Spector in the same sentence. Never imagined such a comparison! (I appreciate the baggage-free bit. ;))
So glad you enjoyed. May your Christmas be BRIGHT! ==>>+ (tree ;))
Beautiful song. You’re one talented couple! My son watched the clip with me and really enjoyed it.
My favorite Christmas gift was a playmobil set I got when I was 7 : )
Thanks to you and your son, Fabio! (Kid approval means a lot in terms of holiday tunes.)
Sweet how childhood gifts stay with us, at least in thought, right? I had to look up Playmobil to see what you meant. Sure I would’ve loved it, too!
Love the song and am going to download it as soon as I leave this comment. Every year on December 1st, my car iPod plays only Christmas songs until December 26th, this will be a great addition to my collection.
All-time favorite Christmas song? The Waitresses Christmas Wrapping.
Best gift? Having my family all home with me each year.
Merry Christmas, August!
I’m downloading “Christmas Wrapping” right now. You’re so right—it’s fabulous! For some reason I’m envisioning it making house-cleaning fun… LOL
So glad you dig the tune, Tameri. Wishing you and yours the best one EVER!
Very nice! Beauty, brains and talent. What a combo!
Thanks for sharing this lovely song and video! I love all christmas music so it’s hard to choose a favorite, but I do really like Hark, the Hearld Angels Sing; Silent Night, The First Noel, and Joy to the World. Oh and It’s Christmas in Kilarney, I like that one a log too.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
You can’t go wrong with the classics, Patricia! Thanks for your kind words. Off to check out Christmas in Kilarney…
How did the Hanukkah scene makes it way into the video ?
Seasons Greeting from the Holy Land!
Ha… I was wondering if anyone would comment on that. Part of the song’s message is that “Christmas” is also a state of mind that transcends specific days, seasons, cultures and religions. (Yeah, kind of a lot to load into one song… LOL)
That image is now officially dedicated to you!
After having seen your face and read blogs it’s great to hear a voice that matches the view — simply beautiful. Plus you’re doing it for a great cause.
That means so much, Roy. Thanks for your lovely words!
Absolutely beautiful, August. My fav song is Silent Night sung during the Christmas Eve candelight service. For some reason, I feel that song in my soul.
Thank you, Sheila! I love Silent Night, too… I imagine it’s even more perfect by candlelight.
Thanks for the gift. You and your guy are a talented pair.
Great song August! The words and the tune, and you matched the video very well, also. Great that you’re giving to charity too.
One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Mary, Did You Know?” It’s not played as much as the usual standards, but it’s a good one.
Have a GG Christmas, August!
Thanks, MJ! Great song choice; “Mary, Did You Know?” is LOVELY. And you know I’ll have my GG groove on… Wishing you and yours the same.
Brilliant! I love it! You are so creative and talented. Nice to see it being used to benefit such an important organisation. Literacy rocks!
My favourite Christmas gift is the memory of my childhood – staying up when all the other kids in the house had to have a sleep because I was the oldest. My Mum was preparing food in the kitchen and I was busily creating a nativity scene from cardboard and plastic farm animals. Later, all our extended family arrived and I got to stay up late. I remember we always had a real tree with beautiful bird decorations and I have never forgotten the smell. My mother’s side of the family are Polish so there was always interesting and yummy food to try and plenty of singing and dancing. My parents have both passed now and family is scattered all over the country. I am creating new memories with my own children now.
Thanks for your kind words! And yes, the more readers in the world, the better.
What a gorgeous holiday memory… (the best gifts, right??) Happy to hear you’ve savored it in your heart and mind and continue creating new ones. Stay well and blessed.
your hubby is one talented guy. and you’ve got an amazing voice. I love “It’s Christmas’ by Alan Jackson. very special song.
thanks for sharing your talents – it was wonderful
Thanks, Louise! Means a lot.
August, you are so fantastically talented! I love this song so much — thanks for sharing it with us.
I’m not sure if I have a single favorite Christmas song. The Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas, Darling” is really special to me, but I also have a thing for holiday choral music. I was raised Catholic and spent most of my youth singing in ensembles, so choral music of the old religious “classics” (“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” for example) brings back some wonderful memories. Right now, I’m blaring anything and everything by conductor John Rutter that I can get my hands on.
So lovely of you to say, Lena. Thanks!
The Carpenters’ Christmas album is a mainstay on my player in Nov./Dec. And there’s no talent quite like Ruttter! Hope your holidays are chock-ful of music and delight.
The best? Love.
The Second Best? Your work!
Thanks, Hook! Your comment, as always, is a gift.
What a wonderful Christmas present! Very catchy song. Your voice is lovely and the lyrics are fun.
I love this, August! What a talented team you and your husband are! Thank you so much for sharing this. Heading to iTunes now!
Merry Christmas!
August, Very sweet. Nice teamwork with your husband too, and the images of children and dogs were heart warming.
Rock on!
Thanks so much, y’all. I’m so grateful to have such a bunch of warm, supportive friends. Have the BEST holidays!
You have a lovely voice I’ve always wished I could sing, but that’s not one of my talents. My brother, though, has a good enough voice that he sang to his wife while she walked down the aisle at their wedding
My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I’ve received a lot of wonderful gifts over the years (including my Kindle), but I have two that stand above the others named Luna and Bronte. Bronte was the first dog that was mine rather than being a family dog and was given to me by my parents. After losing her to bone cancer last year, my husband and I got ourselves a new Great Dane puppy for Christmas, our Luna.
Thanks, Marcy! What a touching story about your brother… Sounds like a Valentine’s Day post waiting to happen.
O, Holy Night means a lot to my family as well—my grandma’s favorite. My sis and I sang it at her memorial service last year. And I LOVE that Bronte and Luna top your ‘favorite gifts’ list! As you probably noticed, my dog means the world to me.
Stay well and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
How wonderful! What a treat you gave us. Great job!
My favorite Christmas song is probably O Holy Night. Yes, it’s so traditional. But it’s a classic.
Fabulous song with the right message. I like to think everyday is Christmas too! Congratulations to you and your husband for sharing this gift (and your talent!) and for supporting such an excellent cause. I’m dashing off to iTunes right now!
Merry Christmas to you and yours – may it be überlicious, as our friend Nat would say!