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Five Best Christmas Workout Songs

I wanted to bring a little bit of holiday cheer to your workouts this week, since it’s finally appropriate to do so. But the beats had to be fast, the message uplifting, and the song not over-played.

I have some bad memories of hearing Susie Snowflake and Mariah Carey over and over and over when I worked at JCPenney in high school, to the point where it hurts to hear them today. Don’t worry, I don’t want to listen to those anymore either. My picks today are fresh and uplifting, after hours spent listening to new releases and good ole classics on Spotify. Plug these into your playlist and let them take you away.

I included the beat counts after plugging the songs in to Songbpm.com. Double the beats in the songs with the 70-80 bpm range to hit your pace.

Here are 5 Great Christmas Workout Songs:

1. Leona Lewis: I wish it could be Christmas Everyday. 3:52, 74bpm. This song has a great beat in the chorus. It would make a good treadmill song for intervals. Run fast during the chorus and slow it down during the verses.

2. Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Tree. 3:50, 80 bpm. Has some great hooks in the music. I was toe-tapping listening to this song, which means it makes me want to move. I hope it makes you want to move too. Plus, it’s a new song, so it sure isn’t worn out yet.

3. She & Him, Sleigh Ride. 2:44, 106bpm. I always love the S&H sound. They do a fun job on this classic tune. Plus, the fast beat is definitely workout-worthy.

4. Glee Cast, Deck the Rooftop. 2:30, 97bpm. I’ve never watched the show, but this tune sure is catchy and it blends several classic numbers into one upbeat song.

5. SheDaisy, Deck the Halls. 3:50, 119bpm. This has always been one of my favorite renditions of this song. Whenever it comes on my playlist, I get all excited and stuff. That excitement should come out in a stronger push through runs.


Bonus: Straight No Chaser, Hey Santa. 2:47, 200bpm. Love the swing-y sound this group has, and their amazing a capella sound. This song is really catchy. Their entire Christmas Cheers album has great beats, so check them out.

I added a bonus so you have a solid 20 minute workout playlist. Let me know what you think. What songs would you add?

Last Year’s Christmas Money

There’s something you need to know about me. I NEVER make impulse buys. I like to think on certain purchases for quite awhile before I hesitantly hand over my debit card. Even today, I told Hubster that I didn’t appreciate being bullied into going out to eat. He said, “That’s the only way I can even get you to go out.” And he had to give me the weekend to contemplate changing internet/cable providers. I just like to weigh the importance of things and make sure I’m not making rash decisions.

So, remember when I told you Hubster and I had a laugh about how he’d be through his Christmas money before New Year’s, and I’d have mine gone by June? Well, close… Mine was gone in August. Ha!

three-in-one record player, Crosley Record Player

But the wait was sooo worth it. Meet my new favorite “gadget,” my 3-in-one Crosley CD player/record player/radio. I’ve been wanting a record player for years. I had a thrifted one in college, but a friend “borrowed” it for forever and returned it in “not working” condition. Forgive, forget, buy a new one. A beautiful one that totally goes with the antique chest it’s displayed on.

Oh yes!

Peanut and Hubster even got a little involved. Hubster chose a few Dean Martin and Christmas records at a rummage sale and Peanut dances to Rolling Stones with me.

New record player, My new record player and collection
Oh, stash of dust-collecting vinyls, how I’ve missed you.

Records, My record collection

My other “Christmas” in August purchases? A Bon Iver record, Feist CD, Noah and the Whale CD, Exercise and Nutrition textbook (geek alert), pretty washi tape, and my very own copy of Born to Run. Could this get any better?

Do you still get “Christmas money?” And what do you usually buy with it? This is the only time I allow myself to buy superfluously. Of course there are always things around the house that take precedence, but special money doesn’t count, right?

Today’s Visual Inspiration

I’m really digging the cover art for JayMay’s Autumn Falling. It’s very carefree, very lighthearted and “un-stuffy.” I love how the equilibrium is juxtaposed with a little bit of unevenness. And I like the muted color combinations. It’s chunky, clunky and oh so refreshing.

I’ve been itchin’ to create again lately. And I have loads of design inspiration saved to my desktop. I am definitely going to bookmark this album cover. I’ve been playing with the idea of breaking out the watercolors with my two-year-old to see what we can accomplish. My favorite art is uncomplicated. And this parallel painting might just inspire something of my very own.

The Effects of Music on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

I cannot stop playing Mairi Campbell’s version of Auld Lang Syne from the first Sex and the City movie. You can watch the clip here. I’m completely moved and I can’t quite put my finger on why. So, this journal entry is dedicated to sorting it out. Please, indulge me.

The melody is a bit melancholy, as though accompanying a video montage you’re watching years later and reliving those joyful moments, as one might with old reels of childhood footage. Mournful and joyful at the same time. There’s also something about your friends getting out of bed, picking their way through the snow, and going all the way across town just to keep you company for a few hours that’s very touching. There are festivities going on all over town, but not everyone is involved. And the viewer is sort of an outsider, peeking in on all the beauty and glamour, wanting to be there. Or at least desiring the beautiful clothes and parties.

The juxtaposition of a Scottish folk song with an all-American blockbuster fashion movie is endearing and brings some of the over-the-topness down to Earth. Plus the words themselves are heartwarming and haunting at the same time. They’re about celebrating long-standing friendships for old time’s sake, but they’re also about realizing that there are years and years of stories separating you (seas between us). Most of the time Auld Lang Syne is sung with celebratory inflections with a group of people, arm’s around each other, raising their glasses. This time, it’s very melodramatic. There’s happiness, uncertainty, loneliness, comradeship, celebration, restlessness, peace and dejection all rolled up into one scene. It’s hard to process, it’s so affecting.

Singing Lessons

I have an endearing story about my dad singing to my sisters and me when we were babies. He would just repeat Silent Night over and over because that was the only song he knew all the words to. He wasn’t that much of a hands-on dad when it came to discipline (unless we were bothering him specifically) or day-to-day affairs, but he sure loved his girls. Especially when we were all cuddled into his arms about to fall asleep. Awwwwwww. I don’t quite remember this but I certainly appreciate the stories and the devotion.

I, of course, sing to my son the requisite “Hush Little Baby” and “Twinkle Twinkle” but am in the market for a new tune. I was just listening to an updated version of Amazing Grace and hadn’t even thought of that one! Swing Low Sweet Chariot. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. Sweet Child of Mine. Landslide. I am totally missing some good tunes! I need to get listening and bolster my playlist.

Swearing off the Boob Tube

I wrote a letter to a chronically late friend some time ago explaining how this momma needs to take stock of what she’s spending her time on and extinguish all the pesky places where time seems to be meaninglessly burned. In this case, it was waiting around for hours for her. Another huge time-sapping activity for me is watching television.

So, I watched a movie this weekend and sort of felt robbed afterwards. I couldn’t believe I spent those golden hours while my child napped engrossed in something so stupid, meaningless, unauthentic, and ridiculous. So I feel that I need to consciously rearrange the agenda a bit and zap television from my day-to-day playlist.

Not only does television provide constant reminders of what we don’t have it also diminishes bodily health. There is a direct relationship between time spent watching TV and the weight of the person watching. The more hours you watch, the fatter you get. It’s blunt, but it’s the gosh-darn truth.

In an effort to be more productive, energetic, and healthy; to be a positive role model for my son; and to pursue my passions much more rigorously than I have been, I am taking a sabbatical from the boob tube. I’d much rather:

*Make music like the two delightful young girls we saw at the coffee shop open mic, playing cellos and singing sweetly to their own worthy lyrics.

*Shop for beautiful antiques saturated with stories like quilts and old-time storybooks and dainty hors d’oeuvre forks.

*Cook exquisite Gordon Ramsay-worthy food beside my husband

*Make acoustical noise around the fire

*Fill sketchbooks with musings and colored pencil drawings

*Cut pretty pictures from magazines to collage into vision boards

*Make musical instruments from stuff we have just laying around the house and jam away with my talented two-year-old

*Perusing the farmer’s market with friends who actually cherish their time with me

*Hone my flexibility and feelings of inner peace with yoga

*Honoring my legs and lungs with a sprint around the neighborhood

Turning Happiness Up a Notch

I mentioned something in a previous post about always doing something to nourish yourself, such as listening to music at work. I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I can see so many benefits from listening at work that I thought it would be beneficial to share so that everyone can benefit from it.

1. Music drowns out those “corporate sounds” of copying machines, bubblers cooling off, high heels on concrete, sales calls, incessant typing and other noises that sometimes stifle our sense of individuality.

2. Your taste in music and the emotions that the music evokes provide you with a sense of place in the world that extends far beyond the makeshift walls of your cubicle. It’s so easy to surrender to the grind that we could sometimes use a shift.

3. I tend to find lyrics the perfect ignition for my creative wheels. Sometimes a line of music–or even my mis-hearing of a line–provides me with an idea that churns itself into a pearl.

4. This is your chance to learn about new and unheard-of artists. Pandora is my go-to place. You type in your favorite song or artist or someone you hear about in a magazine or blog posting and you get a personalized radio station with similar-sounding musicians to expand your playlist.

5. Music has the profound ability to change or complement any mood. I turn on the meditation stations when I’m getting stressed out or the modern folk station when I need an artistic boost.

Today I’m listening to classical music, trying to memorize the names of composers and broaden my cultural knowledge. Come on, tune in!

Gregorian Chant

I hope you don’t think I’m a fruitcake, but I’m listening to Gregorian Chant on Pandora (the irony isn’t lost on me) as we speak.

There is something so simplistic, yet something so powerful about this antiquated music form. It’s deeply soothing, deeply spiritual and deeply grounding even though it’s orchestrated without any accompanying music whatsoever. It takes any anxiety or tightness and melts it away. The resonant, meditative quality leaves you feeling like you have an innate sense of well being and purity.

The music brings me back to the safety and incense of the Catholic church I grew up in, the wooden pews, the skyward ceilings and the melancholy yet artful stained glass windows; a constant in my life.

Toddler-fy your Flight

If you’re a mommy looking for tips for taking a toddler on a flight, here are my tips from first-hand experience a short 2 months ago. Now, my son likes toys to a point. A very small point. A few minutes max. This worried me for his first flight…on a lap, no less. I was sure he’d squirm his way out and bother dozens of aisle-seaters, but he actually did better than expected. The key was to have several “activities” lined up for him, one after the other. Our flight also happened to be during nap time, another good tip if your child is able to fall asleep in your arms.

1. Wear the child out at the airport before boarding. After all, you do have two hours to kill. We walked, looked in stores, looked out every window in the place watching airplanes and workers, found another young boy to talk to for awhile and it was magical how he fell asleep during takeoff.

2. Change the child just before the airplane starts boarding.

3. Take a bottle/sippy cup with for all the ear popping. I think our son finally figured out that drinking made him feel better. Also, don’t forget their lovies (Blanky) so they feel more comfortable.

4. Encourage your child to watch out the window for as long as it holds their attention. Point things out and explain the flight to them for extra interest.

5. Bring along a meal to feed the child. This can eat up at least a half hour. Little snacks here and there help as well. Just be sure it’s nothing too messy and you brought a bib.

6. Bring along a Magna Doodle and a few books. Also a few blank sheets of paper and a small carton of crayons. It’s difficult to pack the whole toy box, so just pick a few smaller items that have the most potential to hold the child’s interest. Drawings do quite well in little space.

7. Pack your iPod® and let them in on the head boppin’. They’ll get a kick out of listening to your music.

8. Page through the in-flight magazines and fliers. Pointing out airplanes, doggies, and even refrigerators will keep them occupied for some time. Better yet, pack their favorite Highlights or age-appropriate magazine.

9. Some people will give you dirty looks when your toddler kicks their seat a few times (sorry, I tried to keep the little kickers contained, but sometimes it just happens), but a few will coo. Let them coo for as long as they like. My socialite son soaks it up, especially when it’s someone he’s never met before.

10. If there’s an open seat next to you and the flight attendants allow it, try buckling your child in to that seat to keep him “in place.” Our son didn’t even try to squirm out when we tried this. He somehow knew the seat belt meant business.

11. Pack your carry on with a fresh set of clothes, a stack of diapers and wipes. This saved us on BOTH flights. Don’t underestimate the importance of this seemingly no-brainer.

These are what worked for us. But I have absolutely no tips for changing a child’s diaper in-flight. Good luck with that!

Swallowing My Happy Pill

I am making a concerted effort with myself to actually follow through on methods that are tried-and-true and either backed by outside research or personal experience. It’s as though I have all the arsenal I need, I just need to shoot the damn gun! In this case, we’re focusing on personal happiness.

Just like in my previous post, I know good reasons why I shouldn’t skip gym sessions, but sometimes it takes a written refresher to revive the flame. The same goes with my happiness. I know what makes me happy, but when I’m having a true downer of a day, it seems like nothing will turn it around. So, I’ll have to train myself to just take a mindless approach, choose a method, and just do it without thinking! It’s kind of a wonder I don’t spend all my time, outside of work, rolling in these daisies.

Things I know will make me happy:

1. Spending time outdoors, such as hiking, swinging at the park, or just sitting in the backyard.

2. Sun exposure. OK I firmly promote the use of sunscreen always, always, always. One of the biggest mood boosts comes from the sun, but you’re not doing your body any favors by doing it without SPF.

3. Surrounding myself with music by the likes of Beth Orton, Rusted Root, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Little BigTown, Norah Jones or any other artsy favorites.

4. Buying something decadent in a bottle, be it eye cream, red wine, or chutney. I’m not talking about retail therapy per se or emotional eating, just personal-care therapy. Vonnegut wrote that once a man stops taking care of himself, he dies.

5. Guided meditation. I know it sounds a little fruity–I am spiritual to a certain degree, but just listening to affirmations or nature noises for a few minutes has a way of settling the respiratory and nervous systems.

6. A good Yoga session

7. A good long run

8. Remembering past accomplishments, compliments or delights. This means, ahem, I need to start/keep a gratitude journal. Referring back to memorable moments has a way of sending out those happy little brain chemicals.

9. Attending church. We all have different ideas and beliefs when it comes to religion and spirituality, but personally I always feel a little bit lighter after a good service.

10. Re-runs of Sex and the City. (well…not right after church, but anyway…)

11. A good read. Usually some good chick lit. Now, I’m a pretty selective reader and I enjoy literature with depth or antiquity. But a little charming indulgence can go a long way for my disposition.

12. Related to 11 is a good blog. I’ve found some stimulating, motivating reads online that seem to leave me in a blissful state.

13. Snuggling

14. Almost anything that has to do with the baby if it doesn’t involve a diaper or whining. My favorites are dancing with him, holding his hand, sharing food with him, watching him sleep and breathe, playing drums with him, rocking him to sleep and so much more.

15. Eating a salad or tomato mixture with fresh ingredients from my own garden.

16. Growing seedlings.

17. And probably my all-time favorite would be a great massage. I think I’m going to book one, just as a preventative measure:)