Music is more than music to most of us.

Tonight we attended, and I sung, at a Christmas Music Festival. Every year our church has an evening of performances dedicated to Christmas music and I just love the spirit I feel in events like this, especially when we all get to perform and sing together. Music just gets me. It revives the soul haha.

I grew up in a home where music was a big part of our happiness. My parents were raised the same way and to me, music is tradition. My dad started us young as we would gather for family prayer at the end of the day. I remember dancing and twirling around the room with all of my siblings to La Bamba as he would strum and sing personalized verses for each of us on his guitar. (I got a guitar for Christmas last year because I wanted to be able to provide that same vibe for my family someday. Still just learning chords! It's a work in progress.) My mom always taught us the feeling in music and to this day has us gather together (no matter how much grumbling ensues) to sing. I know how happy music makes her. Now that I have a little lady of my own, I sing and listen to music always. So much is taught/felt through a song and it engages children in a way unlike no other. Music is my go-to in my calling in church, in gaining clarity, in the way I feel the spirit most, in the way I lift my mood, and really in the way I live. (Not to mention, it's a huge talent block for me that requires a lot of work and practice!) I love music and I am thankful to parents who made it an effort to pass that love on.

I watched this video above ^^ a couple of weeks ago at my parent's house with my family. It was just a good reminder that music is full of messages, full of feeling, and full of good vibes no matter what crazy is going on in your life so I'm sharing some tunes today that I have been loving and playing on repeat lately. I have a mess of playlists going at all times thanks to my friend, Spotify, here but these are some favs! Yes, I'm including a little Ariana Grande. Tell me you wouldn't dance around your kitchen with your jiggy toddler to that beat! Caaaatchy!! In some songs it's the beat, in others it's the chorus, but no matter the genre, in all songs it's about the feeling. Music brings people together because it's more than just music to most of us. 

Enjoy!

WINTER + CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST