Christmas Portrait

* photo from leadsister.com

It's December once more, and our thoughts turn to the most wonderful time of the year.  My favorite Christmas song comes from the 1978 album of The Carpenters, Christmas Portrait, which I have on cassette tape, and which I treasure to this day. The song was initially released as a single in 1970.  Simple melody, painful absence, yet the song expresses the fullness of life and love.  Karen's unmistakable voice just brings me back to 1978 all over again.  Listen to it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLING

(Richard Carpenter and Frank Pooler)

Greeting cards have all been sent
The Christmas rush is through
But I still have one wish to make
A special one for you

Merry Christmas, darling
We're apart, that's true
But I can dream
And in my dreams
I'm Christmasing with you
Holidays are joyful
There's always something new
But every day's a holiday
When I'm near to you

The lights on my tree
I wish you could see
I wish it every day
Logs on the fire
Fill me with desire
To see you and to say
That I wish you Merry Christmas
Happy New Year too

I've just one wish
On this Christmas Eve
I wish I were with you
I wish I were with you
Merry Christmas, darling!