the writing and photography of Neil Kramer

Announcing the 2007 Blogger Christmahanukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert

concert.jpg

“Sing a Christmahanukwanzaakah Song,” recorded by Neilochka (mp3)

Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of dreidels and snow
Sing of Santa and mistletoe

Sing, sing a song
If you’re a blogger
You definitely belong
Don’t worry that you don’t know the words
To Frosty the Snowman well

Just sing
Sing a song

La la la la la… it’s Christmahanukwanzaakah!

It is now time to raise our voices in song again in this new holiday tradition. Hanukkah songs about miracles. Christmas songs about faith. Winter songs about the beauty of the season. Kwanzaa songs about new traditions. It is the 2007 Blogger Christmahanukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert, right here on Citizen of the Month on Monday, December 10th (with a re-broadcast on Christmas Day). The concert is for YOU and by YOU — and this year will be bigger and better than last year.

If you want to participate, just say so in the comments or email me ASAP. Please try to tell me what song you want to sing, so we don’t have five people all performing “The Little Drummer Boy.”

1) You can send me either an audio file or a video.

2) You can host it on your own site or send the recording to me directly. If you host it yourself, just send me the URL.

3) A blogger must participate in the performance, not just your kid dressed as a snow angel. It must be YOU and your kid singing together, or YOU playing the guitar as backup.

4) I must receive the final song by December 9 for the concert on December 10th. This gives you two weeks to record it.

5) If you have any question on how to record a song, just email me. It is very easy to do using your computer.

6) Have fun! You don’t need to sing perfectly!

7) If you are too much of a wimp to sing, send in a photo of your Christmas tree, Hannukah menorah, snowmen, or your family all dressed up in their Holiday best — we’ll use it to decorate “the set.”

And remember, on November 30 – December 2, the weekend before the concert, there will be the Blogger Holiday Online Arts and Crafts Fair , also hosted here. Come and find some cool Holiday gift ideas, made by bloggers themselves. If you sell your artwork or crafts, and you want to participate as a “vendor,” email me at neilochka at yahoo dot com.

43 Comments

  1. aka_monty

    I’m considering it, except I have a REALLY REALLY tuneless voice.
    Which is why I’m considering it, because, you know, I like to make people suffer.

  2. Neil

    Well, did you hear me sing “Sing” above? Can’t be much worse. Enthusiasm is the important thing!

  3. abigail road

    Neil, you rock.

  4. sizzle

    i’m thinking i might do “have yourself a merry little christmas” but i need to get back to you on that.

  5. Whit

    Can I send in a Xmas poem or do I have to croon?

  6. Neil

    Whit — I bet you have a great voice!

  7. Aimee Greeblemonkey

    That was seriously awesome. I am going to be singing that all night in Dreamland.

    I will have to ask hubby if we can have a family sing along (aka disguise my bad voice with his good voice).

  8. Aimee Greeblemonkey

    P.S. Sizzle, *of course* Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is my FAVORITE Xmas song. Are you sure we aren’t related?

  9. Los Angelista

    I will opt out only because I don’t want to add, “Made the entire population of the planet wish they were deaf” to my epitaph.

  10. Angela

    This is excellent. I might actually pull out the French horn and participate. (I’ll practice this afternoon and will let you know.)

  11. Bec

    I shall now start recording and re-recording something… (The Christmas Song(Chestnuts Roasting)(because I have the backing music for that), or O Holy Night are the current favourites) until I am deeply deeply okay-ish with it and then just send/post it in a moment of insanity.

    Already the nerves are building – I mean seriously – how do we stand up next to ‘Sing’ – a joy making moment!

  12. Otir

    I am ready. I have Mymaleil and Hanerot Halallu for you all recorded (badly but recorded).

  13. Not Fainthearted

    You know I’m in.

    Do you need titles now? I’m playing in a concert on Dec 8…I’d love to use the recording from that, but it’s not until the evening. “Coventry Carol” and a Polish lullaby carol (I forgot the name just now… ) anyway, the two of them smooshed into a medley. A friend on guitar and another on violin and me on accordion.

    Pretty sure I’ll be able to host it directly on my new site this year.

  14. Caron

    Count me in for arts and crafts! I needed this boost in Holiday Spirit! Thanks Neil!!

  15. di

    You are cuter than a cute thing … having Neil singing in my lounge was simply hilarious and well, delicious too.

    Thanks for the giggles (really, they were giggles) on this cold grey day in Europe.

    Oh, and I can’t sing … babies fall asleep when I sing to them and I suspect it’s some kind of defence mechanism.

  16. whoorl

    Can I play an instrument?!

  17. Otir

    I just recorded a short version of “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht” in French, do you want it?

  18. Otir

    Since I see that Bec already offered “Holy Night”, I might then shift to “O Tannebaum” in French. Let me know.

  19. Neil

    Whit – Xmas poem sounds great, if done with style!

    Los Angelista –Wimp! At least send in a Holiday photo of your tree or your family for the set decoration.

    Angela — The French horn? Hot?

    Bec — Perfect.

    Otir — Your choice. It is your concert. I love hearing stuff in French.

    Di — See you at the arts and craft fair!

    Whoorl — Of course!

  20. Otir

    Bonus, then, if you like hearing stuff in French, I had this and it is not a Christmahanukwanzaakah theme, but a popular historical sad story:

    http://site.voila.fr/otir/record/leroiafait.wav

  21. churlita

    Oh, how fun. I’ll be one of those on the sideline enjoying the show.

  22. Shelli

    This is a really cool idea, Neil. I would do it if I could figure out the way to get audio on to my computer. I don’t think that I have a microphone on mine.

  23. Danny

    I’m in! This was the most meaningful holiday event of 2006, I’m sure it will be great this year. I want to sing “Mi Yemalel” (“Who Can Retell”) in Hebrew and English (it’s short, don’t worry!) but did Otir already claim that one? (It’s the only other Hanukkah song I know except for the one I sang last year…) If I can figure out how to overdub myself on the computer, I’ll do a round.

  24. Heather B.

    I now have new and improved recording options for the clarinet. So I’ll be busting out something, not sure what yet, with that.

  25. Otir

    Danny, I sent the version with only Hebrew, English & Hebrew will be a first. For 2008 we shall see with Neil how to put a live recording studio on his website and bloggers will do a choral.

  26. Neil

    Otir — Seriously, that would be so cool. With my audio software, you can lay down a multi-track song with different bloggers singing in different parts of the world, like “Do They Know it’s Christmas” or “We are the World.” Otir, maybe we can experiment with this for fun.

  27. Otir

    I added Ner Li, for Hanuka, which I have never heard sung myself. So it’s a premiere and if selected will be an exclusivity for Citizen of the Month.

  28. Bec

    Otir – you can have O Holy Night – just realised I am totally not confident enough for that! It’s been a while since I’ve tried it!

  29. Neil

    Bec — do it! We can have different versions. One of you can do the rap version.

  30. Bre

    Man I wish I wasn’t tone deaf! For all of your sakes, of course…

  31. Bec

    I’m going to record both songs and then choose at the last minute. Is there a time length cut off thing?

  32. Otir

    Bec: my “Holy Night”, I sung it in French anyway.

  33. lizardek

    Were You There on That Christmas Night? or White Christmas, your pick. 🙂

  34. OMSH

    I’m considering it too – but I had to say I LOVED your addition. 🙂

  35. Geeky Tai-Tai

    If don’t chicken out, I’ll play something on my tenor sax. How long can these recordings be?

  36. Erin

    I sent in Silent Night… and it even has me playing my guitar. 🙂

  37. melanie

    OOOO i want to try this. :cheesygrin:

  38. L.A. Daddy

    Hey – maybe you could record a few at my birthday party on the 8th? Just a thought…

  39. Non-Highlighted Heather

    I do not know if I will be able to participate this year but I will try.

    And to all of you who think you shouldn’t participate because you “can’t” sing, it doesn’t matter. Just do it. I love it. I know Neil loves it. The more the merrier.

  40. 180/360

    Just the way you say “Christmahanukwanzaakah!” makes me want to sing a song. 🙂

  41. therapydoc

    I’ll be there! I mean, I was there, at the Chanucha concert you’ll see next week. The boys (international heroes, Even Sh’siyah) will perform Hatikvah, a Niggun, and the Allman Brothers song, Jessica. Jess lit candles, too, we’re pretty sure.

  42. pam

    Wouldn’t miss it. Dunno what I’ll do yet, but I’m so in.

  43. merrymishaps

    I’m going to try to whip up something that I’m not embarrassed to share!

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