Singalong: Keep the Spirit–Winter Holiday Songs

Winter Holiday Singalong Plans: (All Ages)

Open with “The More We Get Together” – solicit children’s suggestions for other activities.

Sing Hanukkah songs with flannels (suggest that kids might make their own verses for the dreidel song) – end section with action “Spin Little Dreidel.”)

Sing “Flying on the Northwind” and “Rudolph,”  then sing “Frosty the Snowman” either with book or flannel.

Pass out musical rhythm band instruments for “cacophony chorus” – sing and/or play from CDs: “Jingle Bells,” "Feliz Navidad," “Little Drummer Boy,” “Deck the Halls” – collect instruments.  Season’s Greetings from Twentieth Century Masters, 2001 or Christmas Now has nice versions.

Sing (with or without the books): “The Marvelous Toy” by Tom Paxton (both the version illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles and the one illustrated by Steve Cox are nice) and/or a version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Sing: “This Little Light of Mine” and “We Wish You a Merry…”

Finish by singing Joe Raposo’s song “Sing” (on many Sesame Street albums.) At the end of my singalongs, everyone (kids and adults!) forms a large circle and sing “Sing” twice through.

(Sing the first time through very quietly:)Sing, sing a song.
Sing out loud  -- sing out strong.
Sing of good things -- not bad
Sing of happy -- not sad.
Sing, sing a song.
Make it simple to last your whole life long.
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear --
Just sing, sing a song.

La, la, la, la, la --  La, la, la, la, la (everyone holds hands and strides into the center of the circle)La, la, la, la, la, la, la (everyone backs out of the circle)Again, La, la….

(Then repeat the verses again but at full voice with emphasis…)Sing, sing a song.
Sing out loud  -- sing out strong!
Sing of good things -- not bad.
Sing of happy -- not sad.
Sing, sing a song.
Make it simple to last your whole life long.
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear --
Just sing, sing a song!
Just sing, sing a song!
(At the end of the song, we all sink to our knees, and I say any closing words e.g. “I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season” before hand-stamping the children.)

12.12, 12.14