December 25

To all my readers, whether or not you celebrate. These are the lyrics Judy Garland sang in “Meet Me In St. Louis” — not the words we hear on the radio today. They’re particularly poignant given our Year of Covid.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your heart be light.
Next year all our troubles
Will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Make the Yuletide gay.
Next year all our troubles
Will be miles away.

Once again as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more.

Someday soon we all will be together,
If the fates allow.
Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Music and Lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, 1944.