Santa’s stolen ID, some holiday songs

I was mistaken for Santa Claus last week. Shopping for a particular cold remedy. I was looking at a lower shelf in the pharmacy section of my grocery store last when a lady bent down to move into my vision, smiled and did one of those little-girl waves waggling all her fingers at once and said, “Hey, Santa.” Possibly, I looked confused for a moment. I do have mostly white hair and a white beard. My belly certainly is large enough and could be described as round. And I have been told I have a twinkle in my eye. But still, I’m not used to being called Santa. Then I glanced down and noticed that I had on my red suspenders and a long-sleeved, burgundy-colored T-shirt. It’s possible that such an outfit could be hidden underneath the big red suit that usually makes the jolly fat man so easy to spot. Another woman saw the exchange and perhaps noticed that I didn’t flash the first woman a smile.. She apparently agreed that I resembled Santa Claus because she smiled sympathetically and said with a knowing touch of sarcasm, “I’ll bet you NEVER hear that, do you?” I appreciated her attempt at sympathy, so I said, “Oh, I don’t mind Santa so much. It’s when they tell me I remind them of (KFC founder) Colonel Sanders that it hurts.” This has been one of those years when the seasonal spirit seems lacking, so, despite my past reputation for being a lover of all things Christmas, I have not been in the mood. One of my personal traditions has been to try to find a “new” favorite Christmas album each year. I didn’t do it last year and have made no effort in 2014. The last one I “found” was “Tinsel and Light,” a 2012 release by English singer Tracey Thorn. Christmas music is enjoyable and adds spirit to the season. In most years, I start playing it as early as possible and keep it up through Jan. 1 or so. I grew up on the Bing Crosby, Perry Como and Lennon Sisters albums. Since I’ve had my own family, I’ve acquired new copies of those old standbys — I think I’ve owned versions of “Merry Christmas” by Bing Crosby in almost every format available during the past 40 years: vinyl, 8-track, cassette tape and CD. (It was reissued as “White Christmas” and expanded in 1986.) And I’ve added to the collection: my all-time favorite, “Elvis’ Christmas Album” and other greats such as the original “Christmas” CD by Mannheim Steamroller, the Carpenters’ “Christmas Portrait,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and all but the first Amy Grant Christmas album. (It was a bit too “country” for my tastes.) Occasional oddities have been included. For example, we’ve picked up “A Very She and Him Christmas” from 2011 and 1965’s “The Ventures Christmas Album” — and possibly the greatest Christmas collection ever, “A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector.” It was released by the now-imprisoned Motown musical genius in 1963, but I didn’t hear it until my son, Patrick, found it and gave it to me sometime during the “early aughts” of this century. As I was wrapping up this column earlier Wednesday (Christmas Eve), I finally found a copy of a 2014 album my daughter, Molly, suggested to me last week and tried it. I didn’t have particularly high hopes for it because I’m not a big country fan, but “Home for the Holidays,” by former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker, is enjoyable, especially his rousing rendition of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Try it. It’ll be a perfect companion for that light, post-Christmas period to get you into the new year. And you’ll be ready for the 2015 holiday season as early in the fall as your family members will allow you to play it. Merry Christmas.