Looking for Love at Christmas

Last Christmas, I was stuck in a major dilema. My problem? Well, only that my Christmas season could not officially start until I heard a song.

And not just any song, mind you. It had to be 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' sung by Darlene Love.

Not Mariah Carey. Not anyone. Just Darlene.

Sure, I had the CD (A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector). This is probably the best Christmas album of the last 50 years. Energetic, youthful, and has the catchy 'ring-a-linga-linga-ding-dong-ding' line in 'Here Comes Santa Claus'.

Problem was I could not find the disc. Worse, all I was hearing was Mariah oversing Darlene's song! I needed a Darlene Love fix!

So, I decided to buy a new copy. Simple, right?

No way. No way in this world.

Andrew and I went shopping. We went to Best Buy, with seemingly thousands of Christmas selections. No Phil Spector.

We went to Wherehouse Music. Strike two.

I even tried the Record Exchange on Hamption. Strike three. I was getting crushed.

After I dropped Andrew off at home. I declared strike three a foul tip. I went to Borders... and directly to the Christmas section.

And there it was! I found it! Only one copy, probably the only one in St Louis for all I knew. BUT IT WAS MINE!

I clutched it like I had found ancient gold! I immediately paid for my treasure, left the store and popped it in the CD player. I skipped the other songs, going straight for Darlene's 'Christmas'.

I listened. I cried.

You see. My sister, Carol, gave me my first copy of this album as a child. I treasured this album forever.

But now it has greater meaning. Carol passed away in 1991. I visit her each Christmas when I hear this version of this song.

To me, that's Christmas. We enjoy the love we share and remember the love we lost. We remember why we work to make ourselves better people.

Now it's Christmas 2005, and I hear the Love everywhere! Why? Darlene's on my iPod!

Merry Christmas!