Take a stab at Christmas music trivia

Part of what makes Christmas special is the music.

No other holiday has the depth and scope and variety of holiday tunes.

With that in mind, I pass along these musical questions.

See how many you know. The answers are at the end.

1. Local talent Brenda Lee is known for her 1958 Christmas hit, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. But what was her first Christmas record?

2. Only one member of the Rolling Stones ever made a Christmas record. Which one?

3. Three of the Beatles made Christmas records. Which one did not?

4. What Christmas song started life as an ad for Montgomery Ward department stores in 1939, 10 years before it was first recorded?

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Merv Davis, of Graniteville, shares this holiday glimpse.

"Because one daughter is due to deliver a third grandson the day after Christmas, we celebrated yesterday in this house.

"Promptly at 5, the doorbell rang, and rang and rang. The celebration had begun. ...

"Gifts were exchanged and pizza was served, and then the tree was decorated. The Little Ones were responsible for the final touches.

"After finding an unopened box of foil icicles, they insisted on using them, too. Then in unison, they decided, to their great-grandmother's delight, that she, too, would look better if decorated in foil icicles.

"Too soon the tree was complete, with globs of foil and ornaments all approximating the individual reaches of the Little Ones. There are nine red silk balls clustered much like a planetary system alongside gift bows gored by Christmas tree limbs.

"Then there arrived a monster called Bedtime. There was much rushing about gathering things and buckling Little Ones into car seats. Suddenly the perfect storm was gone, but leaving wonderful memories and a perfect Christmas tree."

TODAY'S JOKE: A new pastor was doing well at his latest church, but the official board noticed the lawn in front of the church was not being kept up. A member was assigned to talk to the preacher about it and called upon him immediately.

"Pastor Bob," he began gently, "we all think you're doing a great job, but the grass around the front is looking pretty wild. You know, your predecessor did a wonderful job of keeping it trim."

"I know," the new preacher said, "but I talked to him and he doesn't want to do that anymore."

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MUSICAL ANSWERS:

1. Brenda Lee's I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus came out in 1956.

2. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones recorded Run, Rudolph, Run in 1978.

3. Beatle George Harrison never made a Christmas record, but Paul McCartney (Wonderful Christmastime), John Lennon (Happy Xmas (War Is Over)) and Ringo Starr (I Want to Be Santa Claus) all did.

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was originally a poem handed out to shoppers by the department store chain.

Reach Bill Kirby at (706) 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.