Breaking With Tradition, I Give You Darlene Love's Christmas Song Early This Year

Darlene Love belts out "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
during her final holiday appearance on "Late Night With
David Letterman last night.  

I've made a tradition over the last several years on this here blog thingy of posting on Christmas Eve, Darlene Love's annual appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman" to sing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home.)"

This year, I'm doing it a few days earlier than usual because last night, Love gave the final performance of the song she'll ever do on Letterman.

That's because Letterman is retiring from his show next year.  No Letterman show, no Darlene Love appearance in 2015.

I guess it's fitting that I'm fiddling with tradition this year as this is an odd, maybe a little bittersweet Christmas for me this year anyway.

My husband Jeff is simultaneously home and not home for Christmas this year. By that I mean he went home to his side of the family in South Dakota for Christmas because we both thought it would be best if he went, since his dad passed away earlier this year.  The family should be together for the holiday.

Meanwhile, I'm staying in Vermont. I didn't spend Christmas with my side of the family last year, and we think it would be best if I spent the holiday with the Sutkoski clan in the Green Mountain State.

We're staying in touch, of course, and both sides of the family will visit each other via Skype or Facetime on Christmas Day, so it's all good. Any chance to see the Moderegers/Stengles et al and get the families together, even through technology, is a nice holiday gift indeed.

So, I'm dedicating this year's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" to Jeff, as he is and isn't home, but always in my heart.

Here's the awesome Darlene Love video:

My Traditional Darlene Love Christmas Greeting

Every year, the amazing Darlene Love appears on Late Night With David Letterman to do a grand, boisterous performance of her classic song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"  It's a tradition on the show.

Every year, I post Love's Letterman performance from the previous year. It's my tradition, and what's the Christmas season without tradition?

Darlene Love on David Letterman, Christmas Eve last year

This year, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is particularly apt for me, since my husband is away in South Dakota visiting family. I wasn't able to break away to join him this year.

 I get to visit my family in West Rutland, Vermont, so that will be fun. My holiday certainly will be the opposite of depressing.

I hope everybody reading this gets a chance to be with those they love this Christmas.

Though "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" can be a bit poignant, you can't help but feel great, feel a catharsis, feel joy when you listen to it.  Especially with the elaborate musical arrangement behind Darlene Love, and of course her perfect soulful voice.

 I hope you all find absolute joy this holiday.

Anyway, without further ado: Here's the video (sorry about the annoying Nokia ad at the beginning, but you know you can't escape commercialism at Christmas)