I can't believe it's been 3 days since I checked this thread. In response to M. Ted's query of 2:30 pm 12/15, yes, he's right, the song I was thinking of (as a *good,* not bad, nouveau-Xmas tune, performed annually on the Lettterman TV show) was indeed "Christmas, Baby, Please Come Home," and the artist is Darlene Love, not Ronnie Spector.

Someone mentioned really hating "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," for which I have a special affinity. I've been working as Santa Claus at the local mall for the last couple of years (see member-photo section), and I pick out tunes on a one-octave C-major toy xylophone between visitors. The situation is somewhat reminiscent of my streetsinger years, even though I'm not singing, only playing, and the indoor mall "crossroads" is only a pale imitation of a real streetcorner

As you might imagine, establishing an instant rapport with young mothers of small children is part of the job, and my instrumental rendition of "I Saw Mommy..." never fails to bring a few new customers quickly out of the woodwork. I call it my "subliminal advertising," and my coworkers (photographer and cashier) get a good laugh out of how well it works.

The dinky little plastic box with metal keys has a nice "chimey" sound, and is surprisingly loud and resonant. The acoustics are probably enahanced by my position directly below a large pyramidical skylight. For the record, other numbers in my xylophone repertoire:

Joy to the World (*very* well suited to the instrument)
Deck the Halls
Rudolph (including the "verse," or intro, since last year when one six-year-old berated me for not including it!)
Jingle Bells

The absence of sharps, flats, and notes above and below the single octave make it impossible to play all the Christmas tunes I'd like. When crowds are thin, I don't hestitate to noodle around and experiment, trying new tunes and even playing a few that I *know* I can't play perfectly because one or two notes are just not there -- like:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (in D-minor -- can get all but one note)
Mel Torme's Christmas Song ("Chestnuts...") -- I can play several whole sections, but not the whole thing.

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Must add to the "nice" list of enjoyable non-traditional seasonal songs: something playing on my radio at this very minute:

Louis Armsrong's "'S That you, Santa Claus?" followed by his "Christmas Time in New Orleans."