“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” (The Christmas Song, Mel Tormé) Relationships are so precious that we hang on to them the best we can. Sometimes it is a place, a scent, a photo, or a conversation. If the Lord tarries, one day, all we’ll have are photographs and memories of those who mean so much to us.
It was in July 1945 when Mel Tormé went to his friend's house in Los Angeles. The day was hot and muggy. Mel and his friend were longing for cooler weather. His friend left a notebook with the words “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” written down. So, Mel sat down at the piano and began writing a Christmas song. Even though it was July, the two men longed for wintertime and cooler temperatures.
The following year, the song was released with Nat King Cole singing it with his magical voice. It was a smash Christmas tune that has survived the test of time. A seven-year-old boy from Mississippi heard the song, and it struck a chord within him. He found there was something special about Christmas and longing for a present, for that was his experience. This young boy never forgot that song, and for the next seventy-four years, he would quickly state how it was his favorite Christmas song during the holiday season.
This week I heard that song playing. I thought of that little boy and his impoverished upbringing. How he faced many childhood Christmas seasons without presents or food. How he went to bed hungry and cold many nights. I thought about how the only constant in his life was to crawl out of bed, sit on his back door steps, and watch the sun dance over the horizon. It became his morning routine until he was bedridden at age 79.
That young boy was my Dad. When I heard Nat King Cole belt out, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” a lump came into my throat, and my eyes began to leak. Precious memories rushed in like a broken dam. I can still hear Dad talking about that song. He would try to sing it, but he was tone-deaf. His voice would cause dogs to bark and children to run for their lives, but he loved that song!
I wish I could hear him sing it one more time. Instead of laughing at his voice, I would join in and sing with him. And, because of the hope of the Gospel, one day, I’ll join with him around God’s throne. We’ll gather with God’s children from every age and nation and sing victory songs to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I smile to reflect on that coming day. The reunion in heaven for those who know Christ is going to be unimaginable and glorious. Don’t trade it for anything.
So, if you see me standing still in a store and appearing to be lost in time, my heart may be somewhere else. If the store is playing “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” I’m not ignoring you. I’m arrested by… a song, a memory, and a smile!
