Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Just as some well-known singer was raised on country sunshine, I was raised on Christmas Carols. I learned them, one word at a time, in the various Catholic schools I attended; and I demonstrated my knowledge of them in more than one Christmas pageant.

Today, I enjoy listening to them on radio, on CD, and even when I’m waiting for the person at the other end of the telephone line to take my order for a certain gift. In fact, it’s the only time of the year I’m willing to listen to forced entertainment via the phone.

Now that I’ve acquired an interest in playing the piano, I’m also interested in learning to play – you guessed it – Christmas Carols. My teacher, who is of a different religious persuasion, will just have to muddle through.

I’ve purchased three books of carols, all of varying degrees of difficulty; and I’m working diligently to create a repertoire before my sons arrive on Christmas Eve. There’s Charlie Brown’s favorite tune, “Christmas Time Is Here,” with its rather discordant modern notes. I put this against “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” with its equally chord-based and traditional notes.

The only requirement is that the songs must be in a relatively slow tempo, as I haven’t mastered eighth notes and quarter notes yet. Maybe next year. And that’s the cool thing about Christmas Carols . . . there will always be a next year.