“Hard Candy Christmas” by Dolly Parton.

That’s my favorite holiday song.

Before he got all famous and everything, I used to call Ron Anderson at WBBV and request it.

A lot.

He’d say, “Is this you again, Mitchell?”

I’d deny being me, and he’d play it. But then Caller ID came along and ruined everything.

A compilation of America’s top Christmas music lists “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” at the top.

That’s fine.

Among those of us who work at  The Vicksburg Post, especially those of us who get here pretty early in the morning, our tastes are what could politely be called eclectic.

Elizabeth, who now works for the state, was known for her rendition of “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt. I never actually heard her sing it. My suspicion is that she performed it at an employee event to which I was not invited. Her version probably included dancing, too. All I know was anyone could walk past Elizabeth any day during December, say, “Santa Baby” and she’d turn redder than any ornament on our humble newsroom tree.

Kathleen is partial to “Carol of the Bells,” but only the version by Homer Simpson.

For Karen, the season isn’t complete until she hears “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Vince Vance and the Valiants.

I spend a lot of time being grateful no one here demands “Blue Christmas” by Elvis. By admitting it here, I may be asking for an unhappy holiday, but ever since I worked in radio during college — and had to play that song 8 million times — it gets to me, and not in a good way.

Today’s the day, by tradition, that I put out all three of my office Christmas decorations.

The oldest and most venerated is a 15-inch plastic tree with a sensor and eyeballs. When anyone walks past, the tree starts singing “Jingle Bells.” Four years ago, the tree mysteriously disappeared from atop the bookcase where I put it. Not long afterward, a ransom note showed up taped to two “C” batteries. Travis was behind this. He thinks I don’t know it. The note said if I ever wanted to see the tree again I had to promise to keep the batteries in my desk. We had a negotiation centered on whose job it is to distribute the checks on payday and the tree reappeared. It has since been joined by a stuffed Santa who wiggles to “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” and a stuffed dog that barks “Silver Bells.”

Now we don’t have anything against the classics.  As I have written in the past, I have cherished memories of listening each year to Lucy Arcaro sing “Sweet Little Jesus Boy.” One of the best things about the Christmas season is the music, sacred and secular.

But while a lot of workplaces empty out as holidays approach, that’s just not true for all — including hospitals, emergency services, retail stores and newspapers. We may cut the staff to a minimum for the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and New Years, but people still expect to get a paper on holidays — and we haven’t figured out a way to get them to assemble, print and deliver themselves.

So we’ll be here.

And if I can remember where I’ve put my collection, we’ll be listening to Dolly and Eartha and Homer and Vince Vance and the Valiants.

And we’ll be avoiding Elvis.

At least as long as I’m in charge of passing out paychecks.

*

Charlie Mitchell is executive editor of The Vicksburg Post. Write to him at Box 821668, Vicksburg, MS 39182, or e-mail cmitchell@vicksburgpost.com.