[ti:I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas]
[ar:Steve Ember]
[al:Words and Their Stories]
[by:www.21voa.com]
[00:00.00]This is Steve Ember with a VOA Special English holiday program.
[00:07.81]Music fills the air. 
[00:11.21]Colorful lights shine brightly in windows. 
[00:15.00]Children and adults open gifts from loved ones and friends. 
[00:20.13]These are all Christmas traditions.
[00:24.01]Another tradition is snow. 
[00:29.69]Christmas in the northern part of the world 
[00:32.68]comes a few days after the start of winter. 
[00:35.76]In many places, 
[00:37.66]a blanket of clean white snow 
[00:40.35]covers the ground on Christmas Day. 
[00:43.04]This is what is meant by a "White Christmas."
[00:47.02]Of course, many places do not get snow at Christmas. 
[00:51.55]In fact, they may be very warm this time of year. 
[00:55.88]People who like snow, 
[00:57.97]but live where it is warm, 
[01:00.38]can only dream of having a white Christmas.
[01:04.01]American songwriter Irving Berlin captured these feelings 
[01:09.78]in his song "White Christmas." 
[01:12.28]It is one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. 
[01:17.40]The opening words explain 
[01:20.09]why the singer is dreaming of a white Christmas. 
[01:23.89]Most people never hear these words, 
[01:26.68]so they never really understand the true meaning of the song. 
[01:31.52]Here's how it starts:
[01:33.61]The sun is shining.
[01:35.95]The grass is green.
[01:37.89]The orange and palm trees sway.
[01:40.73]I've never seen such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A.
[01:45.70]But it's December the 24th
[01:48.55]And I'm longing to be up north.
[01:52.28]Up north, where it is cold and snowy.
[01:56.37]Not south, where it is warm and sunny.
[01:59.48]Over the years, hundreds of singers 
[02:02.32]and musicians have recorded "White Christmas." 
[02:05.15]But the version most people still know best 
[02:08.64]was sung by Bing Crosby.
[02:11.17]Songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia in 1888. 
[03:36.01]He did not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. 
[03:39.79]He was Jewish.
[03:41.36]But his song celebrates an idea of peace 
[03:45.67]and happiness that anyone, 
[03:48.03]anywhere -- snowy or not -- can enjoy.
[03:52.18]To all of you, best wishes this holiday season 
[03:56.49]from all of us in VOA Special English.
[03:59.89]This is Steve Ember.
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