But what really brought the tears was the "It's my last." "I know. That's why I can't."

I know. Although I'm wondering why (or if) Sam has let himself believe he can't save Dean. I want to believe he's still plotting, deep down. I hope.

And Dean's question, about why Sam's about face, just killed me. What killed me more was Sam not even admitting that Dean once made Christmas for him, just letting it go.

Oh, BOYS.

2 of which are from Meet Me In St Louis recordings, the source of the song. It's not likely you'd heard them before.

So was that Judy singing on the show? Here's to all the soldiers families then, and all of them now.

Dude! and they make a big deal about sending this show to the troops! Merry Christmas Card indeed.

It wasn't Judy (IIRC, she was pretty darn young when the movie was filmed, so she sounds more or less exactly like she did as Dorothy on the soundtrack).

They seemed to have both versions of the bridge on the recording they used, which is odd.

I thought it sounded like Rosemary Clooney, but I'll admit I wasn't paying a lot of attention.

Gee, maybe I should watch it again! Right now! My life is full of hardships.

I thought it sounded like Rosemary Clooney

That is what I thought at first listen. According to wiki, it could have been anyone singing any version.

I thought it sounded like older Judy, like she must have recorded it again much later.

Okay, is meadow sweet - rue? And is that why you make wreaths out of holly? (Doesn't holly protect from evil?)

Meadow Sweet, Thalictrum rochbrunianium, is also known as Meadow Rue, I do believe, but there's some other plant that is supposed to protect from evil, but it's lost in my head with all the other lore I ever learned (Celtic, mostly. Don't know if it applies to this ep as I have to catch the repeat due to TV scheduling conflicts in my house. Tivo is *so* on my X-mas list).

I just got how Sam says Uncle Bobby gave him the amulet to give to John, and said it was "real special." Hmmm.

I seem to remember reading an article that said when the song was first written the original lyrics were cosidered too much of a downer, so the altered verse was inserted to brighten it up. Honestly, most of the time when I hear the music for that song start up I cringe, because there are so many godawful versions of it out there. (For instance, the one used on the "Bones" Christmas episode made me want to insert an icepick through my ear.)

Hey look -- I garnered a new tagline from the episode. But it's not particularly holidayish, so I guess I should keep looking.

Ooh, I missed that! I was wondering where he got it.