"Late Show" Christmas Tradition Continues Friday

The arrival of Christmastime comes in many forms for people.

Maybe it's seeing the first Christmas lights on a house in your neighborhood, or seeing the first Christmas trees for sale.

Maybe it's getting that first Christmas card in the mail, or buying the first present on your list, or seeing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” on television, or seeing the first nativity of the season set up in front of a church.

For me, it's not Christmastime until I hear Darlene Love sing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

That means it's Christmas at my place year-round, because I listen to that song at least once a month. It's one of my all-time favorite songs, and definitely my favorite Christmas song.

David Letterman seems to agree with me, as he's had Darlene Love on his show to sing the Christmas classic every year for more than 20 years.

Love will perform on “The Late Show with David Letterman” Friday, December 21.

It's been a rough year for Love, who suffered a heart attack this past summer, but I'm sure she'll be fine form Friday night.

Oh, and Mayan Apocalypse? If you could not happen until after Love performs, I'd appreciate it.

I've included a clip of Love's 2011 Letterman performance. Full disclosure: I listened to it three times while writing this.