When I was younger, I made mixtapes for my friends, my siblings, my work colleagues, and often, just for me. For those under 35 who might not have had the experience of methodically pouring over your record and tape collection or waiting patiently by the radio for the replay of that one tune that really captures the essence of the person you are making the tape for, the hours you can spend with your two-slot cassette player are some of the most intimate and lonely, exhilarating and exhausting, optimistic and indulgent, and simply joyful experiences you can have (just ask your parents). Each tape is a story of a person. Some are goofy. Some are sobering. Some are topical. And some are just a hodgepodge of inanity. But each one is special. Every mixtape is a piece of your heart and glimpse of the “you” you are when no one is looking.

For the past 13 years, I have published a “Too Cool for Yule” playlist, as my love letter to the County and the people we serve. And while (sadly) Spotify has replaced the cassette tape, making the process easier, like much of 2020, this playlist was more difficult than ever to create.

How can I truly honor those that have left us too soon, the sacrifices we have all had to make, and the growing uncertainty of what next year will bring? How can I capture both the compassion and caring our neighbors have shown for one another throughout the pandemic, and our fervent wish for brighter days to come? So this was my attempt: