Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas
Okkervil River Lyrics

Home is where beds are made and butter is added to toast.
Home is defined by the simple pleasures of a comfortable bed and a piece of toast with butter. It is a place of comfort and familiarity.

On a cold afternoon you can float room to room like a ghost.
A quiet house on a cold day can feel hauntingly peaceful as you wander through its rooms in solitude.

Take the crèche out and argue about who gets to set up the kings.
Traditions like setting up a nativity scene at Christmas can bring people together and spark friendly debates and competition.

And I know that it's home because that's where the stereo sings â??I've got dreams to remember.
The comforting sound of music from a familiar stereo reinforces the feeling of home, even when apart from loved ones.

But not even home can be with you forever.
As much as we may love and cherish our homes, they cannot join us on our journey through life and we must eventually leave them behind.

It's Christmastime and the plane flies me over white hills to a town in a dream, where the sky is frozen and still, and a room (that's not mine but it's just like I left it before, with the wax from the candles all dusty and locks on the door) where I held you so tenderly, and where in summer I opened your letter to me.
As the singer travels to a dreamy winter town, he recalls a specific room where he shared tender moments with someone he longs to be reunited with. The room remains unchanged, preserved as a memory of their love and connection.

I'm standing where we knelt and a miracle mile now borders it, but if I turn my back and look at the field I don't even notice it for a second.
Though the world around him may change, the singer remains rooted in his memories and emotions, focused solely on the past and the person he longs to be with.

There's a tangle of greenery where winter scenery ends.
Amidst the winter landscape, there is still life and growth, symbolizing the hope that the artist's connection with his loved one can continue to flourish despite distance and time.

And I hear that song sometimes and imagine us much more than friends - like if we stayed in this town, bought the first house that went up on sale, and how each Christmastime would bring inlaws and snowdays and holiday mail.
Memories of shared experiences and a shared love for a song lead the artist to envision an alternate future in which he and his loved one settle down together and build a life filled with joyful holiday traditions.

Your dad says you're living in Georgia since last September.
The artist is aware of the physical distance between himself and his loved one, as communicated through a third party.

Well, â??I've got dreams to remember.â?? I've got dreams to remember. Oh Sara, come back to New Hampshire. We'll stay here for
Despite the distance and barriers between them, the singer holds onto his hopes and dreams of reconnecting with his loved one in their shared hometown. He longs for the chance to build a future together surrounded by the comfort and familiarity of home.