Music is huge in my family.
Every holiday and gathering is marked by music. Families gathered round a campfire with guitars. Generations circling the piano singing with hearts and souls. Aunts and uncles. Nieces and nephews. Rocking chairs and wheel chairs. Family jumbled together and bonded by music.
Especially the music of Christmas.
This year I’ve noticed a change. What has happened to the Christmas music? I went for a drive last night to look at the Christmas lights (what’s happened to those btw? A blog for another time), and tried to find a station with Christmas music. Good luck. I found three. Two Christian stations playing modern pop Christmas songs which NO ONE knows and one top forty station playing a steady diet of Rocking Around the Christmas Tree while Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.
Left me empty. Left me longing for more. Left me asking is this all there is? We were made for more than Santa, Frosty, Rudolph and Jack Frost. There’s blessing in all this empty and longing for more. It leads us to Jesus.
Hark the herald
Blood, sweat, and tears mixed with hay and straw. A little baby born on a cold bitter night. God’s perfect gift. Peace on earth and good will to men. Grace upon grace. Sing a song of Christmas and welcome the Newborn King.
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” Luke 2:8-15
For you listening pleasure, take a break and listen to some music of the season. The music of Christmas proclaims the real reason we sing, Christ the Savior is born.
Listen to the Music of Christmas:
Stille Nacht
The First Noel
A Cradle in Bethlehem
This one always wrecks me. Every. Single. Time.
A little Christmas quiet:
Gregory Dickow: The Silence of Christmas
I didn’t think there were very many Christmas shows on TV this year. Other than Hallmark Channel. I watched it while I was cleaning and baking things. I thought it was just me! Around here it was 98.7 and l05.7 were all Christmas music.
I had a great Christmas and hope you all did also. Happy New Year – Judy Casner
I didn’t think about Christmas shows! I have bought DVD’s or Digital copies of the ones I like, but it’s not the same as waiting eagerly for the one night it will be shown on national tv. My new favorite is The Nativity Story. I’ll try putting a link below. What’s your favorite Christmas movie?
The Nativity Story - Full Bible Movie by Pakistanichristians
Beautiful, Mary. I remember and love all the music with family. We have to seek out the meaning in Christmas, as it gets more and more commercialized and “sanitized” from Jesus. Love this post and all the music you have chosen.