A thought on Christmas music
Have you ever stopped to think what Christ mas would be like without music? Many radio stations are playing Christmas music almost non-stop. Everywhere you go, whether in the stores, restaurants, or in the churches-you are likely to hear the music of Christmas. I love the Christmas music of my childhood, like Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Santa Claus is coming to Town, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, and the Little Drummer Boy. I also love nostalgic songs like I’ll be home for Christmas, I’ll have a Blue Christmas, or White Christmas.
Many folks are partial to many of the upbeat Christmas songs like All I want for Christmas is You, Little Saint Nick, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, and Jingle Bell Rock.
Maybe you also like the more classical Christmas pieces like Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, the Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Vaughan William’s Fantasia on Christmas Carols, or Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio.
The other night, I went to a nearby church to hear Christ-mas music played by a handbell choir. One family years ago came to our church and played Christmas music on violins. Whether played on organs, pianos, guitars harps, or bells- Christmas music is special to us. Why? Maybe it is because it lifts us up from our everyday lives, situations, and challenges, and gives us something to celebrate. However, I believe it goes deeper.
Music has been associated with Christmas for a very long time. The early church was singing Gloria in Excelsis as early as A.D. 129. It is also known as The Morning Hymn, the Sanctus, or The Angelic Hymn. Monks still sing this song every day in the Church of the Nativ-ity in Bethlehem. The message of this earliest Christmas song I believe is the basis of why Christmas is, and a lot of Christmas songs are so important to us today. We all need the songs of, love, joy, God’s glory, and peace. Whether in the form of a Christmas hymn, or carol, they are the songs celebrating God sending His Son Jesus to be the Savior of the World. This was the message of the angelic proclamation to the shepherds- and the message is still true for us today. Enjoy the Christmas music, especially the songs of faith, for they speak to our deepest needs and desires-love, joy, and peace through the One born in Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas.
