Things I Love: GOOD Christmas Songs

Okay, after ripping on some of the more tacky of our festive songs, I should probably tell you some of my favorites.  I would also love to hear yours!  Mine run the gamut of the sacred/secular and contemplative/cheezy scales.

1.  Hark the Herald Angels - Like many hymns, it took me several years to really understand the importance of this song.  The melody is very sweet and lyrical.  Almost like a children's song . But do not be mistaken.  The verses guide you through the most important tenets of the Christian faith.  It is a beautifully singable song of deep theological meaning. 

Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth

This is basically Philippians 2 in verse form.  And, yes, I am proudly "one of those" that believes utterly and completely that Jesus did "lay His glory by" in order to step onto our sinful earth.  Born to conquer death. Wow.  Please don't be pacified to sit back and sing this as if you could easily transition into Jingle Bells. Great song.

2.  All I Want for Christmas is You - The Mariah Carey version all the way!  I know, its a departure from  a hymn about the Incarnation, BUT, come on!  I can't help it.  I have to sing every word.  And each year my goal is to achieve one more impossible Mariah Carey trill as she sings the entire musical scale in 6 seconds. It will happen!  

3.  Linus and Lucy - From Charlie Brown's Christmas...and again...now I feel so lame listing things other than songs about Jesus...but I just adore Vince Guaraldi, the composer of that special.  He is a genius.  I can't think of another children's cartoon Christmas special with such magnificent music.  If I could play this song on the piano I would be happy.  And, if by some Christmas miracle, my husband suddenly learned to play this on the piano for me...um, yeah...that would do it for me.  No joke.  Also, each year I have a new favorite dancer from that song.  This year, it is the girl with the Naturally Curly Hair.

4.  What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - They play this alot on Sirius XM's Holiday Traditions station.  I love it because it reminds me of that super romantic and intense phase of a relationship where you have fallen hard for someone.  This couple in this song probably met at Thanksgiving.  So awkward!  And now, they know they are special enough to each other to spend New Year's Eve together, but of course they have that midnight kiss to look forward to.  You say yes to that date and you are saying yes to much more.  Couple that with the sultry lyrics and music and I get swoon-y every time.

5.  I Heard the Bells - The story behind this song is compelling.  Side note:  pay attention to your old hymns.  Its easy to think, "A song about bells...wow, how cheesy", but do some research.  Think about the words of these types of song.  Let them steep in your brain for a while.  They are a treasure.   Anyways, here's the deal.  The author lived during the Civil War.  It was a dark time.  The quick victory was now stretching into years of turmoil, destruction, death, and poverty.  No one wanted this thing to continue but the only way to make it stop was to keep going.  A truly miserable time for our nation.  Think of it.  Long lists were posted daily of the newly deceased.  Each day, you knew you had to go see that list, but to do so meant confronting the anticipation of seeing your loved one's name on that list.  Should they be safe one more day, you are still surrounded by the wails of wives, lovers, children, mothers and fathers who were not so lucky all around you.  The Bells tolled for the dead.   Here sits our author.  Hearing those Bells on Christmas Eve.  This time, tolling the forthcoming birth of Jesus.  But, the Bells have rung too many times to bring anything but despair.  However, somewhere in that despair, a thought...a truth is brought to mind.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men  

I sing those lines and I feel like I could do battle against an army of 10,000.   Its the rally cry of Christendom!  The disease, evil, and destruction of this world will not win!  Press on!  And to think, back at the time of Christ's birth...God had been silent for 400 years.  And then, with the cry of  a baby born in a dirty stable we can again say, "God is not dead!"    

And with that, I say Merry Christmas.  Bop to Mariah in your car, watch Charlie Brown's Christmas,  smooch a loved one, and may the Peace of God rule in your hearts this season!