"Happy Christmas..."

"Subject: Merry Christmas”

That’s how the email started…
… And I’ll admit that my heart sank a little.

I’m of the opinion that Christmas doesn’t start until the first Sunday of Advent, and even then I am not convinced that it has really sunk in until I hear “Fairytale of New York” played in public.

The reason for today’s email was to ask for some thoughts on my favourite Christmas song/carol for sharing:

“The idea is to reflect together on the coming of Jesus through the medium of song and music so it would be good if you could explain how your choice fits with your faith and being a disciple.”
​
I’ve got a couple of ideas, but I’m loathed to sit and listen to Christmas songs to clarify my thoughts in September! Yet I’m not sure I have a choice if I want to participate, especially as the deadline for thoughts is early/mid October!
Anyway, pre-listening I’m contemplating the following options:

“Humble King” by Brenton Brown:
You might be familiar with it as a song, but it’s one of those ones that has a Christmas verse that’s rarely appreciated or sung.
This song is a call to kneel, to worship, to appreciate the magnitude of the moment, the majesty of the stable, the beauty of the plan. It puts us there, and demands a response from us in the same way the original story demands of the wise men, that all people of all classes will be called to bow in the dust.

Here are the words:

Oh kneel me down again,
Here at Your feet
Show me how much You love humility
Oh Spirit be the star that leads me to
The humble heart of love I see in You

You are the God of the broken
Friend of the weak;
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need
I want to be like you Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble,
You are the humble King.

Here in the dusty ground
I bow with kings
Where wise men laid before their offerings
I lay no golden crown here at your feet
Just this my broken life I offer thee

“My Favourite Time of the Year” by The Florin Street Band:
I haven’t re-listened yet, but it was my favourite “new” secular Christmas song last year… I might have to listen to it and remind myself what it was about the song. It’s a happy one, and it builds excitement. 

There’s no direct reference to the Christian Christmas except for the tenuos-ness of the ill-defined word “Noel”, but the idea of choirs singing, and the gatherings that I primarily associate with Church and with Christmas:

Lanterns lighting up the town,
Peace on earth is all around,

Everything is calm on Christmas Eve.
There's goodwill in the air tonight,
Angels sing by candle light,
Their voices carried on the wind.
When carol singers gather round,
When I hear that festive sound,
I wanna join with them and sing!

They sing a merry song and we all sing along,
A festive melody that tells us Christmas time is here.
See the stars tonight; they're shining bright,
‘Cause it's Christmas time
and it's my favourite time of year.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Give me mistletoe; it's the season to be jolly,
Wrapping presents, writing cards,
helping decorate the tree,
But there's one thing that makes it all for me.
When carol singers gather round,
Angel voices fill the town,
It's like the world is joining in
(Noel, Noel, Noel)

Chorus

They sing a merry song and we all sing along,
A festive melody that tells us Christmas time is here.
See the stars tonight; they're shining bright,
‘Cause it's Christmas time and it's my favourite time of year.

Christmas Eve,
Still believe,
So excited,
Can't sleep,
When the morning comes,
Church bells ring,
And he's been

Chorus

They sing a merry song and we all sing along,
A festive melody that tells us Christmas time is here.
See the stars tonight; they're shining bright,
‘Cause it's Christmas time and it's my favourite time of year.

And it's my favourite time of year
(Noel, Noel)

“It Feels Like Christmas” by The Muppets:
There’s something profound about the simple eloquence of the Muppets, and the innocent brilliance and general “feels” of this song in particular. Again, there’s no mention of Jesus, but you can let the words speak to you through your knowledge of what the birth of Christ is all about:

It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true, wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas

A cup of kindness that we share with another
A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother
In all the places you find love
It feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message, if we hear it
Is make it last all year

It's in the giving of a gift to another
A pair of mittens that were made by your mother
It's all the ways that we show love
That feel like Christmas

A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love
It feels like Christmas

It's true, wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas

“Servant King” by Graham Kendrick:
More traditionally associated with Easter, but it tells the whole story after it’s nod to the stable. Christmas in isolation means nothing. It’s similar in many regards to my reasoning for Humble King, as it is about the giving of God to humanity. Musically there’s always been something in this song that has impressed upon me, but the words say just as much:

From heav’n You came, helpless Babe,
Entered our world, Your glory veiled;
Not to be served but to serve,
And give Your life that we might live.

Chorus
This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow Him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.

There in the garden of tears,
My heavy load He chose to bear;
His heart with sorrow was torn,
‘Yet not my will but Yours,’ He said.

Come see His hands and His feet,
The scars that speak of sacrifice;
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered.

So let us learn how to serve,
And in our lives enthrone Him;
Each other’s needs to prefer,
For it is Christ we’re serving.

“He Shall Reign Forevermore” by Chris Tomlin
I’m not a fan of Anglicising Christmas, I don’t like the bleak midwinter scenes, the snow, the non-crying baby, the blatant disregard for the source text, but I think that Tomlin uses artistic license well here.
I particularly like the chorus and the drawing together of the meekness and the majesty of God incarnate:

In the bleak mid-winter, All creation groans,
For a world in darkness, Frozen like a stone
Light is breaking, in a stable For a throne

Chorus
And He shall reign Forevermore, forevermore
And He shall reign Forevermore, forevermore
Unto us a Child is born,
The King of kings and Lord of lords
And He shall reign, Forevermore, forevermore

If I were a wise man I would travel far
If I were a shepherd, I would do my part,
But poor as I am, I will give to Him my heart

Bridge
Here within a manger lies
The One who made the starry skies
This baby born for sacrifice
Christ, the Messiah!
Into our hopes, into our fears
The Saviour of the world appears
The promise of eternal years
Christ, the Messiah!

But I haven’t decided which to go with yet, and I am willing to be swayed, so I’m going to invite you to help me in this process. Be as random as you like, but think about it.

3 steps:

1. Pick a carol/song
2. Share a link to the song
3. Tell me what it is about the song that sums up Christmas for you, particularly from a Christian perspective.