Christmas Music: Hymns vs. Carols

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I’ve been listening to a lot of Christmas music lately, and it got me thinking, there’s such a beautiful difference between the classic Christmas carols we all grew up with and the more traditional hymns that focus deeply on Christ’s birth.

I notice I’m drawn to both for different reasons.
My favorite carol this season is “O Holy Night”, something about it always stops me in my tracks.
And my favorite hymn is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” It feels so prayerful and full of longing and hope.

What about you?
Do you find yourself leaning more toward popular carols this year, or traditional hymns?
And do you have a favorite you’ve been listening to lately?

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The BEST Christmas song is Mary, Did You Know? But, I’m honestly not sure if I’d consider that a carol. :thinking::thinking:

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Ha, @JennyLynne

Ha ha, that’s funny. I’m so goofy. Everytime I hear that song “Mary did you know” I start yelling, "YES YES, Yes for goodness sake, She Knew, She Knew, stop asking. "

"Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
(Luke 1:26-38)

Yes, she knew!
(I sure hope my outbursts are not contageous, and you start yelling: “YES YES, Yes for goodness sake, She Knew, She Knew, stop asking”, every time you hear that song from now on too. If so, so sorry!)

Glory to The Newborn King
KP

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I have been thinking about Christmas music a lot too. 'Tis the season. :slightly_smiling_face:

I like both Christmas carols and hymns as well. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is so hauntingly beautiful. Definitely one of my favorites, too. “O Come All Ye Faithful” is another favorite. Newer (to me) is also “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.”

I’ve also been thinking about Christmas songs that I love that are not very popular (at least anymore). I’d be very curious to know what are some of your favorite non-mainstream Christmas songs. So much of what is wonderful about Christmastime to me is the nostalgia.

For example, I love the song Mary’s Boy Child (especially the out there but wonderful version by reggae/disco band Boney M.). I heard it on the radio all the time growing up, but never hear it on Christmas radio stations anymore. The lyrics are really moving:

"For a moment the world was aglow, all the bells rang out
There were tears of joy and laughter, people shouted
‘Let everyone know, there is hope for all to find peace’

Oh my Lord
You sent Your son to save us
Oh my Lord
Your very self You gave us
Oh my Lord
That sin may not enslave us
And love may reign once more

Another Christmas song I never hear anymore is “I Believe in Father Christmas” by Greg Lake. Certainly not an obviously Christian song, but I’ve always loved pondering its deeper meaning, even as a child. I’m still not sure I completely understand it, but I’m drawn to the realism yet hopefulness amidst the sometimes pollyannaish nature of many more modern Christmas songs.

One more I really love is called “Touch Hands on Christmas Morning.” It wasn’t until I heard my pastor preach a message about the verse in Isaiah that is a prophecy of how the Messiah will make all things right that I realized that was what this song was referencing when it says:

“When you gather on Christmas morning
Touch hands and thank the Lord
When you gather on Christmas morning
(Touch hands on Christmas mornin′)
Touch hands and thank the Lord
Pray that with tomorrow
The plow will bury the sword
(Touch hands on Christmas mornin’)
Touch hands and thank the Lord
When you′re trimmin’ the tree with candy
(Touch hands and thank the Lord)
When you’re trimmin′ the tree with candy
(Touch hands on Christmas mornin′)
Touch hands and thank the Lord”

The verse from Isaiah is talking about the peace that the Prince of Peace will bring and says, “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

That image of transforming a weapon and tool for destroying and killing into a tool for cultivating and stewarding the land is actually one of my favorite Advent/Christmas images. It speaks so powerfully to our hope as Christians.

Those are a few of mine. I really love almost all Christmas music (except for very modern pop Christmas songs and the Jackson Five haha).

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