The radio stations have been playing Christmas songs for weeks to help us all find the Christmas Spirit. We hear the "most popular" Christmas songs played repeatedly from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.
Have you ever really paid attention to what these "popular" songs are telling us year after year, day after day, as we sing along in the car, at work, at home, and just about everywhere we go during this season?
Here are a few of the messages that we hear over and over during this time of year:
- Deck the halls
- Santa Claus is coming to town
- You better not cry
- All I want for Christmas is
- Have yourself a merry little Christmas
- Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for toys
- We've been good, but it can't last
- It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, toys in every store
- Whisper what you'll bring to me
- Bring it right here
No wonder we feel compelled to overshop, overspend, and overindulge ourselves and others!
Now, despite the emphasis on what "I'm getting" in so many popular Christmas songs, there are other good messages to be found in these modern-day songs as well:
- There's no place like home for the holidays
- Feed the world
- It's the best time of the year
- Friends are calling
- As long as you love me so
- May your days be merry and bright
In addition to the "most popular" Christmas songs, the radio stations also mix in a variety of "classic" Christmas carols, which have completely different messages:
- Glad tidings of great joy
- Joy to the world, the Lord is come
- Let every heart prepare him room
- Silent night, holy night
- Christ, the Savior is born
- With wondering awe, the wise men saw
- Good tidings of comfort and joy
- Oh come all ye faithful
- Come and behold him
- Peace on earth, good will to men
But have you ever noticed that these "classic" carols don't get as much play time as the "most popular" songs of the season?
As I reflect on this season, I think a couple of lines from songs in both the "popular" and "classic" categories sum up how I feel the best:
- Where are you Christmas, why can't I find you
- Remember Christ the Savior, was born on Christmas day
As Christmas Day grows closer and closer, and as the frenzy and frantic feelings escalate to get presents and packages tied up with strings, to wish you a Merry Christmas, to attend the parties and have a cup of cheer, don't forget that to REALLY make the season bright, we have to make room in our lives for Jesus Christ.
Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
1 Cheers (not Jeers!):
Very nice. Chris and I were just having a conversation last week, on how even some of the most moving, classic Christmas songs still having nothing to do with the Savior's birth (and how abominably irritating some of the MOST played songs are!). Your blog is a good reminder (of which, we will all need many), especially as Christmas Eve is only a week away. What will our focus be? We shall see.
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