A British bishop says some traditional Christmas carols are misleading, and turn Jesus into “Father Christmas.” In regard to “Away In a Manger,” Rt. Rev. Nick Baines says:
I always find it a slightly bizarre sight when I see parents and grandparents at a nativity play singing Away in a Manger as if it actually related to reality,” he said.
“I can understand the little children being quite taken with the sort of baby of whom it can be said ‘no crying he makes’, but how can any adult sing this without embarrassment?
The Rev. Baines has written a book, “Why Wish You a Merry Christmas? What Matters (And What Doesn’t) in the Festive Season.”
And thanks, Bro. Jay, for the link.
Dating Jesus 
I have to admit that “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger” are two of my least favorite carols.
Too sentimental and mawkish for my taste.
What’s your favorite?
Away in the Manger gives me the creeps – always has – that stay by my bedside til morning is nigh stuff. But srsly Bishop – Jesus was GOD. Of course he didn’t cry. Mary had to get something good out of the deal.
I like Winter is Coming but that’s weird and obscure about people freezing to death and such, so one never gets sick of it.
I have to go look that one up.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing, used to think it was about my Uncle Harold.
Angels We Have Heard on High, my son used to think it was about a girl named Gloria.
Or Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer! I’m kidding!!
That gave me a giggle! I do like Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer, and I’m not kidding.
Oh, awesome. That last one’s now stuck in my heart. I really like “Angels We Have Heard On High.”
Adeste fidelis, In the Bleak Midwinter, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. and others.
I like all of those, Jay. BUT – I also like Silent Night. When my Grandma was in the midst of Alzheimer’s and was forgetting words right and left, she loved to sing that song (no matter what month it was). She remembered the tune and every word and it made her sooo happy. It was the only song she’d sing. I became quite fond of it as a result.
Don’t know “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Man! There are so many carols out there. Where have I been all my life?
In a fundie church, that’s where.
Thank you for not saying “Head up your butt” or something equally hateful. I appreciate that.
Here’s one of my favorites . . .
Jac, I understand about your grandmother. I may be in the same boat some day.
I just like carols and hymns with a bit more theological content. Also, “Silent Night” is often sung as a recessional at evening or midnight church services. It would work as part of a Service of Lessons and Carols, but does it always have to be the last out the door?
Feeling a wee bit curmudgeonly today, I guess.
Now that you mention it, that’s how our 11pm Christmas eve service ends. We each have a candle and they are lit from a single candle, with the fire spread across the congregation to symbolize the spread of Jesus’ love…all in silence. Then we sing Silent Night and file out the door and gather in front of the church while singing. It’s actually very nice to gather out in the cold and huddle together with our candles while singing that song. I like it for that reason, too.
We’ve only gone to a couple of those over the years and more often attend an earlier service.
That’s a cool ritual.
Favorite Advent hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Favorite Christmas carol: What Child Is This, Children Go Where I Send Thee, Hallelujah Chorus. (Not sure that these are technically Christmas carols, but I don’t have a hymnal nearby.)
I read that the Hallelujah Chorus was meant for Easter, but I can’t find that now and maybe I dreamed it and we didn’t have Christmas carols, anyway, so whadda I know? I love “What Child Is This,” which is the only song I ever learned to plink on a banjo. “O Come” is beautiful, too.
Oh, aMEN and double amen!
In the Bleak Midwinter, sung as only the English can.
Oh, thankee! This is beautiful.
Spectacular rendition. I love that song. Though I think the mom with babe in arms and the kiss right on cue was perhaps staged.
You must all know another fabulous fave — Lo How A Rose E’re Blooming?
And yes, the Hallelujah Chorus is part of the “Easter section” of the Messiah. Typically what we sing at Christmas is the “Christmas section” plus the Hallelujah, just for jollies. Did you know that Handel wrote that for the poor people, to be sung as a benefit? At Our Lady of Sorrows in Hartford, they do a wonderful free Messiah benefit concert with professional soloists every year — usually in January.
I’ve been to one of those performances. It was splendiforous. And I thought I didn’t know “Lo How a Rose E’re Blooming” but I do. I love that song and never once listened to the words. Here it is — a cappella, of course, just as Jesus sang it (smile): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fsYyErZKEs
My favorites to sing are different than the ones that are my favorites to enjoy. Since I’m not singing, these are among my favorites:
and I LOVE Tuck & Patti’s song, Christmas Wish (it’s really the best contempory Christmas song I know):
http://popup.lala.com/popup/504966116961040640
Rock on, Ms. Jac. Nice, again!
Thanks. I don’t think you can listen to the whole Tuck & Patti song with that link. Since I really like the lyrics, here they are:
Christmas Wish – by Tuck & Patti
For Christmas this year, I know exactly what you’d like
And I know you I want the same thing too
And I wish that I could give to you all your heart desires
And see your face on Christmas day when all your dreams come true
But worldwide understanding and peace for people everywhere
Is something that’s beyond my reach
But we could try to do it simply we could do it from the heart
Give presents we know will never fade
And with all the ones we love and everyone we know
Step by simple step, I know that we’ll achieve
In our homes at least, a world that’s filled with peace
We all know in our hearts, there’s not a thing that we can buy,
that can match the love we have to give inside.
And all the diamonds or computers can’t fill that empty place inside.
I want to give the kinds of presents that I know will never die.
They say that charity begins at home and I believe that’s true
How can this world get along if I can’t get along with you
But we could try to do it simply we could do it from the heart
Give presents we know will never fade
And with all the ones we love and everyone we know
Step by simple step, I know that we’ll achieve
In our homes at least, a world that’s filled with peace
Weirdly, I got to the link, but maybe because I fixed my computer so spectacularly…no, that can’t be it. But thank you for the lyrics. This is very cool.
And I could only listen to 30 secs of it before it asked me to buy it. Perhaps I should have you fix my computer, too.
Well, there is a seasonal song (not a Christmas Song) that I have on my Christmas playlist that I enjoy at this time of year, too. For your listening pleasure:
Oh, how cool! I don’t often love live singers singing with dead ones, but I do love me my Dean Martin.
I also loved the one with Natalie Cole singing “Unforgettable” with her deceased Dad, Nat King Cole.
I did not love that one. I don’t know why. Probably because every Christmas of my adult life, I put on the Nat King Cole Christmas album and any one singing with him — even his daughter with her beautiful voice — feels wrong to me.
I wondered if that was the one that you didn’t care for since there are not a lot of singers who sing with another dead singer. (did I say that correctly?) He was great for sure. I’ve got one of his Christmas albums. What a smooth voice. I thought it was nice for Natalie to be able to sing with her Dad in some way.
Yeah, and I’m being a turd not liking it, probably. But I love his voice and am digging around to find the CD now. I think it’s packed away in my storage bin, with all my other worldly goods.
I have a 45 (that’s a record to you youngsters) of Claudia Schmidt and Paul Cebar singing Baby It’s Cold Outside, with the roles reversed (she’s talking HIM into staying). It’s a gas.
Funny! Do you also still have a record player/turntable? I think we have one in a box somewhere.
I know what a 45 is! Do I get a sticker? (And I was trying to explain recently that little doohickey — we’ve talked about this before — that fit on the pokey-up thing on the turntable so you could play one…I was not, as you might imagine, successful.)
Ah “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, my friend Randy Brooks will be happy to know his song has reached into the great beyond (beyond North Texas that is).
Tell your friend Randy Brooks that he wrote a viral song (as in spreads like a virus and you can’t get it out of your heard) before “viral” was even a compliment.