Christmas Carols

Ten Christmas Songs that Mention a Manger

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by Sandra Merville Hart

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 1:4-7)

The manger—a trough for horses and cattle to eat from—was the first bed for Jesus because there was no room at the inn.

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention a manger:

  • “Away in a Manger”
  • “Angels We Have Heard on High” – See him in a manger laid
  • “Good Christian Men Rejoice” – And he is in the manger now  
  • “Angels and Shepherds” – Lo he is lying, born in a manger
  • “Gentle Mary Laid Her Child” – Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger
  • “O Come, All Ye Faithful” – Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger
  • “While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks” – and in a manger laid
  • “Mary’s Boy Child” – and in a manger cold and dark
  • “O Holy Night” – The King of Kings lay thus lowly manger
  • “Fum, Fum, Fum” In a manger poor and lowly

Can you think of others?

Merry Christmas!

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

Sources

“Christmas Lyrics,” Mikeleal.com,  2021/10/04 http://www.mikeleal.com/christmas/songs.html.

Ten Christmas Songs that Mention Angels

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Angels played an important part in the birth of Jesus.

The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to let her know she’d bear the Son of God. His name was to be Jesus. (Luke 1:26-38)

An angel appeared to shepherds the night Jesus was born, telling them the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Then many other angels joined them and sang praises to God. (Luke 2:8-14)

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention angels:

  • “Angels We Have Heard on High”
  • “Angels From the Realms of Glory”
  • “Angels and Shepherds”  
  • “The First Noel” – The First Noel, the angel did say
  • “Gentle Mary Laid Her Child” – Angels sang about His birth
  • “O Little Town of Bethlehem” – The angels keep their watch of wondering love
  • “God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen” – “Fear not, then,” said the angel
  • “Mary’s Boy Child” – Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today
  • “O Holy Night” – Oh, hear the angel voices!
  • “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”

Can you think of others?

Merry Christmas!

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

Ten Christmas Songs About Santa

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Stores often play Christmas music to get shoppers in the holiday spirit. It works for me! Listening to holiday music while shopping puts me into the mood to buy gifts. 😊  

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention Santa Claus or St. Nicholas:

  • “Must be Santa”
  • “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas”  
  • “Here Comes Santa Claus”   
  • “Nuttin’ for Christmas” – I won’t be seeing Santa Claus
  • “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” – I don’t think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
  • “The Night Before Christmas” – In the hope that Saint Nicholas soon would be there
  • “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – Santa came to say
  • “Silver Bells” – This is Santa’s big scene
  • “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
  • “Up on the Housetop” Out jumps good old Santa Claus

Can you think of others?

Merry Christmas!

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

Sources

“Christmas Lyrics,” Mikeleal.com,  2021/10/04 http://www.mikeleal.com/christmas/songs.html.

Ten Songs that Mention Snow

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by Sandra Merville Hart

It’s that time of year again. Shops play Christmas tunes as background music to get customers in the mood for shopping.

These songs help to set the mood for me. There are several songs that mention snow—not my favorite. But I do love snowy scenes on Christmas cards. And I love watching it snow when everyone I love is safe at home, so snowy Christmas songs still work for me.

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention snow:

  • “Silver Bells” – Hear the snow crunch
  • “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas” – The sturdy kind that doesn’t mind the snow
  • “Let it Snow”
  • “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” – Please have snow and mistletoe
  • “Winter Wonderland” – In the lane, snow is glistening
  • “Jingle Bells” – Dashing through the snow
  • “Frosty the Snowman”
  • “Over the River and through the Woods” – Through white and drifted snow
  • “Sleigh Ride” – Outside the snow is falling
  • “White Christmas” – To hear sleigh bells in the snow

Can you think of others?

 

 

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Ten Christmas Songs that Mention Reindeer

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by Sandra Merville Hart

Many of us grew up watching Christmas specials like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. And who could forget The Santa Clause movies? I look forward to watching them every year.

It’s that time of year again. I thought it would be fun to search for songs that mention reindeer. I didn’t have any trouble finding them. Here’s my list:

  • “Up on the Housetop” – Up on the housetop, reindeer pause
  • “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
  • “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”
  • “Run Rudolph Run”
  • “Here Comes Santa Claus” – Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer
  • “The Christmas Song” – to see if reindeer really know how to fly
  • “The Night Before Christmas” – eight tiny reindeer
  • “This is That Time of the Year” – To Dasher, Dancer, Blitzen, Prancer
  • “Must be Santa” – Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh
  • “Little Saint Nick” – Run run reindeer

Can you think of others?

Merry Christmas!

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

12 Christmas Songs Children Love

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by Sandra Merville Hart

I start listening to Christmas music in November. Christmas carols put me in the mood for holiday baking, decorating, and shopping.

Children love to sing. They may sing in school and church programs around the holidays. There are so many Christmas songs that children love that I had difficulty narrowing it down to twelve. Hope this list includes some of your favorites.

12)  “Mary’s Boy Child”

11)  “Frosty the Snowman”

10)  “Christmas Time is Here”

9)   “Twelve Days of Christmas”

8)   “Jingle Bell Rock”

7)   “Jingle Bells”

6)   “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

5)   “Holly Jolly Christmas”

4)   “Silent Night”

3)   “Deck the Halls”

2)   “Little Drummer Boy”

1)   “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

What is your favorite Christmas song?

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

The Christmas Truce

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by Sandra Merville Hart

The war had been going on for five long months. Soldiers missed their families, their homes, and those special girls who awaited their return.

They also missed being warm and well-fed on this cold winter’s evening. Earlier in that December of 1914, Pope Benedict XV had suggested the armies suspend fighting temporarily to celebrate Christmas, a request denied by the countries at war.

The soldiers hunched in the long trenches across from their enemy, longing for warmth, longing for something to mark this day as Christmas Eve. No man’s land, the area between opposing armies, was only about 100 feet in places. In those spots, soldiers could hear each other. The smell of meals cooking in the enemy trenches often wafted over.

Then the lonely soldiers heard something unexpected on the moonlit night—not the sounds of rifles or cannons, but singing. The Germans sang a Christmas carol in their own language. Next, Allied troops from opposing trenches sang a Christmas tune. This continued until the Allies began the familiar carol, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” German soldiers joined in with the Latin words to the song. It must have been extraordinarily comforting.

helmet-1465352_960_720British Captain A.D. Chater was writing a letter to his mom at 10 am the next morning when he witnessed an amazing sight: a German soldier waving his arms before he and a companion, weaponless, entered no man’s land.

A British soldier cautiously approached them. Within five minutes, officers and men from both armies filled the area. They shook hands and exchanged Christmas greetings.

The soldiers kicked around a soccer ball together. Some accounts mention playing football. A German barber cut a British soldier’s hair. They gave each other gifts of plum pudding, cigarettes, and hats. They posed for photos together and exchanged autographs.

Each side also took the opportunity to bury their dead, soldiers who had been laying in no man’s land for weeks.

Around 100,000 soldiers—two-thirds of the men there—shared in the unforgettable Christmas truce.

christmas-1010749_960_720Peace lasted in a few areas until after New Year’s Day.

The Christmas truce never happened again.

The faith and joy of the season crossed enemy lines one lonely Christmas. Fighting ceased for a moment in time.

 

Sources

Bajekal, Naina. “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914,” Time Inc., 2016/10/26  http://time.com/3643889/christmas-truce-1914/.

“Christmas Truce of 1914,” History.com, 2016/10/26  http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/christmas-truce-of-1914.

Dearden, Lizzie. “Christmas Day Truce 1914: Letter From trenches shows football match through soldier’s eyes for the first time,” The Independent, 2016/10/26  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/christmas-truce-of-1914-letter-from-trenches-shows-football-match-through-soldiers-eyes-9942929.html.

 

Ten Christmas Songs that Mention Food

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by Sandra Merville Hart

It’s that time of year again. Shoppers hear Christmas tunes in malls and stores while selecting the perfect sweater for Grandpa. Radio stations play familiar carols as commuters rush from one store to the next searching for the video game that tops their teenager’s wish list.

pumpkin-pie-520655_960_720We hum the tunes and suddenly remember that lunch was hours ago. It’s funny to think that several of our favorites mention food.

Here’s a list of ten traditional Christmas songs that mention food or drink:

  • “The Christmas Song” – Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
  • “Let it Snow” – And I’ve brought some corn for popping 
  • “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas” – With candy canes and silver lanes aglow
  • “Over the River and Through the Woods” – Hurrah for fun; the pudding’s done, Hurrah for pumpkin pie.
  • “The Wassail Song” – Love and joy come to you, and to your wassail, too
  • “Sleigh Ride” – When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
  • “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” – Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie
  • “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Marshmallows for toasting
  • “Home for the Holidays” – And some homemade pumpkin pie
  • “We wish you a Merry Christmas” – Oh, bring us a figgy pudding

 chestnuts-789518_960_720So if you find yourself a bit hungry while Christmas shopping, it may be the songs you are humming along to from the sound system!

Merry Christmas!

 

Sources

“Christmas Lyrics,” Mikeleal.com,  2016/10/19 http://www.mikeleal.com/christmas/songs.html.”

 

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