December 10, 2007
What’s your favourite Christmas Carol?
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One of my favourite things about Christmas is Christmas Carols.
When I was a kid we used to go around the neighbourhood singing Christmas Carols outside people’s front doors in the week leading up to Christmas. (Mind you in those days kids could wander about the streets after dark without parents having the fears we have today.) And it was a great feeling, singing those wonderful Christmas hymns.
I still love Christmas Carols but unfortunately you don’t hear them as often these days. I’m not talking about Christmas Songs like Jingle Bell Rock or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas etc. You hear those every time you watch a Christmas show on TV or walk into a shopping mall. I’m talking about real Christmas Carols. You remember the ones:
- Once in Royal David City
- Away in a Manger
- Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
- Whilst Shepherd’s Watched Their Flocks by Night
- Silent Night
- We Three Kings
Carols which really put you in the spirit and feeling of Christmas.
And I’m going to share my all time favourite with you here, to help you get the true feeling of Christmas flowing:
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth !
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth !
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given !
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell,
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel !
It doesn’t matter whether you’re religious or not, this is what Christmas is about. And it’s Carols like these that have meaning at Christmas, not the trite Christmas songs that focus on the commercial side of Christmas.
Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol? Let us know what it is and if it’s something not well known, perhaps you could include the words.
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9 Responses to “What’s your favourite Christmas Carol?”
Great post, Karen!!!
Like you, I adore Christmas carols and I’m sad that they aren’t played much anymore (instead radio stations seem to favour the silly Christmas songs with no reference to the real meaning of the Season). It would be hard for me to pick one favourite, so I will choose 3!!
I absolutely love “O Holy Night”, “Joy to the World”, and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. I also really like “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, it has such wonderful words!
By Hannah on Dec 11, 2007
I actually heard this one at the shops the other day, and thought of you.
My personal favourite is probably Good King Wenceslas (my spell-checker is probably right about that being mis-spelled, but…), but as a whole I’d have to say that I love most of the old carols. Which is weird, seeing how non-religious I am.
By Seona on Dec 11, 2007
I can’t even read the words of O Little Town of Bethlehem without singing it in my head Hannah. I just love it.
Ah yes, I remember you always liked Good King Wenceslas, Seona. It’s one of my favourites too (aren’t the all), probably because it has such a good strong storyline to it. Of course you don’t often hear all the verses sang.
By karooch on Dec 11, 2007
I think my all time favorite it Tiny Angels as sung by Roger Whitaker. I have his Christmas cd and adore all the songs on it (esp. Darcy the Dragon); but Tiny Angels will always bring a tear to my eyes.
By Tink on Dec 11, 2007
I don’t think I know that one Tink. How does it go?
By karooch on Dec 11, 2007
I just did a Christmas meme and ‘Silent Night’ is at the top of my list. There’s a blogpost about this carol coming up soon, so I won’t write a novel here
With so many meaningful carols - in words and music - it’s almost impossible to choose, and where my list of favourites is long and the order varies, Silent Night is the most beautiful to me.
By Antoinette on Dec 13, 2007
I think most of us have a soft spot for Silent Night Antoinette. And I agree it’s hard to pick an absolute favourite when it comes to Christmas Carols. There are so many truly wonderful ones. I wonder if it’s because we only sing/hear them at this time of the year that we feel so strongly about them.
By karooch on Dec 13, 2007
Finally had a break. Here are the lyrics to “Tiny Angels” by Roger Whitaker
Tiny Angels, Christmas Angels, try to sleep
Don’t let Santa hear the sounds of little feet.
Now it’s time to close your eyes and drift away
Until you wake tomorrow and it’s Christmas Day.
Tiny Angels I have heard you every night
Whispering with bright eyes shining in the light
“Daddy, when is it Christmas? Will it soon be here?”
“Well, my darlings, it’s very, very near.”
Near as you my angels,
Since you came to me.
Now Christmas day and everyday’s the same to me.
The only gift that I could want are you my darlings.
Tiny Angels, Christmas Angels sleeping tight,
May Santa bring you all the gifts you want tonight,
And someday when you have Tiny Angels too,
I hope you find the joy I find in you.
You changed the world my angels
When you came to me
Now Christmas day and everyday’s the same to me,
The only gifts that I could want are you.
Tiny Angels, Christmas Angels, try to sleep.
Don’t let Santa hear the sounds of little feet.
Now it’s time to close your eyes and drift away
Until you wake tomorrow and it’s Christmas day
Now I best save them before I lose them again.
By Tink on Dec 18, 2007
Thanks Tink. The lyrics are lovely. I tried to google them to hear what they sounded like with the music but no luck.
By karooch on Dec 18, 2007