Christmas Music

I really like Christmas music, though I only listen to it during Advent and Christmas.

Ten Christmas songs I like, with numbering for organization and not rank:

1. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella (Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle). It's not really a song that makes a lot of sense, but I think it's pretty. My favorite part is the end of the first verse: "Ah! Ah! Ah! Que la Mère est belle, Ah! Ah! Ah! Que l'Enfant est beau!" Mannheim Steamroller's version makes me happy, too, and I used to play it while stirring sauce for pasta.

2. O, Come All Ye Faithful. This has been one of my favorites for a long time, mostly because when I was younger I liked songs with repetition. I also have a version of this in Spanish that I like -- Spain Spanish. "Venid Fieles Todos." (You can tell it's Spain Spanish because it uses vosotros...)

3. One Quiet Moment. This and the next two songs are sung only by a group called GLAD as far as I know. One Quiet Moment is mostly about Mary and Joseph before the birth and raising Jesus. The chorus is: "And in one quiet moment, a woman and man accepted the part they would have in God's plan -- to give up His glory and be born as a man, in one quiet moment."

4. In the First Light. This and One Quiet Moment are two of my most listened to songs, and definitely my most listened to Christmas songs. It covers birth through resurrection. "In the first light of the new day, no one knew He had arrived. Things continued as they had been while the newborn softly cried." And later: "As his mother held him closely, it was hard to understand that this baby, not yet speaking, was the Word of God to man."

5. All the World Was Waiting. One Quiet Moment and In the First Light are on GLAD's A Capella Christmas, but this is on their Voices of Christmas. It also covers birth through resurrection. "All the world was waiting the night that You were born, God of life eternal in a fragile form Shepherds gathered closer, gazing at Your face, wondering how this helpless child could save a fallen human race." And at the end: "All will be accomplished, our trials and tears will end, and those who’ve longed to see You will never wait, will never wait, will never wait again."

6. I Believe in Santa's Cause. Statler Brothers. "Now there are those who don't believe in miracles of Santa Claus, but I believe what I believe in -- I believe in Santa's cause." This song says perfectly everything I think about Santa.

7. Il Est Ne. (He is Born.) I don't like this song as much in English, but I really like it in French. "Jouez hautbois, resonnez musettes!" And the first verse: "Depuis plus de quatre mille ans, nous le promettaient les Prophetes; Depuis plus de quatre mille ans, nous attendions cet heureux temps!"

8. St. Nicholas by Sheryl Cormier and the Cajun Sounds. This is in French Lousiana Creole, and I don't understand most of it, but the mood is so happy, and I like what I do understand of it. Basically, I love Cajun music.

9. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow. I first heard this sung by GLAD, but it's in the Faith We Sing, under "There's a Star in the East," since that's the first line. "If you take good heed to the angel’s words, rise up, shepherd, and follow. You’ll forget your flocks, you’ll forget your herds, rise up, shepherd, and follow."

10. Snow Miser/Heat Miser. "The Year Without a Santa Claus" is one of my favorite Christmas movies (along with "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" -- yay Rankin-Bass!), and these two songs that are basically the same song are my favorites from the movie. Err, tv special, originally. But really: "I'm Mr. 101" versus "I'm Mr. 10 below."