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Music That Sings Christmas

That crazy Target Lady in the ads. Black Friday pepper-spraying. Commercials with luxury cars wrapped in big bows, or the spots that say jewelry equals love. It’s enough to make me don my ear muffs.

Yet there are some sounds that gently pull those fuzzy ear muffs from my ears.
Like the aroma of pumpkin pie, the coziness of thick blankets on a cold winter’s night, or that first sip of hot cocoa, music sets the auditory mood for Christmas.There are some tunes that are a comforting reminder to worship, to wonder, and to celebrate.

That crazy Target Lady in the ads. Black Friday pepper-spraying. Commercials with luxury cars wrapped in big bows, or the spots that say jewelry equals love. It’s enough to make me don my ear muffs.

Yet there are some sounds that gently pull those fuzzy ear muffs from my ears.
Like the aroma of pumpkin pie, the coziness of thick blankets on a cold winter’s night, or that first sip of hot cocoa, music sets the auditory mood for Christmas.There are some tunes that are a comforting reminder to worship, to wonder, and to celebrate.

Here are some songs that sound like the season to be jolly me. Some are sacred, some are corny, but their sound is like Christmas to my ears.

Sacred
All Is Well 
Angels We Have Heard on High
Away in a Manger 
Carol of the Bells
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Handel’s Messiah 
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Joy to the World 
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Holy Night 
Silent Night
The First Noel
We Three Kings
What Child Is This

Secular
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Christmas in Hollis (RUN DMC) 
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
The Christmas Song (esp. Nat King Cole’s version)
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
This Christmas (esp. Donnie Hathaway’s version)
White Christmas

What does your Christmas playlist look like?

Sharifa Stevens is a Manhattan-born, Bronx-raised child of the King, born to Jamaican immigrants, and currently living in Dallas. Sharifa's been singing since she was born. Her passion is to serve God's kingdom by leading His people in worship through music, speaking and writing, and relationships with people. Her heart is also unity, inspired by John. Sharifa hates exercise but likes Chipotle, bagels with a schmeer and lox, salmon sushi, chicken tikka, curried goat (yeah, it's good) with rice and peas, and chocolate lava cakes. She's been happily married to Jonathan since 2006...and he buys her Chipotle.

4 Comments

  • Sue Bohlin

    My Christmas playlist

    Having thoroughly enjoyed "The SIng Off" on TV this season, I bought the Sing Off Christmas album from iTunes and I'm loving it! It's got carols and "holiday/winter" songs on it, all of which fill up my Christmas bucket, all in acapella. As you said, it sounds like Christmas to me. LOVE IT!

    • Sharifa Stevens

      Sing Off!

      Ahh – I missed "The Sing Off" this season! I loved seeing/hearing the purity of voices and creativity the first time it aired (and I think it was a church group that ultimately won?).

      Sue, you forgot to mention your favorite!

  • Shannon

    so varied….

    Around here we listen to everything from Choir of King's College at Cambridge's Christmas carols, to the soundtrack from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special (love, love Vince Guaraldi Tro!), to the Irish Rover's Chrismas CD (Irish version of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, anyone?). But this year I can't get Sandra McCracken's version of "Lo How a Rose" out of my head, and I can't wait for Christmas Chapel at the girls' school on Friday, because it always opens with a solo version of "Once in Royal David's City." Usually by a little boy. fab-u-lous. I cry every time I hear it…

    • Sharifa Stevens

      Vince Guaraldi ROCKS

      I've been listening to Charlie Brown Christmas because that music is just calming, complex and a little melancholy, and rich like a warm cuppa hot cocoa.

      I want to hear Sandra McCracken's song! Her voice and interpretation of lyrics are beautiful.