Category: Christmas

Day 12 🌲 Joy to the World

silhouette of a girl with her arms raised with a bright light beaming on her depicting joy

I saved my second favorite Christmas carol until the last day, the 12th Day of Christmas Carols & Scripture. For me, the song’s message is not just for Christmas. It evokes the kind of praise we should have all year long. Many of us are certainly ready to receive our King when he comes again! In the meantime, as we find ourselves in the day to day grind, how do we keep our praise alive?

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

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Day 11 🌲 Away in a Manger

wooden manger with straw and bright light radiating from it

I’ve always thought of this carol as a great lullaby. This is a song that you have to start on a higher note since it starts at its high point. (Do I sound like a musician!) I’m picturing the hand motions I’ve taught children over the years to help them remember the words to the song. I love how spending time with each of these Christmas carols has opened up the flood of memories!

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

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Day 10 🌲 Angels We Have Heard on High

Gloria! I think we all sound like angels when we sing the refrain/chorus of this Christmas favorite. It’s one word, “Gloria” but it takes us on a bit of a journey of notes just to sing it! I’ll never forget the eggshells, either! That’s how we helped kids to sing the words, “in excelsis Deo.”

The whole line of the refrain, “Gloria in excelsis Deo” is translated, “Glory to God in the highest!” That is a great line of adoration! I try to incorporate a bit of adoration in each prayer or conversation I have with God. We all like to be complimented for our accomplishments. God deserves our admiration and praise so much more than any earthly being, don’t you agree? This song oozes with adoration!

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Day 9 🌲 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Two young boys sitting together with big smiles laughing and being merry

At first glance, the title of this carol may bring to mind a table full of men, all enjoying merriment of one kind or another—a glass of ale, a burger and fries, or a song with a good beat playing on the jukebox. We can all picture a time of feeling “merry.” I’m sure we have greeted others plenty of times over the last couple weeks saying, “Merry Christmas!”

So what is it to be merry? Certainly, being cheerful and lively is part of it. Yet I think the refrain of this Christmas song gets it right. It talks of tidings, that is, the Good News of Jesus’ birth. “O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.” When we are joyful, we are certainly merry.

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Day 8 🌲 The First Noel

Read Luke 2:8-20

the first noel, the nativity with the kings

Jesus’ birth ushered in the celebration of “noel,” which simply means “born on Christmas.” That’s why we won’t find the word “noel” in the Bible. It does speak of the birth we celebrate on Christmas and is quite a popular word in this carol. It’s good to remember the reason for the season because we often see the Christmas story portrayed in other ways these days. For instance, heartwarming Santa stories, to include one of my favorites, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

Our Christmas carol today is fun to sing, and there are six verses! I realized that the Lutheran hymnal from when I was a kid adds a sixth, very powerful verse, not found in most other sources. So, we’ll take a look at that today, too! The refrain or chorus is repeated after each verse. It’s simply, “Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.” If you’re like me, the tune is rushing off your lips!

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