Tag: Christmas Carols

Christmas, Mailbag

The Mailbag: Christmas Potpourri

Michelle Lesley

Merry Christmas! Welcome to another “potpourri” edition of The Mailbag, where I give short(er) answers to several questions rather than a long answer to one question.

I like to take the opportunity in these potpourri editions to let new readers know about my comments/e-mail/messages policy. I’m not able to respond individually to most e-mails and messages, so here are some helpful hints for getting your questions answered more quickly. Remember, the search bar (at the very bottom of each page) can be a helpful tool!

Or maybe I answered your question already? Check out my article The Mailbag: Top 10 FAQs to see if your question has been answered and to get some helpful resources.

Christmas Theology and Bible Questions

Christmas Mythbusters

Christmas Trees

What do you think about having decorated Christmas trees in the sanctuary / on the platform at church?

It’s a great question, because we want every aspect of our worship services – even the decor – to honor God and be conducive to worship.

Assuming they’re tastefully decorated in an understated way, I don’t personally have any problem with a Christmas tree at the front of the sanctuary for decoration. I’ve seen some lovely ones that were decorated with all white ornaments of biblical symbols (crosses, doves, stars, etc.). I don’t really see any theological difference between a Christmas tree, a holly garland, candles, poinsettias, flowers on the altar every week, ficus trees, potted plants, backdrops, banners, or any other tasteful, reverent, non-distracting piece of decor. They’re just inert objects that somebody thought would spruce things up a bit (yeah, I went there) and make the space pretty. There’s nothing wrong with that. I mean, have you read God’s instructions for the design of the tabernacle and the temple? Lots of flowers and tapestries and gold and all kinds of other pretty stuff. God invented beauty. He is OK with His house being beautiful as long as that beauty honors and points to Him.

God invented beauty. He is OK with His house being beautiful as long as that beauty honors and points to Him.

But there’s something else we need to take into consideration…

All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

We have good brothers and sisters in Christ in our churches whose consciences, for various reasons, just can’t handle Christmas trees. And having Christmas trees in the sanctuary would distract them from worship. So you know what we do to love and honor them? We lay aside our “right” to have Christmas trees on the platform and either don’t decorate or find another way to decorate. Many churches have found lots of different ways to tastefully decorate for Christmas that don’t involve Christmas trees.

Does Jeremiah 10:3-4 (and other passages) prohibit Christmas trees?

The short answer is no. It should be obvious to anyone who reads Jeremiah 10:3-4 in context that the passage is talking about the crafting of wooden idols, not Christmas trees. And other passages – such as Deuteronomy 12:2, which refer to idol worship taking place under “every green tree” – don’t prohibit Christmas trees either, despite the fact that “every green tree” sounds like “evergreen tree”. These passages, read in context, are all referring to a location where idol worship takes place.

For the longer, more detailed answer, check out my article, Christmas Mythbusters.

Christmas Decorations

I have a statue of Joseph and Mary holding baby Jesus. It’s in a corner year round in my living room. As a former Catholic, I’m questioning myself if I should even have it at all?

Let’s first focus on the fact that you don’t have to buy, keep, or display any decoration for any reason. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can get rid of it. If you no longer have room for it, you can get rid of it. If it clashes with your couch, or takes too long to dust, or the dog has chewed Joseph’s toes off, you can get rid of it. This is your house. You get to decide how to decorate it (within biblical parameters, of course: e.g. no pornographic images, no profanity, no Buddha statues, etc.)

I’d suggest praying about it and even discussing it with your pastor, if you like, and certainly with your husband if you’re married. You may want to prayerfully consider…

When you arrive at the biblical answers to those questions, you’ll know whether or not to keep it or let it go.

(If you’re concerned that the statue might be a violation of the second Commandment, you might want to check out my article Nativity Scenes and the Second Commandment.)

I haven’t seen any of your articles that specifically mention what kind or types of ornaments we should decorate our Christmas trees with. While it’s certainly a personal preference for everyone, I just wanted to get your input about them. Through the years I’ve seen many trees with favorite sports team ornaments to baby or pet pictures, cartoon characters, White House ornaments, angels, snowmen, snowflakes, and many more. While these may not have intended to be anything other than a person’s preference, shouldn’t everything we do even regarding this, be done to honor and point to Christ in celebrating His birth and life? Are decorations that have nothing to do with Jesus, or who He is, wrong?

I think you answered your own question very well. It’s a matter of personal preference. If you’d like for all of your Christmas decorations to point to Christ, that would be a lovely way to honor Him and celebrate His incarnation.

Other sorts of decorations (again – as I mentioned in my answer to the previous question – within biblical parameters, of course: e.g. no pornographic images, no profanity, no Buddha statues, etc.) are also fine.

A few little nuggets to think about:

  • When you decorate for Thanksgiving, does everything you put out have a Bible verse on it, or in some way explicitly point to Christ? Or do you maybe decorate with pumpkins, turkeys, stalks of wheat, a cornucopia, etc.?
  • We are supposed to be living testimonies to Christ 24/7. Does every item of clothing or jewelry you wear have a Bible verse on it or in some way explicitly point to Christ?

I don’t ask these questions to discourage you from using only Christ-centered decorations at Christmas – as I said, that’s totally fine – but rather to help you think through why this concern would be restricted to Christmas and not apply to other situations or times of the year. We don’t want to be accidentally hypocritical, but rather, biblically consistent with our beliefs and practices.

You’re absolutely right that everything we do should “be done to honor and point to Christ”. But as Christians, that’s not primarily about the exterior trappings of our lives like decorations, jewelry, or clothing. We honor and point to Christ by living in the world He created and being obedient to Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. And it’s OK with Him for us to do that while wearing hoop earrings and the promotional t-shirt we got from the grand opening of a local chicken joint, or putting an LSU Tigers ornament on our Christmas tree. To be “in the world, not of the world,” as the old saying goes.

Honoring Christ is not primarily about the exterior trappings of our lives like decorations, jewelry, or clothing. We honor Christ by living in the world He created and being obedient to Him in our thoughts, words, and actions.

I thought you might enjoy this little video I made. It was for a Christmastime women’s meeting at my church (so I’ve clipped out the first few seconds for privacy reasons). We all brought something to demonstrate how we “keep Christ in Christmas” in our homes. Maybe it will give you an expanded perspective on decorations.

Santa Claus

The Mailbag: What should we tell our kids (and grandkids) about Santa Claus?

The Mailbag: My kid knows the truth about Santa. What if he tells his friends who don’t?

This image was shared on Facebook (not by the person credited for the image) as a response to my article The Mailbag: What should we tell our kids (and grandkids) about Santa Claus?. I would encourage you to read my article for the context of my response. (Since she simply posted the image without any explanation, I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt that she was sharing this as an example of what not to teach your children about Santa Claus, but unfortunately, that turned out not to be the case.)

Thanks for sharing. This is a great example of what not to do. I don’t know if these parents are Christians or not, but they have taken a really unbiblical approach. There’s no such thing as some sort of spirit of Santa Claus, so they’re still lying to their child.

And to say that Santa “lives in our hearts” is actually worse than telling their child Santa is a real, discrete person. It’s not only going to confuse Ryan more when his parents start talking to him about inviting Jesus into his heart (“What? You said Santa lives in my heart. Isn’t it going to be crowded in there?”), it’s just as blasphemous for Santa to take Jesus’ place in the heart as it is to ascribe omniscience to Santa (as I explained in the article).

And the parting thought that believing in Santa, whom you can’t see, will help you to believe in God, Whom you can’t see is unbelievably blasphemous and unbiblical. It elevates Santa above God and trivializes all God has done to reveal Himself to man, especially the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

I’m sure the parents were trying to be loving to their child and cushion the blow that Santa isn’t real, but they did it at the cost of the glory of God, the truth of Scripture, and the opportunity to lay a biblical foundation for their child’s future salvation. That’s an expensive Santa Claus.

I’m sure the parents were trying to cushion the blow that Santa isn’t real, but they did it at the cost of the glory of God and the truth of Scripture. That’s an expensive Santa Claus.

This is why you don’t lie to your children about Santa Claus. It’s unbiblical for all the reasons I gave in the article, and when you come up with solutions like this to finally tell your child the “truth” without hurting his feelings, that’s unbiblical too.

Christmas Music

What do you think about the Christmas song, The Little Drummer Boy? I’ve always loved that song but I recently read an article stating that we shouldn’t sing it because it’s not biblically true.

It depends on what the article means by “not biblically true”. If they mean it conflicts with, denies, or twists Scripture in some way, I don’t see that in the lyrics. If they simply mean there’s no mention in Scripture of a little drummer boy visiting Jesus as a baby, that’s correct.

However, it’s reasonable to assume friends, family, and possibly even curious strangers (spurred on by the shepherds’ amazing story) visited Jesus and His parents in the days after His birth. In fact, for such a corporate and family oriented society, it would have been unthinkable that only the shepherds, and later, the wise men, ever visited them.

Could one of those visitors have been an impoverished little boy who wanted to play a song for Jesus on his drum? And Mary consented? And Jesus smiled? I don’t see why not. None of that conflicts with Scripture, and it’s all within the realm of possibility (except for the ox and lamb keeping time – I’ve never known a barnyard animal with good rhythm).

Did the article you read mean that “we” (as in the congregation, choir, soloist) shouldn’t sing that song in the worship service because it isn’t drawn from Scripture? I would fully agree with that. All of the elements of our worship services should be drawn from, and centered on the Word.

But as far as personal or family use goes, if the song makes you uncomfortable in some way, you don’t have to sing it or listen to it. (It’s certainly not one of my favorites.) I guess the decision you would have to make is whether you’re only comfortable with songs that come straight from Scripture or whether you can be comfortable with a song about something that could have happened, but isn’t in Scripture. And either way is totally fine. It just depends on your heart and your conscience.

Is there anything biblically wrong with singing Christmas hymns during worship? Our church refuses and only reserves them for our Christmas service.  Just odd to me. But they decorate with a big ole Christmas tree and wreaths in the sanctuary.

No, there’s nothing biblically wrong with singing Christmas hymns in the regular worship service. I’ve never heard of a church that reserves them only for the Christmas service (especially a church that sees nothing wrong with decorating for Christmas) but there’s nothing unbiblical about that either. I would encourage you to kindly, gently, and lovingly ask your pastor about it.

Christmas-Related Activities

I’m a member of a doctrinally sound church. That’s why it was a little confusing when all of a sudden, from the pulpit, they announced that we were going to have a float in our upcoming Santa Claus Parade.

When one brave soul asked why we would participate, the answer was: we need to look at the “greater good” – it’s getting the gospel out – which we are doing with tracts and Christmas candy.

While I was happy to be a part of printing off the material in hopes of getting it into the hands of as many people in our city, I won’t be participating in handing it out in the parade.

Am I wrong to feel this way? I know I should be asking our Pastors about this – but frankly, after that one person asked, she was told that we were going through with it…that they valued her “opinion” on the matter – but that they (as well as the Deacons that discussed the matter), see nothing wrong with participating in such an event. Why couldn’t we have a “booth” that was away from the parade route, and hand out literature there, instead of “being in the thick of things…”

(You didn’t say exactly how your church is going to distribute the tracts and candy, but in our local Christmas parade, the float riders throw their candy and other goodies to the watching crowd, so that’s the assumption I’m working under with my response.)

It’s always a good thing to carefully think things through whenever we bump elbows with the world. We want to impact the world with the gospel, but we want to be careful not to become worldly. “In the world, not of the world” as the saying goes.

But from everything you said in your email, I’m going to have to go with your pastors on this one. (In fact, I’ve been recommending for years that churches participate in Christmas parades as an evangelistic outreach.) It sounds to me like they’re taking hold of a golden opportunity to share the gospel and let people in the area know about your doctrinally sound church. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do as Christians? “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”?

If you’re going to share the gospel with sinners, you have to go where sinners are.

If you’re going to share the gospel with sinners, you have to go where sinners are. And if you’re invited by the sinners, so much the better. The parade organizers have invited your church to participate, or, at least they haven’t told your church it can’t participate. Why would your church not joyfully accept that invitation? Your area may be progressive, but it’s not so progressive that they’ve banned churches from participating in the Christmas parade (wouldn’t that be hypocritical?) yet. Jesus said, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. The hour is coming when no man can work.”. We’ve got to take advantage of these gospel opportunities while we still have them.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Matthew 9:10-13

Why couldn’t we have a “booth” that was away from the parade route, and hand out literature there, instead of “being in the thick of things…”

Because the parade is where the people are! If you’re there to share the gospel, why wouldn’t you want to be “in the thick of things”? “Yes, we’d like to come to your parade and share the gospel, but please put us in an out of the way area where fewer people will be.”? Hon, I am not trying to be harsh with you, believe me, but I say this to you in sisterly love: Most of the people who will be at that parade are on their way to an eternity in Hell. Have you really thought about that? Does that not grieve you? Don’t you want to rescue as many of them as possible with the gospel? An out of the way spot? Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

Your pastors are trying to set your church on a hill and shine the gospel forth from it. Don’t ask them to put it under a basket. From everything you’ve said, they’re good, trustworthy doctrinally sound pastors. You don’t have to personally hand out materials at the parade (you wouldn’t have to even if you were 100% on board with all of this), but trust them and submit to their leadership.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Hebrews 13:17

If you have a question about: a Bible passage, an aspect of theology, a current issue in Christianity, or how to biblically handle a family, life, or church situation, comment below (I’ll hold all questions in queue {unpublished} for a future edition of The Mailbag) or send me an e-mail or private message. If your question is chosen for publication, your anonymity will be protected.

Christmas

The Best Christmas Songs of All Time

Michelle Lesley

Christmas – there’s no other holiday in which music plays such a major role. And what a blessing that so much of the music of Christmas centers around the incarnation of our Savior! At no other time of the year are you likely to turn on a secular radio station or walk into a store and hear songs about Jesus. It’s one of the things that makes Christmas music so special.

Here’s a collection of all my favorites – and many you’ve suggested! I’ll continue adding more songs as the years go by, so let me know your nomination for the best Christmas songs of all time in the comments!

Want a playlist? Here you go: The Best Christmas Songs of All Time

(Note: I do not necessarily endorse all of the songwriters or performers listed below, the churches/organizations they represent, any other songs they may have written or performed, or their theology. If you decide to follow any of these people or groups, check out their theology first to make sure it’s biblical.)

1.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing

This one is my all time favorite because of the awesome gospel theology wrapped in ribbons of beautiful wording. Just a few of my favorite phrases:

God and sinners reconciled
Veiled in flesh the godhead see, hail th’ incarnate deity
Mild, He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth

2.
It’s About the Cross

This is my favorite “non-carol” Christmas song. The beginning of the story is wonderful and great, but it’s the ending that can save you and that’s why we celebrate. The incarnation of Christ has always been about the cross and the resurrection.

3.
Handel’s Messiah

Yes, I know it’s way more than one song, but, having performed it several times, I can honestly say I love the whole thing. Much of it is Scripture (verbatim) set to some of the best music ever written for a choir. Phenomenal.

4.
Glorious Impossible

One of the more recent Christmas songs out there, it’s chock full of allusions to Scripture and the gospel.

5.
Angels We Have Heard on High

It adequately handles the Christmas narrative, but I have to admit, I love this song for the chorus. It has a beautiful, intricately-woven, nearly ethereal sounding harmonic structure, and a simple, yet profound message: “Glory to God in the highest.”

6.
Jesus, What a Wonderful Child

6. Jesus, What a Wonderful Child– Sometimes a great song is packed with good theology, and sometimes a great song expresses one simple idea. Jesus, What a Wonderful Child is one of the latter. If you’ve read the title, you’ve got the main idea. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun!

7.
Sweet Little Jesus Boy

I love how this song captures the idea that when Jesus came the first time, “we didn’t know who You were.” And nobody does it like Mahalia Jackson.

8.
Christmas Offering

This song draws the parallel between the offerings of the wise men and our offering of worship, the gift our King most desires.

9.
Christ is Born

I know, I know, it’s twangy and most people don’t like Southern Gospel music. That’s OK, I do. And you’ve gotta love a Christmas song that starts out with the Fall of Man.

10.
Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy

This is another one that made the list because of the music. The lyrics are a simple retelling of the journey of the magi, but the music just takes you right out to the desert and plops you down on a camel’s back.

11.
Joy to the World

As Christians, many things in this life bring us sadness and discouragement: grief over our sin, prodigal children, death of loved ones, persecution, suffering. There is no better antidote to our sorrows than to focus on the joy we have in Christ. This is a beautiful, classical-style rendition of Joy to the World.

12.
Light of the Stable

I love this song’s upbeat focus on Jesus as Light, King, and Savior. I can almost imagine myself in Bethlehem, bowing down before my infant King.

13.
Silent Night

What Christmas music collective would be complete without Silent Night? Does your congregation sing this hymn at your Christmas Eve service or other special worship times? Grace Community Church does, and they sound just lovely.

14.
Come on Ring those Bells

Were you even a Christian in the 80’s if you didn’t have Evie’s Christmas album? This song probably sounds cheesy to younger ears today, but approaching the birth of Christ as “the greatest celebration of them all” definitely has a nice ring to it. (Yes, I went there. :0)

15.
Go Tell

There’s an undeniable evangelism motif in the story of Christ’s birth. Gabriel told Mary about Jesus. The angels told the shepherds the good news. And the shepherds…well they told everyone what they’d witnessed. That’s the theme of this Great Commission toe-tapper: GO. TELL.

16.
O Little Town of Bethlehem

In the eyes of the world, Bethlehem was nothing special. It wasn’t the center of commerce or the seat of governmental power. It was just a little town of no consequence. Until…Jesus. This song, sung so delightfully by these four brothers in Christ, reminds us that Jesus is what makes the ordinary… extraordinary.

17.
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

In a magnificent use of metaphor, this song casts Jesus Himself as the beautiful “star” of Bethlehem. And indeed, for Believers, Jesus is that “star divine,” lighting and guiding the way “unto the land of perfect day,” when we finally see Him, in all of His glory, face to face.

18.
Ordinary Baby

Jesus was fully God, but sometimes we forget that He was also fully man. And not just fully man, but an ordinary, nondescript man. He was approachable, not elite. Personable, not intimidating. Accessible to kings and paupers alike. The Erwin siblings deliver this simple song with smooth and mellow charm.

19.
We Are the Reason

The tradition of Christmas time gift giving is an homage to the gifts the wise men gave Jesus. But what about the “greatest gift of our lives” that Jesus gave us? He gave all He could give to us: His life, forgiveness of sin, salvation. Avalon handily dusts off this CCM classic and freshens it up for a 21st century audience.

20.
O Holy Night

Christ, the thrill of hope, entered our darkened world on that holy night so long ago. As the soft, plaintive melody gradually swells into a great and glorious crescendo, we are reminded of how long the world pined away in sin and error, punctuated by the resplendent arrival of her Savior and King, much the same way we await His second coming today.

21.
Sing We the Song of Emmanuel

One of the reasons I’m not crazy about contemporary Reformed worship hymns as a genre is that so many of them sound like funeral dirges. There’s no joy. They’re slower than Christmas. Not this one. This is a song about a joyful event that actually sounds joyful. Hope alive, let the gospel ring! Sing it with joy in your heart and a smile on your face!

22.
He Who Is Mighty

Another contemporary one I’ve grown to love in recent years. A modern day Magnificat. Indeed, Christ has “shattered the darkness and lifted our shame,” and Holy is His name.

New This Year!

23.
O Come All You Unfaithful

The author of this song explains that her inspiration for the lyrics came from singing O Come All Ye Faithful at church during a particularly difficult Christmas season when she felt very unfaithful. But I would argue that Christians are simultaneously the faithful of O Come All Ye Faithful and the unfaithful of this song.

We are the barren and waiting ones who have nothing, and for whom Christ was born, and that is precisely why we joyfully and triumphantly come and adore Christ the Lord.

Bonus Nomination: Best Christmas Album

This is largely a nostalgic, rather than theological, nomination. My favorite Christmas record album growing up was Have a Happy Holiday with Lorne Greene. If you appreciate a classic, masculine baritone, you’ll want to grab a copy. (I still have mine!)

In part 1 of the album – The Stories of Christmas – Lorne reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Gift of the Magi. Part 2 – The Songs of Christmas – includes Home for the Holidays, Jingle Bells, Christmas Is A-Comin’, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Part 3 – The Holy Night: A Christmas Cantata – (below) is a reading of the birth narrative from the gospels interspersed with various Christmas carols. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I still do.

What’s your pick for best Christmas song of all time?
Maybe we’ll get to add it next year!

Christmas

The Worst Christmas Songs of All Time

Michelle Lesley

For me, part of the reason Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year” is the music. There are the old favorites as well as some great new songs that have come out over the years. Unfortunately, there are some stinkers out there, too.

Everybody has her own taste, so the songs that give you the Christmas crazies are probably different from the ones that get on my nerves, but, here, in no particular order, are my (and your!) picks for the worst Christmas songs of all time.

I’ll keep adding those Christmas songs you love to hate to the list every year (Could there possibly be any more?), so feel free to nominate your choice for the worst of the worst in the comments. And, while I can’t imagine why you would want it, if you need a playlist of all of these horrid songs, here you go: The Worst Christmas Songs of All Time.

1. The Christmas Shoes– Hi, we’re going to write a song that’s a blatant attempt at emotional manipulation, and then if you say you don’t like it, people will think you’re heartless. Merry Christmas.

2. Last Christmas– Really? We have to listen to co-dependent whining about a break up in a Christmas song? And from Wham?

3. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer– This has such a catchy tune. It’s too bad the family in this song belongs on a reality TV show.

4. Same Old Lang Syne– This is my pick for the absolute worst “Christmas” song (it really has nothing to do with Christmas) of all time. The only good thing I can say about this is, at least the people in the song didn’t actually have an affair. It’s bleak, it’s immoral, it’s depressing, and it’s the same four bars of melody over. and. over. and. over.

5. Must Have Been Old Santa Claus– “Happy ho, ho, ho to you.” Four. million. times. Kill me. Kill me now.

6. Baby, It’s Cold Outside– Because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like attempted date rape by a drink drugging letch.*

*(Baby, It’s Cold Outside was added to my original article Top 10 Worst Christmas Songs of All Time in 2014, long before the #MeToo movement, and long before the explanation of what the composer of Baby, It’s Cold Outside purportedly meant by it was in general circulation. My brief evaluation of this song is based solely on the impression I was left with by the lyrics, much the same way people took umbrage with Reckless Love based on the lyrics alone, despite Corey Asbury’s explanation of what he supposedly meant when he wrote it. I am not a liberal, a feminist, or on the #MeToo bandwagon. I’m confident my track record bears this out, and I’m appalled by accusations to the contrary based solely on my one sentence reaction to this song. Don’t go there.)

7. Santa Baby– They could have named this song “Sugar Daddy” or “Implied Sexual Favors in Exchange for Obscenely Expensive Gifts.” Same thing.

8. Mistletoe– I’m just going to make a rule right here, right now: no Christmas songs that force middle-aged people to go to Urban Dictionary to understand the lyrics. My kids had to explain to me what “shawty” means. Apparently, it’s similar to a “bae.”

9. Do They Know It’s Christmas?– Stop having Christmasy fun RIGHT NOW. Just STOP IT. Don’t you know there are people starving in Africa, you soulless oaf? And, seriously, who puts the word “doom” in a Christmas song?

10. Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Canon– It pains me to list this one because I love TSO, I love children’s choirs, I love Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and I love the idea of trying to Christmas it up. But I would rather eat a ten year old fruitcake than listen to this.

11. Please, Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk this Christmas – I can just picture the artistic meetings that took place on this one: “We need a new Christmas song for your next album, John. Any ideas?” “How about a potential domestic violence case set to country music? That’ll fill everybody’s heart with Christmas cheer!” 

12. Dominick the Donkey –
Dear Italy,
Please stick with what you do best – food and opera.

13. Happy X-Mas, War is Over (So This Is Christmas) – Excuse me, but I think you’re looking for Woodstock. Go back several decades and hang a left.

14. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas– Why not? I wanted a monkey for Christmas when I was a kid. I stand in solidarity with this kid and every other kid who wanted a ridiculous animal for Christmas and never got one. (To be honest, I think this song is kinda cute. I include it on behalf of all my readers who said it’s driving them to the loony bin.)

15. Hard Candy Christmas – Maybe I’ll wallpaper my bathroom. Maybe I’ll get a mohawk. Maybe I’ll eat cold Spaghettios right out of the can. MAKE👏UP👏YOUR👏MIND👏

16. Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time – There’s good 80’s synthesizer and there’s bad 80’s synthesizer. I’ll let you guess which one earned this song a spot on the list.

17. White Winter Hymnal – “It’s lyrically fairly meaningless.” That’s what the songwriter had to say about this song. Dude, lemme ‘splain you something about songwriting. When you have a cool piece of music like this, don’t waste it on meaningless lyrics. Collaborate with a good writer and make it an awesome song with meaning. (Let me also take this opportunity for my annual reminder: Pentatonix is not a Christian group, regardless of the songs they record. According to Pride magazine, “Two of Pentatonix’s members, Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi, are openly gay, and the group vocally supports the LGBT community.”)

18. Driving Home for Christmas – This song is the musical equivalent of driving across west Texas. And by that, I mean – monotonous. (Sorry west Texas, but you know it’s true.) At least he didn’t regale us with the number of each mile marker as he passed it. Thank the Lord for small favors.

19. I’m Gettin’ Nuttin for Christmas – Quick! Somebody get the rod of correction – this kid is out of control! Cute, but not your best work, Shirl.

20. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Kid witnesses Mom stepping out on Dad and is traumatized for life. Just one more reason not to lie to your kids about Santa Claus. (Tell them it’s Dad, ladies, and you can kiss him all you want! :0)

21. All I Want for Christmas Is You – I don’t know what kind of deal Mariah Carey made with every single one of the eleventy two million FM stations in the country to play this song every time anyone turns on the radio between November and January, but it was a doozy. Are you hearing it in your sleep yet? Is your dog singing the doo-wop parts?

(Full disclosure – This one made the list because you overwhelmingly demanded it. I actually dig it. It’s exactly the kind of mid-’50’s – early ’60’s flavor I love. Just not every time I turn around. Please don’t hate me. :0)

22. Mary, Did You Know? – I know, I know, some of y’all are going to unfollow me over this one. You love this song. I did too … the first nine thousand times I heard it or had to sing it in choir. And I think that’s probably the main reason so many of my followers requested that I put this one on the list. It’s been beaten to death like a too-stiff meringue.

Did she know? Did she not know? Let’s settle that argument once and for all:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
No.

…would calm a storm with His hand?
No.

There are no Old Testament prophecies which predicted that the Messiah would walk on water or calm a storm.

…give sight to the blind man?

The blind will see
The deaf will hear;
The dead will live again!
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb!

If Mary knew her Bible (and if you’ll check the cross-references to the Magnificat, it certainly seems she did), she most likely knew the Messiah (i.e. her “baby boy”) would do these things. However, she wasn’t omniscient and wouldn’t have known the specific timing or circumstances surrounding these healings and resurrections.

Everything else in the song (He would deliver her, He is Lord of all Creation, etc.) is either stated or implied in Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah (which Mary would probably have known), in Gabriel’s announcements to Mary and Joseph, or both.

So, yeah, except for the walking on water and calming the storm parts, she knew.

Debate over.

23. The Little Drummer Boy (Carol of the Drum) – You just know some man came up with the idea for this song, right? No mother in her right mind who’s just given birth – even Mary – would welcome some kid banging on a drum with the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. You would think that … but you would be wrong, because this song was written by one Katherine Kennicott Davis. I guess her kids were heavy sleepers.

(If you actually like drums, just not the song, check out this drumline version that partly drowns out the song. And, did you know they made a kids’ movie out of this cacophonous carol?)

24. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (the Bruce Springsteen version) – He sees you when you sing flat. He knows when you’re off key. He’s only leaving coal for you – naughty, naughty, naughty.

25. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Is the tail of the star as big as a kite, or as long as a kite’s tail? If the song had a voice as big as the sea, how could the shepherd boy help but hear it? In fact, how could he even hear the lamb asking him the question? And wouldn’t a talking lamb be more impressive than a song with the volume on high? How does a shepherd get an audience with the king? And why would he suggest silver and gold for a freezing baby instead of blankets or a nice snow suit? (Guess that’s why he’s a shepherd, not a king.)

I have questions.

26. The Cherry Tree Carol – This is called “writing under the influence,” kids. Mary’s a queen, Joseph’s got anger management issues, and Jesus speaks while in utero. Uh huh. Don’t tell me chemicals weren’t involved in that composition.

27. My Favorite Things – THIS IS NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG. You can put jingle bells behind it all the livelong day and it will still. never. be. a. Christmas. song. N-E-V-E-R. Only Julie Andrews is allowed to sing this song, and only in war-torn Austria. Did I mention it’s not a Christmas song? I said what I said.

28. Mary Was the First One to Carry the Gospel – Everything about this song is great but the hook. That is just 🤢.

This is why we can’t have nice things, fellow Southern gospel lovers.

29. The Most Inconvenient Christmas – Oh no. NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNO. Are you KIDDING me? These guys are professing Christians and they churn out this theological cataclysm? When something is “inconvenient,” that means it clashes with our previous plans, or it’s difficult to get done, or it doesn’t fit with our timetable, or we had to go out of our way to do it. And because of all that, it’s an unpleasant task that we’re reluctant to do.

Say it with me, sisters: NOTHING IS “INCONVENIENT” TO GOD. Nothing. He is the God who upholds the universe by the word of His power. He is omnipotent, omniscient, everlasting to everlasting, God Almighty, King of kings and Lord of lords who spoke all of Creation into existence. Sending His only Son into the world to live a perfect life and die a horrible, agonizing, bloody death for your sin and for mine was not “inconvenient” for God. It was His plan from eternity past. And it wasn’t difficult for Him. And He didn’t do it begrudgingly or reluctantly. He did it because He loves you that much, and He rightfully loves His own glory even more.

I’ve been an Oak Ridge Boys fan since I was a kid, but this is one of the most offensive songs I’ve ever heard. It impugns the very nature and character of God. It’s the Reckless Love of country Christmas music.

30. I Never Knew the Meaning of Christmas – I hate to break it to you guys, but you still don’t know the meaning of Christmas.

Dear Santa- Please bring these boys a Bible for Christmas.

31. Christmas Time Is Here– I have loved A Charlie Brown Christmas since I was a child, and the lyrics of the song are great, but this 1960’s piano lounge slow jazz is the musical equivalent of a 6 year old engulfed in ennui whining, “I’m boooooooooooooooored,” on a grey, drizzly winter day. It’s minor. It’s dissonant. It makes me want to open the back door and toss a kid out into a snow bank head first.

32. A Marshmallow World– This is another one I added simply due to reader demand, but I really think y’all are wrong on this one. This is a cute song. Who doesn’t love marshmallows, whipped cream, and sugar dates with your sweetie? (“People who live in Wisconsin and spend their winters shoveling those mounds of marshmallows off the driveway, Michelle!”)

33. Grown Up Christmas List– “…and my greatest desire is world peace,” you can almost hear the beauty pageant contestant gushing. My grown up Christmas list includes a new toaster and a gift certificate for having my carpets cleaned. Am I supposed to feel guilty about that?

(I’m posting the Amy Grant version because it gets extra “worst” points for the schmaltzy synthesizer and tug-at-your-heartstrings kiddies with candles, but also because, as she’s a professing Believer who – among other things – is perversion-affirming, I wanted to let you know, if you didn’t already, Amy is one to be avoided.)

34. Redneck 12 Days of Christmas– I’m all for tacky and twangy, but … yeah, that’s just annoying.

35. Dogs Barking Jingle Bells– I wouldn’t want to listen to it more than once every few years, but I just think this one is funny. Listed by popular demand. (Plus, when you search for this song on YouTube, you wind up with a bunch of hilarious videos of animals “singing” Christmas songs.)

36. Silent Night by the Temptations– Silent Night makes nearly everybody’s list of favorite Christmas carols, but honey. Come on. This is a really bad rendition of a really good song. I happen to like the Temptations, so I was a little surprised when this song was nominated, but what they did to this lovely song … well let’s just say “temptation” is apropos. You’ll face all sorts of temptation listening to this… the temptation to stuff your ears with cotton … the temptation to flee screaming … the temptation to throw your phone across the room to just. for. the. love. MAKE IT STOP.

37. It Was A… (Masked Christmas)– A Christmas song about COVID-19 lockdowns. Is there any Christmas we’d like to remember LESS? And what’s an Ariana Grande? Sounds like something you’d order at Starbucks. (Honestly, I wanted to put the first Ariana Grande Christmas song I came across on this list, but the lyrics were too perverse to share with you. In a Christmas song. Let that sink in.)

New this year!

38. Santa Tell Me– I don’t have any funny little quips for this one because it’s just sad. This young lady needs Jesus so badly. If you have a few seconds, please pray for Ariana Grande’s salvation. The lyrics of this song sound like a prayer to Santa Claus. Santa doesn’t exist, isn’t omniscient, and can’t tell you whether you’ll still be with that same guy next year.

I had to post the lyric video of this song because, although the lyrics are fairly innocuous, the official music video contained some inappropriate material. Don’t watch it.

39. Jingle Bells? by Barbra Streisand– Nominated by my dear sister, Amy Spreeman, in our 2023 Christmas episode A (Word Fitly Spoken) Christmas Carol (see below). Can she call ’em or can she call ’em? As I said in the episode, this is a perfect musical illustration of what bi-polar disorder is like. (The video is awfully cute, though. Peep the titles of many of Babs’ films on signage, sweaters, etc.)

40. Hallelujah– Another fairly meaningless song from Pentatonix. (Did I mention this is not a Christian group? Oh yeah, I did, in #17.). It has nothing to do with Christmas; best I can tell, the lyricist has confused David with Samson in the second verse; he threw in some random phraseology (which I guess he thinks is metaphorical imagery, but it’s really just literary gibberish) about relationships; and then he peppered the whole mess with the word “Hallelujah,” which literally means “Praise the Lord”. I don’t get it, and I don’t think the songwriter or Pentatonix get it either.

Bonus!

Listen in to A (Word Fitly Spoken) Christmas Carol, and hear both Amy’s and my nominations for the worst (and best) Christmas songs!

 Agree? Disagree?
What do you think is the
worst Christmas song of all time?

Christmas

The Gospel According to Carols

Michelle Lesley

Originally published December 17, 2019

During the Christmas seasons of 2019 and 2020, I ran a meme series on my social media pages called The Gospel According to Carols. Many of our favorite Christmas carols include the gospel, so this was a series of memes with gospel quotes from Christmas carols to help keep our focus on the gospel during the hustle and bustle of the season.

Many of our favorite Christmas carols include the gospel. The Gospel According to Carols is a series of memes with gospel quotes from Christmas carols to help keep our focus on the gospel during the hustle and bustle of the season.

The series was so popular I decided to add it to my collection of annual Christmas blog articles. All of the memes are posted below. The title of the carol precedes each meme(s) and is linked to a YouTube video of that carol in case you’d like to listen. In addition to sharing these around on social media (or using them as your cover photo) to remind ourselves, our friends, and our family of the true reason for Christ’s incarnation, I thought of a few other ways you might like to use these.

Decorative Place Cards

In my article (and podcast) 10 Ways to Share the Gospel During the Holidays, I mentioned printing out these Bible verse memes on thankfulness and placing one at each place setting on your Thanksgiving dinner table as a way of initiating gospel conversations. The Gospel According to Carols memes could be used in the same way at your Christmas party or dinner.

Christmas Cards and Gift Tags

Not crazy about the rapidly dwindling selection of Christmas cards at your local retailer? Choose one or more of these designs, print them out on card stock and use them for Christmas cards. Or, minimize them to gift tag size, add a “to” and a “from,” print them out on card stock, and use them for labeling all your Christmas gifts.

Party Game

Instead of “Name that Tune,” make it “Name that Carol” by reading the quote aloud and having your guests guess which Christmas carol it came from.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Silent Night

Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

Child in the Manger

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The First Noel

Good Christian Men Rejoice

We Three Kings

Joy to the World

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Glorious Impossible

Christmas, Guest Posts

Guest Post: The Gospel in Handel’s Messiah

Michelle Lesley

If your theology pretty much matches up with mine (as outlined in my “Welcome” and “Statement of Faith” tabs in the blue menu bar at the top of this page) and you’d like to contribute a guest post, drop me an e-mail, and let’s chat about it.

The Gospel in Handel’s Messiah
by Alexandra Thomas

In early December 2017 I attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah with my parents. It was my first time experiencing the entire piece. I did not know it well, but I came home and listened to it during Advent with my Bible open. Did you know that Messiah is composed entirely of Scripture? Do you know that it tells the gospel from start to finish? Read on to be encouraged again by the gospel that saved you or to hear God’s heart for you if you have never heard the gospel before. May you be challenged to use what you learn to share the gospel this Christmas season. 

Part 1: O Come O Come, Emmanuel

Part one of Messiah references Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah then tells the story of Jesus’ birth and early ministry. It opens with “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God” (Isaiah 40:1) and goes on to the prophet to come before Jesus, John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:1-3).

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Isaiah 40:3; Matt 3:3)

Handel emphasizes God’s heart for the nations throughout the first part of Messiah. God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:18 that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Handel highlights how the glory of the Lord will be revealed (Isaiah 40:5) and the desire of all peoples will be fulfilled in His coming (Haggai 2:6). The nations shall come to the light (Isaiah 60:3) and when this King comes He will speak peace to the nations (Zech 9:9-10). 

Here comes the Christmas story! The coming King would be born through a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). God promised this coming King would bring light to people walking in darkness. He would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:2,6). The “good news of great joy” was first told to shepherds by an angel of the Lord, and glory and praise were given to God (Luke 2:8-11,13-14).

The first section of Messiah ends with prophecies pointing to Jesus’ ministry (Isaiah 35:5-6) and a look at the character of this Messiah. We know from the Gospel accounts that Jesus healed those who were blind (Matt. 9:27-31), restored speech to those who were mute (Matt. 9:32-33), restored the bodies of those who were paralyzed (Matt. 9:1-7), and opened the ears of those who were deaf (Mark 7:31-37). 

“…they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and He healed them.” (Matthew 4:24)

In John 10:11 Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Handel returns to Isaiah 40, describing how God cares for His people like a shepherd feeding His flock, gathering the lambs in His arms, and gently leading those who are with young. Part one concludes the same as it began. “Comfort ye” of Isaiah 40:1 is seen fulfilled in Christ in the closing songs taken from Matthew 11:28-30:

Come unto Him, all ye that labor, that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest

Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him; for He is meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Part Two: The Cross and the Empty Tomb

Part two of Messiah opens with the words of John the Baptist from John 1:29:

Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.

The music turns to more sorrowful melodies as Handel walks us through the sufferings of our Savior as prophesied in Isaiah 53:3-6, Psalm 22:7-8, Psalm 69:20, and Lamentations 1:2. You can read fulfillment of these prophecies in Luke’s account of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion in Luke 22 and 23.

He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

He hid not His face from shame and spitting.

He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities.

All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn

He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man; neither found He any to comfort Him

Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.

Why do we need our sins taken away? Why did our Savior need to suffer? This section includes Isaiah 53:6, which explains that “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned- every one- to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Though not every verse of Isaiah 53 is sung in Messiah, a close reading of this chapter tells us so much about the gospel. It was God’s will to allow Jesus to suffer (“to crush him” v.10). By this Jesus was made an “offering for guilt” (v.10) so that those who repent and put their trust in Him can be “accounted righteous” (v.11) because “He shall bear their iniquities” (v.11). These prophecies and their fulfillment are summarized so well by the Apostle Peter:

“When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (I Peter 2:23-25)

Handel refers to Isaiah 58:8 to note Jesus’ death: “He was cut off out of the land of the living…” then introduces Jesus’ resurrection with Psalm 16:10: “But thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.” From here part two takes on brighter sounds with quicker tempos to paint a “sound picture.” The tide has turned from sorrow to celebration. He is victorious over sin and death!

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. (Ps 24:7-8,10) 

Part two has shown the suffering of our Savior and His glorious victory over sin and death. Before concluding the section, Handel includes a reminder that the news of the resurrection is meant to be shared.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. (Rom 10:15)

Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Rom 10:18; Ps 19:4)

Finally, the most well known song from Messiah, the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It is written using Revelation 19:6,16 and Revelation 11:15. Traditionally the audience stands when this song is played. This began when England’s King George II stood during the song in 1743, and the custom continues today.

Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.

Part Three: The “So What?” of Part Two

The final part of Messiah does not have the familiar tunes of the Christmas story or the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus.” I call this section the “So what?” because it dives into the impact of the cross and empty tomb. It begins with “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25-26) then spends considerable time in 1 Corinthians 15 to declare that:

Because Jesus died, we can be made alive in Him (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

We who know Christ will not all sleep [die] but we shall be raised up again (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

Because Christ is risen from the dead, death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:34)

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:55)

The next to last song of Messiah is one I consider a tender lullaby from God to His people. It summarizes the gospel: Jesus died and was raised, through Him we are no longer condemned, but He intercedes for us at the right hand of God. This song brings me great comfort in times of struggle as I meditate on these verses from Romans 8:31,33-34.

If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?

It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.

Messiah closes with a picture of the throne room of Heaven from Revelation 5:12-14. The cross and empty tomb lead God’s people here: reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ and an eternity in right relationship with our Maker, our Savior, and our God. Though King George II stood for the “Hallelujah Chorus,” this final song makes me want to stand and lift my arms and voice to sing:

Worthy is the lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing

Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen.

Share the Gospel with Handel’s Messiah

If you happen to come across Messiah this Christmas season, I would encourage you to use the opportunity to share the gospel.  Here are some ways to refresh your heart with the gospel and use this musical work for gospel conversations:

1. Listen to Messiah during Advent with your Bible open. Remind yourself of the gospel and praise God for saving you through Christ. 

2. Consider learning songs from Messiah to help you memorize Scripture.

3. If you hear the “Hallelujah Chorus” on the radio, use it as a chance to talk about the gospel in Messiah to anyone who is listening too.

4. If you have the chance to go to a Messiah performance, (1) share the gospel with those around you and (2) be sure to pray for the performers. I have met individuals who know the whole work from start to finish and never saw or responded to the gospel. Pray that as the performers sing, the Lord would use the scriptures to prepare them to respond in repentance and faith to the risen Lord Jesus.

I recall Philip’s question to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:30: “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replies, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). Do you know what he was reading? Isaiah 53, which we saw in part two. It shows the suffering of our Savior and the marvelous work of salvation as Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon Himself. Many will hear the gospel through Messiah this season. Let the Apostle Paul’s words encourage you to share this Good News of great joy!

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)

Alexandra is a wife and mother to three boys (two of whom are twins). She spends her time caring for her family and home much of the week and works part time as a pediatric occupational therapist. Alexandra loves music, crafting, books, baking, and recently cake decorating. She and her husband regularly pray for opportunities to share the gospel and love encouraging others to do the same.