Mrs. WRC and I were kindly invited to a Christmas party at the school were I have been substitute teaching. I say “kindly” because we really think that it was a kind and unusual invitation. When she and I arrived at the party, I’d only been at the school for 4 days– and I’m a substitute. But we had a great time and were very happy to be there– even if we only knew about 3 people at the whole party.

At one point, one of the other guests struck up a conversation with my wife about her favorite Christmas song. It’s one of those polite conversations that you strike up with people you don’t know but need something to talk about.

But you know what? It’s a great question. My answer has changed a few times over the years.

When I was a kid, I would have answered that I liked any Christmas song that Andy Williams sang. And yes, I know that’s lame. I was a lame child. But my folks had the Andy Williams Christmas album (on tape AND LP!) and I was into it. I liked that big syrupy jazzy sound and I ate it up. What, like you weren’t a dork as a kid? So it’s really funny that a couple days ago I was reading Rod Dreher’s CrunchyCon blog and I came across this little gem:

I have to confess that as a tot in the Seventies, I was weirdly fascinated by Andy Williams Christmas specials. They were all so … clean. I didn’t know anybody as clean as Andy Williams. I imagined his snow smelled minty fresh… Anyway, the only way this clip could be whiter is if it had Swedes in it. To watch it is to go snowblind with honkiness. It is like eating mayonnaise with a spoon.

Instant classic.

I’d carry my affinity for Andy Williams songs into high school, but I went into the closet about it. I was on the record for disliking Christmas songs altogether (which is about the only acceptable position for a socially awkward teenage to take on Christmas music) or concede to allow the Garth Brooks “Beyond the Season” album into my CD case. Garth’s career was peaking right about then. He was sufficiently cool. In retrospect, I don’t remember a single song on that album. It was all a front for me.

In college (a broad period of time that spans almost 8 years), my perspective would change. College is a time for disillusionment. Most people go through some melancholy and angst at some point in their life; mine started somewhere around the year 2001 and dragged on until 2005ish. In December 2003, I was about to begin the worst year of my life. On December 9 2003, I wrote about it on my old website. Now only preserved by the Wayback Machine (Nota Bene: the language in that link might be a little coarse), I can’t help but shake my head about the way I was trying to live my life.

The song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a depressing one. It says that this year [stinks], maybe it will be better next year, and if you want to have a happy season, then do so. It says to have yourself the merry Christmas, not that we’re going to have one or that you should have as good of a time as I’m having. It says “[expletive deleted] me.” I like that. There aren’t enough melancholy Christmas songs.

I was in the mood to be in a rotten mood. Those were the days. I’m glad I lived them. But I’m glad they’re over.

My perspective has changed a lot in six short years. It’s not like wisdom has come with age, but a certain amount of introspection has. My taste in Christmas songs is different now. I find myself rapt with a different kind of music. Ones that allow a little contemplation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I’ve been to enough Christmas parties to know that no one eats roasted Chestnuts or tells scary ghost stories, I’ve seen Garth Brook’s career in its full arc, and I can’t muster up any more somber despondency to worry about somehow muddling. Christmas has a different kind of magic now. I’ve come to the realization that Christmas isn’t about me or family or friends or presents or parties or cookies or fourth-quarter sales. No, it’s about a ‘babe on a silent night.

This may be obvious to you. Truth be told, it’s always been obvious to me, I’ve just never accepted it before now.

Jennifer F. of the blog “Conversion Diary” had a post last year about the song “What Child is This?”. Excerpt:

Every time I hear the song What Child is This?, I feel haunted.

It started back in 2005, when I was still researching Christianity and not sure that I believed its claims. I’d be driving around, yapping into my cell phone, glaring at people who drove too slowly as I rushed to buy presents I should have bought weeks before, and then I’d catch sight of some nativity scene and all my racing thoughts would stop. For just a moment, I’d remember that I had a question to answer far bigger than what I should get my husband for Christmas.

During this time I always paused when I heard the song What Child is This?, its slow, ethereal melody sending chills down my spine, the simple question it asked seemingly whispered in my ear by something closer than the tinny mall sound system.

It haunted me, challenged me, to stop everything and consider the baby who was born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, to look at the manger scenes that dotted the winter landscape of my city, and ask:

What child is this?

Funny, isn’t it? How some songs just stick to you?

These days, I have a song that seems grab me when I hear it: O Holy Night.

I don’t usually like the mono-character word “O” and shy away from its usage. I don’t eat Land ‘O Lakes butter, I’ve never wished someone the Top ‘O the Mornin’, and think that “O Fortuna” jumped the shark somewhere around the time that Blockbuster Video was using the Carl Orff composition for its ad campaign. But O Holy Night cuts through my scowl.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of Our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world In sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d And the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn.
     Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels’ voices!
     O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
     O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts By His cradle we stand.
So led by light of A star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men From Orient land.
The King of Kings Lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials Born to be our friend.
     He knows our need, To our weakness is no stranger,
     Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
     Behold your King, Behold your King.
Truly He taught us To love one another;
His law is love And His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break For the slave is our brother;
And in His name All oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy In grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us Praise His holy name.
     Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
     His power and glory Evermore proclaim!
     His power and glory Evermore proclaim!

Man, what a great song! I think that it rattles in my brain mostly for that second sentence: Long lay the world; In sin and error pining, ‘Til He appear’d And the soul felt its worth. Every time I hear it, it just hits me like a ton of bricks. I guess because we still pine in sin an error as if we didn’t learn right the first time. Fall on your knees! By the end of the song, I’m standing on my chair and singing along HIS POOOOOOWERRRRRRRRRRRRRR and GLORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRy! That’s great stuff. Proclaim it, proclaim it! Manalive! Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur!

It gets me going. And look out if I’m driving the one horse open sleigh when the weather outside is frightful, all that standing and singing on my part is going to make me run over grandma with my reindeer.

I didn’t tell it like this at the school Christmas party. Somethings are hard to explain to people whom you’ve just met. I could have probably just said the Magnificat and left it at that. Heh.

So let’s talk. What’s your favorite Christmas song? Answer in the comment section below. And Lord help me, if any of you say “Christmas Shoes” I’m going to come down there and beat you with a snow globe. Charitably, of course.