_______Losing Your Joy in Christmas? You May be Listening to the Wrong Songs!

Ah, Christmas music!  I have been listening to KSBJ these past few weeks and enjoying the array of Christmas songs they provide.  However, I have noticed that some of the songs flat out lie.  Yes, I’m sorry if this news just completely crushes you, but there are some songs that are just plain misleading.  Take this one, for example:

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Let your heart be light,

From now on,

Our troubles will be out of sight.

Our troubles will be out of sight?  You know the billboards advertising the sale of young women’s bodies for entertainment?  Well, they still greet me as I drive along the freeway this holiday season.  Some day I’m going to have to explain that sight to my young children.  I wish Christmas made our troubles go out of sight, but I’m afraid it’s just not so.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Make the Yuletide gay.

From now on,

Our troubles will be miles away.

What troubles are we specifically referring to here?  This merry little Christmas season, with the cold weather and all, actually brought me a merry little mouse guest (that’s what you call an unwanted house guest that’s actually a mouse).  And then there’s the stress and the troubles over Christmas letters and Christmas baking and Christmas shopping and Christmas decorating and don’t forget a gift for your children’s teachers that’s inexpensive but not cheap (think: creative!).  Since when has Christmas made our troubles go away?

Here’s another Christmas song that tells some whoppers:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

With the kids jingle belling,

And everyone telling you,

“Be of good cheer,”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

I agree that this season of the year brings a lot of joy and happiness to people but I’m just not so sure it’s the most wonderful time of the year.  For one thing, somebody forgot to sing this song to the minivan and the sports car that were trying to kill each other on the freeway a few days ago in a fit of apparent road rage.  (All I have to say to the minivan driver who tried to take on the sports car is, “really?!”)  It seems to me that people are generally running around completely stressed out of their minds with holiday tasks and parties and to-dos to the point of bursting, not to mention the fact that all but the privileged few were already out of time and money before the holiday season even arrived.  Yet no one wants to appear the Scrooge so they muster plastered smiles and force through clenched teeth something along the lines of “Be of good cheer!” such as “Happy Holidays!” or “Merry Christmas!”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

There’ll be much mistletoeing

And hearts will be glowing

When loved ones are near.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

And what about those whose loved ones aren’t near?  There are military families feeling the absence of their loved ones.  And then there’s the firsts: first Christmas since a divorce, first Christmas lonely in a new town, first (or second, or third…) Christmas since the passing of a loved one.  I feel extremely thankful to have my family together for Christmas but there are many homes with a place left empty.  And if all those grieving families hear is “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” they are seriously going to feel that they are missing the boat.  What’s so wonderful about a time of year where you feel like you have to pretend to be happy all the time?

Thankfully, that is not what it’s all about.  Thankfully, there are some Christmas songs that actually get it right:

Hark the herald angels sing

“Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled.”

Joyful, all ye nations rise.

Join the triumph of the skies.

With the angelic host proclaim:

“Christ is born in Bethlehem”

Hark!  The herald angels sing

“Glory to the newborn King!”

Last night I was reading, This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar and Gary Blythe to Isaac.

I described to my four year old how amazing it is that God would come to earth as a tiny, helpless baby and be born, of all places, in a humble, inhospitable manger (I’m sorry, but I’m sure mice lived there in the hay and I am not a fan of mice right now, so the manger was most definitely inhospitable).  As I said this, my eyes filled with tears at the wonder of it all.  Why would God do this?

Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light of life to all He brings,

Ris’n with healing in His wings

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.

Hark!  The herald angels sing

“Glory to the newborn King!”

Ah, there it is: “that man no more may die,” “to raise the sons of earth,” “to give them second birth.”  So that’s why He did it!  And praise God for that!  But knowing that still doesn’t explain why He chose to “lay His glory by.”  Why would the creator of all the universe choose to appear on earth in the form of a newborn babe in a filthy manger?  Why not descend with the glory that is His due?

Here’s another Christmas song that gives some answers:

God rest ye merry gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember Christ our savior

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan’s power

When we were gone astray

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

From God our heavenly Father

The blessed angel came

And unto certain shepherds

Brought tidings of the same

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by name

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Fear not said the angel

Let nothing you affright

This day is born a Savior

Of the pure virgin bright

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan’s power and might

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Here’s the key and the reason this season is such a joyous miracle for me: “to free all those who trust in Him!”  When Christ came as a humble baby instead of a powerful ruler, it threw for a loop the Jews of the time who had been awaiting the Messiah.  God knew it was going to be hard for them to understand why He chose to do it this way.  However, to those who trust in Him, to those who, like the wise men, humble themselves and accept the infant as the Lord, to those He offers freedom.

And so, this season can be the most wonderful time of the year indeed.  It is the time we remember the humble Infant who is our God and the miracle that He would choose to come into our world in this way so that we could get a better understanding of His nature and His grace.  It is this Infant King who came here to die on our behalf so that we could live joyously with Him for eternity.  That is a promise big enough to bring joy even to a broken family or a struggling individual.

And so I have realized that any Christmas task that becomes a chore and not a joyful response to God’s most amazing gift, is not a task that is worth my resources.  As I teach my children the joy of giving this season, I am so prayerful and hopeful that they will learn that our giving is a response to God’s great gift.  Or, as the selfless nun in Veggie Tales’ Saint Nicolas: A Tale of Joyful Giving says when asked if she helps people to make her feel happy, “No, I help people because I am happy.”  Then she explains how God’s greatest gift has given her such joy that she wants to share His love with others.  And for me, that is what Christmas is all about!