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Favorite Christmas Songs


Elizabeth86
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Mine are (fairly obscure but gorgeous and complex) hymns:

 

Break Forth Oh Beauteous Heavenly Light (Quempas, actually)

Beside Thy Cradle Here I Stand

Oh Rejoice Ye Christians Loudly

 

And some children/pastor/choir/organ music written for the church I grew up in, which is even more obscure, but which every time I teach it to kids everyone loves it.  There is a setting of promises from Isaiah, the Luke 2 Nativity, and the Benedictus (song of Simeon in the temple, starting 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us.)

 

I have goosebumps now. 

 

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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

 

Once in Royal David's City, preferably done by a boy choir. 

 

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

 

O Come O Come Emmanuel

 

O Come Little Children

 

Fröhliche Weihnacht überall (google this if you've never heard it, it's very catchy)

 

Nesem vám noviny (A Czech carol that I haven't heard in English much -- known in German as Kommet ihr Hirten)

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-A few selections by Manheim Steamroller

 

-The entire Grinch album by the Marty Gold Children's Choir.  It was released when the cartoon was way back when and is just fun. 

 

-The Nutcracker Suite

 

For individual songs:

Un Flambeau, Jeanette Isabelle

Carol of the Bells

Oh, Holy Night - there's an old Hallmark commercial that uses it and it just makes me teary every time I saw it.  Gosh, I just watched it again and teared up all over.

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I tend to like a lot of choral songs, though a lot have fairly modern music.

 

Gabriel's Message

 

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

 

Adam lay ybounden

 

Lo, How A Rose e'er Blooming

 

Balulalow

 

I also enjoy some more popular type things, both traditional like God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, or I like the rather jazzy version of We Three Kings where they spell out JESUS.   Kind of silly but fun.

 

 

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Love the oldies - Bill Monroe and Roger Miller!

 

When I'm feeling stressed about the holidays,  Kenny Chesney's All I Want For Christmas Is a Real Good Tan really cheers me up. Three family members live in Florida, two on the beach...one year I'm going to spend Christmas there!

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Buon Natale

Sankt Niklas war ein Seemann

What Child is this

Cantique de Noel

Go Tell it on the Mountains

Santa Notte - Stille Nacht (Vienna Boys' Choir)

God Jul

It Came upon a Midnight Clear

O Holy Night

Dona Nobis Pacem - especially by Elisabeth von Trapp

Blanca Navidad

Little Drummer Boy

I heard the Bells on Christmas Day

White Christmas

Away in a Manger (and others by Anne Murray)

 

I always get a bit nostalgic at Christmas and go back to my family roots "in song."

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I like:

"The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You").

 

Next is either Sleigh Ride or Silver Bells.

 

O Christmas Tree 

 

I liked a lot of the religious ones I heard in church as a kid but since I'm atheist they make me feel a bit weird to sing (mostly in my head) so we just don't get to those very often.

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Carole of the Bells, especially the electric mix by Trans Siberian Orchestra

Oh Holy Night

Some versions of Little Drummer Boy

Mary Did You Know

Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

 

 

There are a few I could live without:

Frosty the Snowman

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Dare I say it? The First Noel, although we are singing this for homeschool chorus.

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I love Barenaked Ladies' Christmas album. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the first one I listen to every year. I'm not religious but it's still my favorite.

 

Although right now Oscar the Grouch's "I Hate Christmas" from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is roaring to the top of the list.

Edited by BarbecueMom
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Mine are (fairly obscure but gorgeous and complex) hymns:

 

Break Forth Oh Beauteous Heavenly Light (Quempas, actually)

Beside Thy Cradle Here I Stand

Oh Rejoice Ye Christians Loudly

 

And some children/pastor/choir/organ music written for the church I grew up in, which is even more obscure, but which every time I teach it to kids everyone loves it.  There is a setting of promises from Isaiah, the Luke 2 Nativity, and the Benedictus (song of Simeon in the temple, starting 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us.)

 

I have goosebumps now. 

 

 

Oh my Gosh!!!  I used to sing the first 2 in choir... I *love* those songs... and it's really, really hard to to find the music for the Beside Thy Cradle.....  At least the last time I tried a few years ago.   

 

So nice to see someone else who loves the both.   You made my day. 

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I love all the Bing Crosby Christmas songs. I have very happy memories of decorating my grandparents’ Christmas tree with that album playing on their old record player.

 

For religious music, my favorites are Dona Nobis Pacem, Adeste Fidelis, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Holy Night, and Silent Night. Almost all Christmas music makes me teary thinking about the gravity of what Mary said “yes†to.

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I love Barenaked Ladies' Christmas album. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the first one I listen to every year. I'm not religious but it's still my favorite.

 

Although right now Oscar the Grouch's "I Hate Christmas" from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is roaring to the top of the list.

 

How did I raise four kids and not know about I Hate Christmas? It might be my new favorite.  I like the idea of Christmas, just not the gift giving. I suck at choosing gifts. 

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I love Barenaked Ladies' Christmas album. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the first one I listen to every year. I'm not religious but it's still my favorite.

 

Although right now Oscar the Grouch's "I Hate Christmas" from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is roaring to the top of the list.

 

I love this version, too! I love Silent Night, Noel Nouvelet, In the Bleak Midwinter, and Carol of the Bells. 

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I like a lot of them.

 

O Holy Night is my all-time favorite, esp when sung by a terrific male voice.

 

Coming in close are:

 

Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer) sung by Nicholas Jonas

 

 

 

and

 

The Gift They Got in Heaven by Brenda White (trigger warning - deals with a grandparent's death - but is such a great tribute).

 

 

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Oh my Gosh!!!  I used to sing the first 2 in choir... I *love* those songs... and it's really, really hard to to find the music for the Beside Thy Cradle.....  At least the last time I tried a few years ago.   

 

So nice to see someone else who loves the both.   You made my day. 

Bach FTW!

 

Easy choir version of Beside Thy Cradle:  https://www.cph.org/p-4692-The-Morning-Star-Choir-Book.aspx

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Bach FTW!

 

Easy choir version of Beside Thy Cradle:  https://www.cph.org/p-4692-The-Morning-Star-Choir-Book.aspx

 

yup.. I knew that part.. I used to have the music - I hoarded it for years... but it was lost in a move or two ago.

 

Thanks for the link.  Our version was "Here To Thy Cradle..."  Maybe that was my problem.  The translation was different.

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How did I raise four kids and not know about I Hate Christmas? It might be my new favorite. I like the idea of Christmas, just not the gift giving. I suck at choosing gifts.

Ugh, gifts. Sometimes I'm glad neither DH nor I are gift people. Other times I really wish one of us could not drop the ball on this stuff.

 

We own Christmas Eve on Sesame Street and watch it every year. Partly for the I Hate Christmas song, and partly for the very poignant "skits". It's nearly perfect.

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