Per Elena's request (who has said that I've been very Grinch-y this year; yes, I'm being a Grinch), here are the Christmas songs I love. Newton also has a list of his favorite songs.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
This one one of the first songs I learned when I was in chorus in High School. It was in our repertoire for four years. I didn't get it until I became a Christian. Katherine posted the lyrics on her blog a couple of weeks ago, and I cried like a baby.
Just thinking about it makes me weepy. I can still hear the bass section opening the song - so strong and clear.
O Holy Night
I love this song for a lot of the same reasons I love "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." They kinda quickly get to the point of Christmas: celebration of Jesus' birth. I think about the shepherds who were greeted by an angel of the Lord - how terrifying and awesome that must have been.
That may also be part of my Grinch-y behavior this year: I'm sick of the commercialization. I'm sick of the cult-of-shopping. The debate over "happy holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" just annoys me to no end. Shut up already and pick one!
These songs also have not been beaten to death by celebrity Christmas albums.
I am seriously considering returning the gifts I bought and just donating the money in everyone's name to a charity where it will do some good. Truthfully, do we need more stuff?
Carol of the Bells (though I prefer the instrumental versions of this song) It sounds really cool and that's why I like it.
Anything by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They rock.
The Charlie Brown Christmas CD
