As a child, before I came of age and discovered Atlanta’s WQXI AM pop station, I largely listened to the music chosen by my parents. This consisted of either “easy listening” on Atlanta’s WLTA FM or else “country” on WPLO AM. The latter was then dominated by the “Nashville Sound”.
Accordingly, I moved back and forth with ease between the croonings of either Perry Como or Jim Reeves pouring forth from the RCA Mark 8 Floor-Model Stereo that dominated our living room, depending entirely upon the mood my parents were in at the moment.
At Christmas time, however, things changed. Throughout the month of December, country and easy listening artists were largely replaced by the Christmas music of choral and big band groups. When this happened, the radio was turned off and the LP recordings of such groups as the Robert Shaw Chorale, the Harry Simone Singers, and the Westminster Abbey Choir permeated our home.
Later, it would fashionable for most all artists, whether Christian, country, pop, or even rock, to record and release Christmas albums and CDs. To this has been added an ever-growing assortment of novelty songs and movie soundtracks that, when combined with the aforementioned albums and CDs, largely comprise the modern day Christmas musical canon.
And to be honest, this then became the selections that my wife and I and our children have mostly listened to during the holidays over the years. But these days, I find myself increasingly returning to the Christmas music of my childhood. I have spent a small fortune finding and downloading the musical selections I once so enjoyed.
Thus it was that, while out walking yesterday and listening to my “Childhood Christmas” playlist, I came across the Eddy Arnold classic titled “C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S”. I thought it fitting to post the lyrics here this day…
When I was but a youngster
Christmas meant one thing
That I'd be getting lots of toys that day
I learned a whole lot different
When Mother sat me down
And taught me to spell 'Christmas' this way:
'C' is for the Christ child, born upon this day
'H' for herald angels in the night
'R' means our Redeemer
'I' means Israel
'S' is for the star that shone so bright
'T' is for three wise men, they who travelled far
'M' is for the manger where He lay
'A' is for all He stands for
'S' means Shepard's came
And that's why there's a Christmas day!
And that's why there's a Christmas day!
A simple song, a beautiful message, and above all, a fitting reminder for Christmas Day!
For when all the layers of modern Christmases have been peeled away, when all the music and lights and decorations and presents and foodstuffs and movies and any one of a thousand other trappings are removed, the essence of Christmas still comes down to the simple message found in Matthew 1:18-2:12, Luke 2:1-12, and John 1:1-14, but best summed up in John 3:16-17:
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
May we never forget this! May we always remember why we have, and why we celebrate, Christmas Day!
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/luke/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/1.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/john/1.htm.
SONG LYRICS:
https://genius.com/Perry-como-c-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s-lyrics.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PH6BR1NOTI.
Accordingly, I moved back and forth with ease between the croonings of either Perry Como or Jim Reeves pouring forth from the RCA Mark 8 Floor-Model Stereo that dominated our living room, depending entirely upon the mood my parents were in at the moment.
At Christmas time, however, things changed. Throughout the month of December, country and easy listening artists were largely replaced by the Christmas music of choral and big band groups. When this happened, the radio was turned off and the LP recordings of such groups as the Robert Shaw Chorale, the Harry Simone Singers, and the Westminster Abbey Choir permeated our home.
Later, it would fashionable for most all artists, whether Christian, country, pop, or even rock, to record and release Christmas albums and CDs. To this has been added an ever-growing assortment of novelty songs and movie soundtracks that, when combined with the aforementioned albums and CDs, largely comprise the modern day Christmas musical canon.
And to be honest, this then became the selections that my wife and I and our children have mostly listened to during the holidays over the years. But these days, I find myself increasingly returning to the Christmas music of my childhood. I have spent a small fortune finding and downloading the musical selections I once so enjoyed.
Thus it was that, while out walking yesterday and listening to my “Childhood Christmas” playlist, I came across the Eddy Arnold classic titled “C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S”. I thought it fitting to post the lyrics here this day…
When I was but a youngster
Christmas meant one thing
That I'd be getting lots of toys that day
I learned a whole lot different
When Mother sat me down
And taught me to spell 'Christmas' this way:
'C' is for the Christ child, born upon this day
'H' for herald angels in the night
'R' means our Redeemer
'I' means Israel
'S' is for the star that shone so bright
'T' is for three wise men, they who travelled far
'M' is for the manger where He lay
'A' is for all He stands for
'S' means Shepard's came
And that's why there's a Christmas day!
And that's why there's a Christmas day!
A simple song, a beautiful message, and above all, a fitting reminder for Christmas Day!
For when all the layers of modern Christmases have been peeled away, when all the music and lights and decorations and presents and foodstuffs and movies and any one of a thousand other trappings are removed, the essence of Christmas still comes down to the simple message found in Matthew 1:18-2:12, Luke 2:1-12, and John 1:1-14, but best summed up in John 3:16-17:
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
May we never forget this! May we always remember why we have, and why we celebrate, Christmas Day!
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/luke/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/1.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/john/1.htm.
SONG LYRICS:
https://genius.com/Perry-como-c-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s-lyrics.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PH6BR1NOTI.