It’s less than three weeks until Christmas.  The shops and markets have had their decorations up for weeks, radio stations have been playing Christmas carols since before Thanksgiving. I love Christmas, but sometimes we get bombarded with too much too soon, and the fact that Christmas has been so commercialized and secularized makes it even harder to handle so early in the season.

 

Most of the shops are playing “neutral” Christmas songs – “Frosty the Snowman,” “Jingle Bells,” or “White Christmas.”  There are even songs I don’t recognize, my days of listening to the popular stations having ended years ago.  I even heard one song with some explicit lyrics.  (in a Christmas song?  Really?!?!)  Others don’t even remotely relate to Christmas – a few references to mistletoe and snowflakes, but that’s it. I’ve had to learn to just block it out when I go into the store.  I’ve never been a fan of the “Frosty/Santa/bring-me-a-ring” songs, and the newer ones are really over the top.  The Grinch in me threatens to manifest itself.  Better to focus on the shopping list and ignore what’s blaring over the sound system.

 

Last week, I was shocked to walk into a store and hear “Away in a Manger.”  I stopped and listened for a moment, closing my eyes and absorbing the tune.  With a sigh of contentment, I continued into the store, feeling lighter and happier with each step and lyric.  “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “Joy to the World” had me humming along, my heart singing.  I had the overwhelming urge to dance down the aisle with my shopping cart but resisted for the safety of myself and my fellow shoppers (think klutz, accident waiting to happen, and I didn’t want to frighten anyone!).  By the time I was leaving the checkout and making my way to the parking lot, I was much closer to getting into the Christmas spirit.

 

What is it about music that affects us so?  How can one song make us want to sing while another makes us want to plug our ears and scream?  Dr. Jeremy Dean, in his article “10 Magical Effects Music has on the Mind,” says that “Great music can transform an ordinary day into something magical, even spiritual.  It can provide solace, release, strong sensations, and more.” It improves verbal IQ, has been used to aid in heart disease treatment, helps you to see happiness in other people’s faces, evokes color in the mind, and can change the way we relate in groups.  Music is part of our genetic code. It is part of our design.

 

Another article said that music imposes structure in our brains.  Our brains also react to music that seems “out of place.”  A sense that “something is wrong” occurs when we hear music that doesn’t seem to fit the time or place, which explains why I become agitated when I hear a “Christmas song” that has nothing to do with the birth of Christ or the celebration of His birth.

 

Music is one of the languages of worship.  The Book of Revelation has several references to harps and voices in heaven.  David wrote psalms of worship to the Lord.  Miriam, Moses, and Aaron sang songs of worship when they had crossed the sea on dry land in Exodus.  In the Book of Luke, after the angel announced to the shepherds the birth of the savior, he was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God.  “Carol” means dance or a song of praise or joy. It makes sense that music would play such a role in the Christmas season.

 

Genuine Christmas songs have deep meaning, composed to glorify God and share the joy of the birth of our Savior.  Spend a little extra time really listening to the faithful Christmas songs this season.  Really listen to the lyrics that celebrate the birth of our Savior, and let the music encourage you, lift your spirit, and fill you with joy this Christmas season.