A Blissemas Carol
Dec 06
Victoria’s brief to her Blissemas elves was simple – just keep it festive! I’m going to continue the theme with a subject close to my heart.
There’s an entry in my diary from when I was about 14 in which I moan ‘Now the school concerts are finished, I feel Christmas is over’. For me, a huge part of Christmas – pretty much the biggest – has always been the music.
From a shaky start singing Mary’s Boychild at my infant school nativity, I went on to join every choir going, picking up a vast repertoire of Christmas music, both sacred and profane, as a result.
Christmas, for me, is about those rehearsal nights in a freezing church, clapping gloved hands together while the organist’s practising makes the floor vibrate beneath us.
It’s about getting to leave class half an hour early to set up music stands in the hall, which smells of pine from the vast Christmas tree in the corner.
It’s about making up alternative words to the carols (especially the Latin ones) and trying to keep a straight face when singing the ‘official’ version.
It’s about the orchestra tuning up and the procession up the aisle and that breathless moment just before the conductor counts you in.
The high voices soaring, the low ones booming, everyone in between belting out O Come All Ye Faithful at the end of the service.
And then you tip out into the rain or the wind or the snow, and it’s over. Nothing left of it but tinsel.
So do I have a favourite carol? I have so many I could make the world’s longest mix tape (if people still made mix tapes) – but for the last few years nothing has topped A Spotless Rose by Herbert Howells, with its ineffably beautiful closing chord. Here it is, sung by the peerless choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
For the chance to win a Kindle, just comment with your favourite carol or Christmas tune. I’d love to hear what makes you feel the spirit of the season.
I love Christmas carols and have used several in stories. I always find it hard to pick a favourite, I adore O come all ye Faithful and O little town of Bethlehem always makes me smile but I think my favourite carol is one that isn’t sung so much, it’s We three Kings of Orient are. I love that one! Thanks for your cracking Christmas Choral Blissemas blog!
My mum taught me ‘We three Kings of Orient are/One in a taxi, one in a car’ etc. Always makes me smile!
I need to write more Christmas stories so I can include carols in them – great idea.
Lovely, Justine!
I also used to measure how good every Christmas was by the choirs I sang in. Haven’t done it a long while now, but still adore choral music. Thanks for sharing the lovely memory!
Kx
There’s nothing like it, is there? I think it’s the closest I get to feeling spiritual.
OK, I can’t be in the drawing, but I can’t resist the chance to talk about Christmas carols! There are so many I love. I haven’t been caroling in a few years… Sigh. I should get some people together.
OK, top favorite… “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Just haunting. Favorite to sing, the joyous “Psallite Unigenito.” I’m a sucker for a sing-your-own-Messaiah too!
“O come thou rod of Jesse, free/Thine own from Satan’s tyranny.” I LOVE that line – so powerful and beautiful. A wonderful carol.
In the Bleak Mid Winter – without a doubt. It’s the Christmas Story but with added snow.
It has a wonderful moody quality about it that evokes the best wintry, snowy scenes in my mind.
If you want to listen to a particularly good version of it put Gloucester Cathedral Choir – In the Bleak Midwinter into Youtube.
I sang that as a solo once!
Such beautiful words – by Christina Rossetti, aren’t they? I love it – thanks
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Oh joyous post! I am a big sook for O Holy Night sung by a full choir, *sigh*
All the kids love singing ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ in German – ‘O Tannen-BUM!’
Haha, we used to do that Tannen-bum thing too
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Aw, lovely. I do love carols. They fill me with warmth and peace. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and We Three Kings I love how sinister they sound, and WTK has such a spooky myhrr verse
I always thought it was we three kings or Orientar, and still think of it like that, really.
Ooh yes – ‘Myrrh is next, its bitter perfume’, then something to do with gathering gloom, very shivery!
Still not entirely sure what myrrh is, to be honest.
Myrrh is a resin (tree sap), like frankincense–it was used medicinally, so it was a symbol of healing. But, you know, just not as nice-smelling as frankincense. I saw frankincense trees last year! And bought a little bag of the stuff. Couldn’t resist.
Oh, and I think myrrh was used to make mummies? That’s about all I know of myrrh without googling! lol
When I was a kid, we would sit in the dark with our tree lit and each would get to choose their favorite Christmas song and we would sing it. Mine has always been The First Noel!
What a fabulous tradition – I might steal that one off you
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Great post! Love the carols and Josh Groban singing Oh Holy Night. The man gives me shivers.
And I always thought Hark was the name of a Harold Angel. Yeah, I didn’t pay much attention when we sang. Bad girl.
Haha, good old Hark. They always got him to do all the singing, didn’t they?
I never used to have a clue what half the words meant, mind you. ‘Lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb’ – what was that all about? lol
I like The Little Drummer Boy the best, sounds good when sung by kids and by professionals. I really like them all because you don’t hear them over and over all year long, after the 11 month break they almost sound new again.
(I agree with Wendy about Josh Groban. He could sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat and make it sound great.)
I like the David Bowie and Bing Crosby version of the Little Drummer Boy.
Love Christmas carols. My favorite song is White Christmas. Such a pretty song! Great post! Thank you for sharing!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
I especially love White Christmas when they show the film on TV – it doesn’t get ANY more Christmassy than that!
Oh, i definitely agree!
I just discovered my favorite Christmas song a few years ago when I heard it on the radio. It’s not a traditional Christmas song, but it really left me reeling the first time I heard it—in particular, the lead female vocalist’s voice on the final vocal entrance (and even more in particular the last singing of the word “night”). It’s “Christmas Canon Rock” by the Trans Siberian Orchestra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45wmyMgyZuY.
As far as traditional carols, my favorite is probably “Carol of the Bells,” followed by “Do You Hear What I Hear?,” “O Holy Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “The First Noel.”
My baby sister (who is 30
) is a masterful musician, and she started a tradition several years ago of playing a little piano recital for us when we’re gathered on Christmas Eve of each family member’s favorite holiday song. I have adored that. 
Lovely post, Justine! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love all the classic tunes by Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby, but when I really want to get in the holiday mood I go with Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
I love It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year sung by Andy Williams.
Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
My favorite Christmas Carol is the Coventry Carol & no one sings it like Alison Moyet.
drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com
my favorite is We Three Kings sung by Carmen(a christian singer). it is just so awesome the way he does it because it has a little bit of a gospel/rock/pop feel to it.
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
I have so many I could go on and on, but 2 of my most favorites are, Mary Don’t You Know and Silver Bells.
My Favourite is Silent Night. I’m not a great one for carols but this one seems to give me goose bumps due to its peaceful melody. The simplicity of the lyrics works in a wonderful way too.
Thanks for the video, hearing choirs always brings tears to my eyes. They just touch me so deeply. Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby Christmas songs always remind me of growing up and my Christmases as a kid. But Johnny Mathis’s It’s The Most Beautiful Time of The Year is one of my favorites.Happy Holidays.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
Even as a non-Christian growing up in a country that barely celebrates X’mas, I loved X’mas carols, and as a member of the school choir I had the opportunity of learning quite a few. My favourite by far is Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
jc at jc-martin dot com
I love them all. But my fave is Bob Seger singing Little Drummer Boy.
klmc_37@yahoo.com
Love, love, love Carol of the Bells. I find myself humming this all year long.
Some good songs. My favorite song is Last Christmas. But all in all, i love all christmas songs.
tonyapeterson35(at)yahoo(dot)com
I can relate… my daughter plays in the band so we have a Christmas concert every year. I look forward to it! Of course I have to hear my daughter practicing over and over weeks in advance. My favorite carol is Silent Night! christina_92 at yahoo.com