I said I wouldn't post but I have two little sweet bits for you to enjoy so I am popping in just to say:
- Have a listen to this beautiful — truly lovely — musical setting of G. K. Chesterton's Christmas Carol. I would love one day to be part of a choir that sings it!
Here are the words of the poem:
A Christmas Carol by G. K. Chesterton
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)
The Christ-child stood on Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.
G.K. Chesterton
- And secondly, for your coloring pleasure, here is a Christmas Season Liturgical Calendar that I'm sure all will enjoy, from Jeremiah and Michaela Harrison at Liturgy of the Home.
- Bonus thoughts: Two defenses of Santa Claus (not sketchy Mall Santa, though): Ten Reasons to Believe In Santa Claus and The Ethics of Jolly Old Elfland.
A blessed and merry Christmas to all!
Ken says
That music was so beautiful! Thank you for sharing that!
MomWingingIt says
My husband and I both opted not to “do Santa” with our children. We both grew up in the 80s in households that did not emphasize traditions revolving around our faith but with lots of excitement for Santa. We thought we were doing a good thing by taking Santa out of the equation and instead celebrating the feast of Saint Nicholas and Jesus‘s birthday on Christmas day. I just read the first article about Santa and I can’t help but feeling like we blew it. I just feel confused about it all now. Honestly I like that our emphasis is on Jesus and we don’t talk about what Santa brings in our home. The hardest part for me is the cultural pressure to do what everyone else is doing and how everyone expects to talk to our children about what Santa brought. I am careful each year to remind our children that Saint Nicholas is in heaven with the other saints and that we are inspired to be a saint like him and we admire his giving spirit out of love for Jesus. I tell my children to respect the traditions of other families who celebrate Santa or Saint Nicholas in different ways. But maybe we’ve got it all wrong.
Leila says
I think it’s beautiful to have your own family traditions. You didn’t blow it 🙂
Basically the reflections I posted are just to offer a perspective about what is behind the original idea — but not to make anyone feel demoralized. There is no question that commercialized Santa is a huge negative in our culture. What’s sad is how the innocent pleasures of childhood are twisted out of all recognition by… maybe there not being enough children? I am not sure.
It’s all just food for thought!
Don’t worry!
Hannah Q says
Leila, thanks for sharing the defenses of Santa–I’ve been curious about your opinion on the subject!
MomWingingIt–what you described is exactly what we are trying to do in our family too, and you also describe my one major concern with it, that it’s totally unlike what everyone else does! I had previously tried to compromise by insisting that Santa Claus was St. Nicholas, but when I encountered a visit from Santa wherein Santa behaved quite un-saintly, I became wary of continuing to equate the two for my children.
I think by doing what you described, we’re still hitting many of the positives that these two articles bring up about Santa–we still have a magical visit from a saint, albeit on Dec. 6, AND a magical visit from the Christ Child! The anticipation is built up as they watch Mary and Joseph travel around our home to the nativity scene, and then Jesus and the angel appear on Christmas morning, along with presents. It seems to me that this does a lot to cultivate love for baby Jesus.
MomWingingIt says
We don’t claim a saint is visiting on St. Nick day. They know I give them special things in their slippers as a way of admiring the saint and emulating his giving spirit. They know we are the gift givers on Dec 6 and 25th so that worries me. Did we take away too much wonder?
Dixie says
MomWingingIt, we do Santa with a wink. The kids know it is pretend, but also that it’s a game we all play together to help celebrate Christmas/St. Nick’s. Can you still engage in the fun pretend with them to some degree? Sometimes if they start to ask questions I will literally wink at them while verbally denying up and down that I help/am Santa. (I have one child who gets very anxious when he’s unsure whether or not something is true, so it is helpful to him if I quietly confirm to him once or twice a year that yes, we do the gifts, but let’s go on with the pretend. He loves to pretend about it still!)
Cathy says
Thank you for sharing our video! I sang in the Alto section (pictured center) and my husband edited the video. How did you originally find it?
Leila says
Peter Kwasniewski posted it. I love it! Thank you for your parts in producing it!
Cathy says
Our pleasure — all glory to God!
Juanita says
Thank you for sharing the beautiful song! The children learned the poem last year for their memory work. I didn’t realize it was also a song and played it for them. My one son piped up, “There is that picture.” Near the end is a painting of the angels announcing to the sheperds that we just studied in picture study the other week. Merry Christmas!
Leila says
Well, it wasn’t a song — until the composer made it into one!
Isn’t that wonderful?
Lisa G. says
It was certainly wonderful! Merry Christmas! 🙂
Teri Pittman says
A friend sent this to me. Have you seen it??
https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2020/12/the-art-of-self-publishing-altar.html?m=1
Karen says
My parish choir sang the Chesterton Christmas Carol at the Christmas Eve Mass. I had never heard the song before and it was so beautiful! Our Director of Sacred Music brought in a Broadway performer (a friend of his) to lead the choir. My husband and I were moved to tears by the amazing music and that song in particular. It was just such a beautiful Mass, enhanced also by my son serving as Thurifer for the first time. Merry Christmas, Auntie Leila and family, and Happy New Year!
Julie Churchwell says
We study Chesterton’s poem every December. I am thrilled to show the kids a song. I think they might sing it the year round since they now know the words!
shannon lang says
This blog is such a source of joy and peace for me. Please never stop sharing on here! It uplifts my spirit! Merry Christmas!
priestswife says
Thank you for your blog this past year- it has been a joy as usual- May our Lord bless your family in 2021