Carols by Alexander Armstrong
Classic FM presenter and Cathedral Music Trust Ambassador
I love that the most magical festival in our whole calendar should come in the very depths of winter.
It means the light, colour and warmth of Christmas stand out all the more starkly against that dark midwinter palette. And it makes our enjoyment so much more focused, especially when it comes to Christmas music
There is no other season whose music we devour so hungrily, nor any that carries so many happy associations for us from down the years.
This is why it is so thrilling when we hear the first strain of Christmas music each year (the first cuckoo of Spring ain't in it).
Reading Colossians 3.16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
Reflection
At Christmas our churches are filled with light, warmth, togetherness, and that most special ingredient: Christmas carols.
Every year I'm so thankful for the great legacy of beautiful Christmas music we have, whether medieval, Victorian (and they were spectacularly prolific carol writers) or more recent favourites. They never fail to move me and fill me with a sense of wonder that hasn't been diluted since childhood.
Whether sung by a choir, heard drifting down high streets, or played on the radio, it feels as though we can all share in the wonder of carols at Christmas, and the comfort and hope they bring.
This Christmas, make time to listen to your favourite Christmas carols and allow the joy and the evocative memories to light up your year for you.
Why not take St Paul's advice from our reading and sing along to a carol or two today 'with gratitude in your hearts'?
Ding dong merrily on high
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