Practically at Home: What's my favorite Christmas song of all?

Wednesday

What's my favorite Christmas song of all?

Hallelujah! It’s Christmas!

Christmas carols are the musical highlight of the holiday season for many. As trees are trimmed and stockings placed by chimneys everywhere, the air is fairly filled with the music of Christmas.

What’s Your Favorite Christmas song?

What’s your favorite Christmas song of all? Perhaps our Christmas carol choices reveal more about our personalities and preferences than we suspect.

Traditionalists may love the old-time hymns, such as “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” and “O, Little Town of Bethlehem.”

Trendier folks may adore newer carols, like “Let It Snow,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Silver Bells,” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”

Party-lovers might pick upbeat tunes like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Deck the Halls,” “Santa Baby,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe.”

Iconoclasts may lean more towards “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” “Santa Looks a Lot Like Daddy,” and “Redneck Twelve Days of Christmas.”

And sentimentalists might select romantic or heartfelt favorites like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Merry Christmas, Darling,” “Blue Christmas,” and “My Grown-Up Christmas List.”

What’s My Favorite Christmas song?

Certainly, I love nearly all of the Christmas music. The holiday songs evoke wonderful childhood memories. The Christmas songs stir my spirit and fairly invigorate me, as we prepare for this most favorite and joyful of all holidays.

Still, one song does emerge as my favorite Christmas song of all time.

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Hallelujah!

The “Hallelujah Chorus” is my most favorite Christmas song ever.

Actually, it’s not a Christmas song at all. It’s the hallmark of George Frederic Handel’s great oratorio, The Messiah. Composed in 1741, this stirring number has brought countless audiences to their feet ever since.

Based on Scripture, highlighting the victorious second coming of Christ, this piece offers a reason for celebration that far outshines anything our holiday events can provide.

Choirs have performed Handel’s Messiah for centuries. The entire work details the birth, passion, and glorious return of our Lord. What could be more memorable than that?

Even the opening bars of the orchestral introduction evoke fond choral memories for me. The sounds take me back to my high school and college choir days. I also recall participating in several community do-it-yourself Messiah events.

Throughout the year, I cannot leaf through Isaiah 9 without singing or humming those lines from the “Hallelujah Chorus”: “King of kings and Lord of lords, and He shall reign forever and ever.”

Even the title of this song is exciting. “Hallelujah” comes from an old Hebrew word than meant, “Praise ye the Lord.” In Latin, the word was “Alleluia.” Modern worshipers use the terms interchangeably, for we cannot praise God enough!

After all, Santa may be fun, but the jolly old elf’s got nothing on the Savior of the world! Hallelujah! The Lord reigns! Praise Him!

“Hallelujah Chorus”

(From The Messiah)

George Frederic Handel

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,

King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords,
And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings and Lord of lords!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!