I was going to write five blogs on the worst Christmas songs and five of what I think are the best. But there is so much negativity in the world today and I didn’t want to add to it. So I decided to write about my top ten Christmas songs.
Sure I could write about how the brat from “I’m Getting Nuttin’ For Christmas” deserves to get nothing and is symbolic of American youth. I could write about how “Santa Baby” is a song about a woman who is going to offer sexual favors to get what she wants from Santa. Don’t get me started on the Michael Buble “Santa Buddy” version. I could write about how Rudolph teaches a terrible story about only accepting people who are different if they could do something for you. If there was no nasty snow storm, those other reindeer would continue to treat him like Trump treats minorities.
I could also write about how a 1940’s flirtation song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is now the perfect song for today’s sexual molestation and harassment news. I could make a parody using Al Franken, Kevin Spacey, Roy Moore, Harvey Weinstein or Donald Trump.
But I am not. Instead I am going to write about a lesser known folk Christmas song that asks the question, “Wonder What Jesus Thinks About Christmas?”
Every year round this time you get two groups of fundamentalists. Those saying that anyone who celebrates Christmas is a pagan worshipper and those saying that there is a war on Christmas and the secular left is attacking the faith.
First off, yes. The early church co-opted pagan festivals, the Solstice and Mithras celebration as recruiting tools. But I am not worshipping Mithras this season. I am celebrating the fact that God loves us so much that He became one like us as a lowly babe in the manger. Second I don’t think that Jesus cares if we put Christ back in Christmas. I think He cares more about us putting Christ back in American Christianity.
But this song written by Danny Tate does make some very good points, even if it is one of the most depressing Christmas songs ever made.
Some of the lyrics are:
People go in debt this time of year only to regret this time of year. The lonely feel much lonelier, no one to dry their tears. I wonder what Jesus thinks about Christmas?
I am single. I have never had a serious girlfriend. This time of year is tough. It is a time of family. I am blessed to still have my folks, but at 40, it would be nice to have little ones to buy presents for.
But we do make Christmas out to be this big production that more often than not falls flat. It becomes more about gifts, rushing, drinking, loneliness, parties. Christmas has become a commercial holiday. A holiday about consumerism. We consume vast amounts of food and get stomach aches. We buy massive presents and go into debt. We gorge on Christmas TV watching beautiful yet imperfect people learn lessons, some through supernatural means and some not. We listen to Christmas carols but we get numb to it all. I know sometimes I do.
After all the shiny toys have turned to rust. I wonder what Jesus thinks about Christmas?
I don’t think He would like all this hullabaloo. He was a very humble man. I think he would enjoy the sentiment. I think He would cry at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life. I think He would love the “Spirit of Christmas.”, the Spirit Of Love For mankind. This is the Spirit that can transform a miserable old skinflint like Scrooge into one of the best men in Jolly Old England. The Spirit that can make the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes in one day.
Many movies and TV shows talk about the Christmas spirit. But after Christmas there is a let down. With the true Christmas Spirit, there is no letdown. The true Christmas Spirit is the Holy Spirit. One of the greatest gifts that God has given us. Jesus called it the Comforter.
John 14 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
I use the King James Version here because the New International Version uses the word “advocate” but I like Comforter better.
When you give yourself to Jesus, when you allow Him into your heart, He gives you comfort like you have never known.
In this wicked world–a world of greed, a world of hatred, a world that seems to be going insane with an insane leader at the helm–the Holy Spirit is a comfort. It lets me know that things are bad now but they will be OK.
So What would Jesus think about Christmas? I think He would say, “Enjoy the good things. Listen to your Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas CD, eat your cookies, watch Odie give Garfield that back scratcher and Garfield give Grandma those letters, but remember the Christmas season only lasts about 25 days. He is forever and He wants to spend forever with you.
I Wonder What Jesus Thinks About Christmas?
Also some people might consider this blasphemous or sacrilege but I wanted to have the picture for this blog be Jesus dancing the Charlie Brown Snoopy Dance. But I will do one better. This is a sketch that Saturday Night Live did about 20 years ago and it shows Jesus today. Some may consider this blasphemous but some truth can be found in a secular comedy show and I love this and I cried at the end of it just like Jesus and then I danced like Him too.
2timothytrump 