Many of the traditional dimensions of our Christmas celebrations come from the Victorian era in England. We picture light Christmas snow falling on carolers as they sing their way through London’s streets on the way to a candle-lit Christmas Eve service in St. Paul’s Cathedral. And so many of the most familiar Christmas carols come from late 18th century England, like “Once in Royal David’s City” and “See Amid the Winter’s Snow.” There are many exceptions, like Charles Wesley’s 18th century “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” and Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World.”
But there are wonderful Christmas songs that have their origins long before Victorian England, even further than the years of the Wesleys. Examples include Johannes Olearius’ “Comfort, Comfort Ye Me People,” Martin Luther’s “From Heaven High I Come to You,” and even some from other countries, like the Polish carol “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” and the French song “Angels We Have Heard on High.” We can go back even further to pre-Reformation times to find the original texts of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Good Christian Men, Rejoice.”
Not surprisingly, in most modern hymnals there are more hymns about Christmas than any other topic, except perhaps hymns about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Not only is Christianity the one religion that is most characterized by congregational singing. Within that, it is these two points in the earthly ministry of the incarnate Son of God about which we find the greatest focus in Christian music. That should be no surprise since, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, these are the very center of the gospel itself.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.