'The earth has grown old with its burden of care But at Christmas it always is young, The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair And its soul full of music breaks the air, When the song of angels is sung.'
- Phillips Brooks
Music was an early feature of the Christmas season and its celebrations. Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.
Many studies have shown that music affects the way people act and it can have an impact on emotions. Have you noticed that restaurants tend to play faster music during lunch hour to encourage the customers to eat and go so the table will get cleared for other customers?
No matter what you're doing, have you ever noticed how certain music affects how you feel? Upbeat lyrics with a snappy tune can make you feel better while those soft, heartache blues can make you ache inside. There's no doubt about it - music plays an important part in our life all year long.
When you hear songs, it paints a vivid word picture in your mind and can stir your memory, make you laugh, make you long, make you feel happy and want to share the gift of your love and generosity.
It creates a sense of well being and sets just the right mood when it's time to entertain.
We can always hear the strands of that familiar Christmas music in the air at work, and in stores as we do our shopping, even weeks before Christmas approaches.
Christmas Music Sets The Mood For Christmas...
During the holidays, we often have the chance to spend time with our friends and colleagues in a more relaxed atmosphere without the pressure of deadlines. When you hear certain Christmas music, it immediately creates an atmosphere and that's what you're looking for when you entertain during the holidays.
People don't attend parties because they don't have anything better to do. They come for the enjoyment, for the pleasure of company and to spend time with people they care about.
Hearing those old, favorite Christmas songs can liven up a party and you might even get an impromptu sing along. When you're planning your party, you'll want to think about the people who have accepted the invitation and take into consideration the kind of music they enjoy as well.
You don't want to pick songs that would drown out conversation. While songs about grannies getting run over by reindeer might make kids laugh, some of your business associates might not appreciate it at a more upscale gathering.
Think about what type of atmosphere you're trying to convey when you select the Christmas music. Are you looking to have a party that's more heartfelt and intimate? Or are you looking for a party where the place will rock? The kind of music you choose will have an influence on the mood of the attendees.
If you're having a theme-based get together, you can even use Christmas music to enhance the particular theme of your party. You can use a mixture of holiday songs so that there will be something on the list that everyone likes, too.
Remember Those Classic Christmas Songs From Your Childhood?
Remember back to your Christmases of yesterday when you were a child? How excited you were as you counted down the days until Santa arrived? You probably remember the sights of the twinkling lights, the wonderful scents as the food cooked, the merry sound of laughter as family celebrated together and the classic Christmas songs that created a soothing and cozy holiday environment.
Hearing those old tunes from days gone by can sure trigger a trip down memory lane. Today, children all over the world love those same tunes and as the years pass, those memories will be shared with a new generation of children.
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was (and is still) one of the top favorites. Remember how happy you were when Rudolph triumphed and ending up helping Santa Clause guide the sleigh safely through the night thanks to that bright, glowing nose? That song is much loved by children everywhere thanks to the story told in the lyrics.
And how about "Frosty the Snowman?" As kids, we all imagined dancing with Frosty in the street and singing happily about having fun like he suggested. It was more than just a song back then - in our childish imaginations, Frosty was real and we all delighted in hearing a song about him or watched him on television.
How many of us were good little boys and girls because we'd heard what was said in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town?" We knew he had that list and he was checking to see what kind of children we'd been all year - naughty or nice.
The catchy tune of "Jingle Bell" is a song that we used to listen to and as kids we would shake the little jingle bells. You could almost see the sleigh, feel the impatience of the horse stomping the snow packed ground and feel the bite of the winter air against the tip of your nose.
And who could forget when the Chipmunks sang their "Christmas Don't Be Late" song? As kids, we could identify with being good - but knowing it wouldn't last just like we could identify with the "Let It Snow" song as we stood at the window in childlike wonder as the fat flakes of snow turned our ordinary world in a magical one.
One of the slower, but still loved classics from childhood was "The Little Drummer Boy" - how all those songs take us back! Those classic Christmas songs we knew and loved played an important role in shaping our memories of this cherished holiday. Be sure to sing some of the lyrics to those much loved songs with your children and grandchildren and share those precious holiday memories.
Remember back to your Christmases of yesterday when you were a child? How excited you were as you counted down the days until Santa arrived? You probably remember the sights of the twinkling lights, the wonderful scents as the food cooked, the merry sound of laughter as family celebrated together and the classic Christmas songs that created a soothing and cozy holiday environment.
