Tag: Christmas music

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Christianity Christmas holiday Religion Cartoons

Day After Christmas

What would the day after the first Christmas have looked like? How would the day after the shepherds have looked?

  • Would there have been some curious people strolling in because they heard the shepherds’ proclamation?
  • Could the innkeeper caved into the guilt and got the new family a room, or at least some comforts?
  • Did Joseph have to scramble to the busy marketplace to find some food for the starving, exhausted mother?
  • Did the barn animals behave themselves? Surely they couldn’t keep quiet as the baby laid in the manger!
Cartoon of a nativity scene with a cow and donkey. The cow says, “Nonesense, my dear Donkey! It wasn’t my lowing, but your braying that woke the poor baby!

I think back to the days after my children were born. We were grateful for the grandparents’ help. Our small group made sure we were well fed and cared for. At the same time, we were exhausted and equally thankful when we were home and the excitement had died down… then came the work of raising a brand new human!

How was it for the new parents? No grandparents were nearby. All the support was ninety miles away in Nazareth. Did they help from others that were brought together for the census?

Maybe it was a silent night, but the next day was probably a cacophony of noise, smells, and activity. It makes me that much more thankful that hope, light, and love had come.

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cartoon Christmas holiday

Santa Baby Revisited

Santa Baby Revisited

The other day, my seven-year-old niece and her mom were decorating the Christmas tree while listening to Christmas music. Santa Baby came on the smart speaker. As my niece listened to the lyrics, she remarked, “That lady doesn’t sound very content!” It was music to my ears because the Sunday school lesson that day was on contentment. Thank you Sunday school teachers!

Four years ago, I remarked how Santa Baby wasn’t my favorite song. It’s a bit strong on the avarice and innuendo. It ranks down there for me with Baby it’s Cold Outside. Come one, people! We don’t want to explain these away to elementary kids. And they definitely should not be in the queue for Sunday morning worship.

Please! No “Santa Baby!”

I went ahead and redrew the cartoon I did in 2017. I wanted a steadier line and a color version. Thanks to my niece, I was reminded, once again, why I’m not a fan of this little ditty.

Cartoon of a guy talking to a guitar player. He says, "For Christmas Worship, don't you dare play, 'Santa Baby!'"

Even if it is cold outside, I recommend sticking to a classic such as, Let it Snow.

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motivation

And Now Comes the Christmas Music!

Cartoon of Scrooge and the ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley says, "You will be visited by three spirits: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas present, and Ghost of Christmas Mall Music."

Earlier this month, my wife and I made a trip to celebrate our daughter’s engagement. By “earlier,” I mean it was November 3rd. As we were traveling back, I made a stop at a Jacksonville, Florida gas station. When we entered the store, we heard It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The Halloween candy was still for sale next to a display of jolly old Saint Nick.

We complain about the Christmas season come earlier and earlier each year. We’ve been doing this for decades. And I’m sorry to say, businesses will keep doing it until it doesn’t work anymore. People tend to take something seasonal and successful and expand it until it loses its meaning. We want more of something good until we have so much of it, it sickens us.

Personally, I didn’t mind the Christmas music and the early decorations. However, I can imagine the clerk wasn’t thrilled about hearing the music for the next two months. We may need to give retail clerks a little extra grace this year. The Christmas merchandising season, along with its soundtrack, came way too early!

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cartoon Christmas holiday

Ghost of Christmas Mall Music

I’m a fan of Christmas music. But I’m not a particular fan of Christmas mall music. What’s the difference? First, it doesn’t help much the malls are letting Christmas music creep in earlier each year. They’re playing the same Christmas songs in October now.

Continue reading “Ghost of Christmas Mall Music”
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Christmas holiday

Why Does Shopping Mall Christmas Music Drive us Crazy?

Cartoon Template

Early last month, I was at a shopping mall. The streets were decorated for the season and Christmas music was blaring from  loudspeakers. You could see people grimacing and rolling their eyes as “All I Want for Christmas is You,” assaulted us.

I wondered if Ebenezer Scrooge would have changed his ways much sooner if the Ghost of Christmas Mall Music visited him first. Why do people react so negatively when they hear Christmas tunes at the mall?

  • We know the mall is in “The Christmas Spirit” not because of peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. It’s all about the money.
  • While holiday music is king, Christmas carols are gone at the mall. There’s no “Little Town of Bethlehem,” or “O Holy Night.” Now it’s all about Santa Claus and holiday flirting.
  • Original Christmas music is a no-no at the mall. They want the familiar, not the creative. You can have twenty versions of a song for nostalgia’s sake, but heaven forbid we’d get a truly new song. How many versions of “Santa Baby,” do we need, anyway?

I suppose it is asking too much to have the malls think beyond what they think is the right mood music for creating jolly spenders. You can’t expect much more than commercialization at a commercial place. Still, if they’re going to be so bad at setting the Christmas mood, don’t begin the sanitized, commercialized tripe in early November!

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