What is your favorite Christmas carol?
Most people seemed to immediately reference the words of specific songs and how those words made them feel, how they resonated with the. My first inclination was that the song I was thinking of has no words. How would I be able to write something about how words can make me feel when there are no words. I was wrong. The song does indeed have words. It’s just that most versions of this song I hear are instrumental. I am talking about “Carol of the Bells.”
It may not be the most traditional song, as I don't think it’s really sung when people go caroling, and I can’t remember ever hearing it in a Christmas service. The reason this song is (one of) my favorites is that it has been remade and reimagined over and over by different people and bands. From orchestras, TV shows, video games, to even the metal band Metallica. There are countless covers of this song. And most of these versions have no words, just the music.
And the music is so moving from one iteration to the next. One can bring about emotions of joy and extreme happiness while others can evoke a more ominous and dreadful experience. Some are short others are drawn out with several movements.
This is why I think this song has always been one of my favorites. It’s big, small, bright, dark, happy, sad... It is just like life in that regard. The holiday season can be all of these things all at the same time for some people so this song, that mimics that aspect of the season and of life, can be the perfect companion.
But, as I said in the beginning, I was wrong. There are of course words to this song. And in one line it speaks to the way it makes me feel. “Christmas is here. Bringing good cheer to the young and old, to the meek and the bold.” No one is left out. Everyone is included in the gift that Christmas represents. The Lord Jesus. HE is here for all, the young and the old. The meek and the bold, and he is here to bring Cheer. To bring hope. To bring love. So let the bells ring their carol and bring you through the small into the big. Out of the darkness into the light, from sad to happy because Christmas is here!