Advent

What's your favourite Christmas carol?

It's hard to believe that we're already at the beginning of December, and the start of Advent (at least according to my chocolate calendar...) I've noticed that Christmas songs are appearing every so often on the radio and so I thought I'd share my favourites with you...

This is a part of my favourite "secular" Christmas song. I like it because it's quite cute.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Frankly if I had to choose between a crocodile, a rhino, or a hippo, I'd choose a hippo too!

Okay, now for my favourite Christmas hymn... just the first part of it.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Such a beautiful song with an almost haunting melody.... I love how it starts in a minor key.. but I also really like the lyrics. An expression of desire for the coming King to rescue a people held captive by sin - that's at least the interpretation I prefer. It's so amazing to think that our Father in heaven sent Jesus to save us from captivity... and that because of His death and resurrection, we are able to rejoice that Christ has come indeed.

So, I am excited about Advent.... the period of waiting for Christ's coming... in a way I think of Advent as awaiting the second coming too... in this time of waiting - let us not think too much of what we want for Christmas, but how we can glorify Him and sing His praises instead.