The first Christmas carol that many children learn invokes a tender scene:
“Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.”1
With words easy enough for a child to understand, this beloved carol reminds us that the story of Christmas is both spectacular and simple. It’s a story that continues to inspire the world and yet can be understood and even retold by children. In fact, it may be that children understand it best.
We who are older, more experienced and mature, may miss the essence of these special days in our rush to go, to purchase, to consume, to hurry. Listen to children, who even amid the excitement of the season somehow know that Christmas has to be about more than gifts and decorations. Watch the sparkle in their eyes as they reenact the Nativity, sing the songs, and share the stories of this sacred season.
Many years ago, at this same time of year, excited children went to an assisted-living home for seniors, many of whom sat alone, waiting for a visitor. The children’s performance of the Nativity was far from perfect—cues were missed, lyrics and lines forgotten, and some of the costumes didn’t fit very well. But from the story they told, the scriptures they recited, the songs they sang came a special feeling that touched their hearts as much as it touched the hearts of their audience. For a moment, young and old were united in a simple story that filled the room with joy and love and rejoicing.
Today, at this sacred season, take time away from the hustle and bustle to really ponder and feel the simple story of Christmas.
1. “Away in a Manger,” Children’s Songbook, 42–43.
Program #4291
Musical Selection:
1. Deck the Hall
Welsh Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg; Arrangement Unpublished
2. The First Noel
English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg; Oxford University Press
3. One December, Bright and Clear
Catalonian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg; Oxford University Press
4. He Is Born, the Divine Christ Child (Organ solo)
French Carol; Alice Jordan; Van Ness Press
5. And God Said: The Day Shall Dawn, from King David
Arthur Honegger; Edition Froetisch
6. Organ Interlude
7. Spoken Word
8. Away in a Manger
William J. Kirkpatrick; arr. Mack Wilberg; Hinshaw Music
9. Sleigh Ride
Leroy Anderson; arr. Arthur Harris; Arrangement Unpublished
Music & the Spoken Word
A program of inspirational music and spoken word.