FishPapa is a musician. He would say that he only plays guitar, but, in actuality, he comes from at least three generations of men who can play piano magnificently without any training. I don’t understand it. He, his dad, and his grandfather can all sit at the ivories and make them sing, “by ear.”
I’m as un-musical as they come. So I am very thankful that my husband is gifted in this way to make our family a little more well-rounded.
(I make us well-rounded in the kitchen.)
Since I’m married to a music man, I get to benefit from some great tunes. Several years ago a Christmas CD fell into our hands that we absolutely love. It is called Behold the Lamb of God by Andrew Peterson. The album tells the story of Christ,
Gather round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Gather round, remember now
How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh
And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man
Last winter FishPapa and I had the great privelege to attend the Behold the Lamb of God concert, featuring Andrew Peterson, Bebo Norman, Sara Groves, and Andrew Osenga, as well as others. It was fantastic – beautiful music, following HIStory.
From Creation to the Incarnation and the Cross, the entire Bible is about Jesus. The Old Testament is all about Jesus. This is told through music in a beautiful way.
The music is moving and the presentation powerful, meant to point you to Our Lord, not the perfomers. At the standing ovation, Andrew led the audience/congregation in O Come, All Ye Faithful. I found myself lost in that sweet refrain. When I opened my eyes, the cross at the front was illuminated and the performers were gone. What a magnificent way to end it!
It was also a magnificent way for our family to enter the Christmas season. Yes, parents set the tone for the month. It helped these FishParents to grasp the greater meaning of the holiday and lead our children accordingly. I cannot recommend this album or the concert enough. Nuf said?
Today’s giveaway features a copy of this fantastic, wonderful, beautiful album, courtesy of Andrew Peterson. I wish you could all win it! But, until I’m out of debt and “living like no one else,” you’ll have to be content with trying to win it.
Simply leave a comment on this post, telling us the name of your favorite Christmas album. One winner will be drawn at random on Saturday at noon.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know the name of it. But it is a Kenny G christmas one. I love that it is just instrumentals and most of them calm and soothing. I like the traditional carols and the ones we sing at church. But for some reason instrumentals just soothe my soul.
We also liked the one that talked about saying Merry Christmas and how it offends people these days. I think it was called Fish Food or something like that. Oh so true!
i dont have one…can i still be entered? If I win then I’ll have one…lol
My favorite Christmas CD is the 50 Songs of Christmas. It has a wide variety of Christmas songs all focused on the birth of Christ by a variety of Christian artists like Steven Curtis Chapman and my favorite is O Holy Night by Steve Green.
However, I would love to have this CD too!
I’m a sucker for Perry Como. I grew up with him; I guess you just can’t replace nostalgia.
I don’t have a favorite Christmas album, but my favorite Christmas song is O Come, O Come Emmanuel sung by Nicole C. Mullen. Can I still participate? Thanks!
I have too many favorites!! I love Christmas music! My favorite instrumental Christmas CD is Winter Wonderland by David Osborne. It is beautiful piano music with one track sung by Amy Grant.
One of my favorites with lyrics is by Steven Curtis Chapman entitled Christmas Is All In The Heart. This CD was sold exclusively at Hallmark a few years ago.
Then there’s Josh Groban, Jim Brickman…
Of course I loke the oldies, Nat, Frank, and Mitch Miller. But I recently fell in love with Sarah Mclachlan’s Wintersong album. Her voice is just so soothing, great to wrap or do christmas cards to. Can’t wait for my book . . . I jumped out of my seat and my DH thought a won money or something . . . no a cookbook! He’ll enjoy the rewards from it when the holidays come!
I start playing Christmas music in early November. (Secretly until after Thanksgiving to prevent my husband from throwing out the CDs in order to keep his sanity.) I LOVE ME SOME CHRISTMAS MUSIC!
The favorite Christmas CD in our house is a split-decision. By far mine is “When My Heart Finds Christmas” by Harry Connick Jr. A few years ago my husband got so sick of hearing it play for six weeks straight every year, that he made me a “Christmas Mix CD” (yes, we are that geeky!) It is complete with all his favorites and those he thought would be my new favorites. It’s enjoyable and I love the heart-felt sentiment behind it, but I still go back to Harry when he isn’t home!
By the way, we consider Andrew to be a family friend and we love him, but I didn’t even know he had a Christmas album! Shame on me! Now I’m dying to hear it!
Wow! I don’t know if I can possibly narrow it down. Anything with Carol of the Bells on it, or anything instumental. Even if I don’t win, I think this CD may get added to our collection this year.
A Sentimental Christmas by Kathy Troccoli.
Oh I can’t think of a favorite album. Does favorite song count? Or how about two..lol! I love “Joy to the World” (my sister’s name is Joy..lol) and The First Noel (my middle name is Noel). But I also love all the Christmas carols…anything that sings about Him!
I don’t need another Christmas album, but this one sounds pretty tempting..lol
I don't have too many Christmas albums, but of the ones I do have my favorites are M.W.Smith's "Christmastime" and Boney James "Boney's Funky Christmas" (it's jazz & it's an excellent CD to play as background music when wrapping gifts, decorating, etc.). Thx for the giveaway!
One of my favorites is Michael W. Smith “Christmas” from 1989. I just love the way he does “Gloria”
I don’t know if I have a favorite Christmas album, but we are always trying to put on different CDs or look for a good Christmas itune to make the season more wonderful through music. My kids love Christmas music! I think one year we bought a WOW Christmas CD that we still have that isn’t too shabby. Yours sounds like a must-have. (Maybe I’ll enter two comments to up my chances… my other name could be Colin Firth or something sly like that)
One of our favorites is a CD of Christmas hymns that John MacArthur and Joni Eareckson Tada did together (along with another couple whose name I can’t remember). The CD is simply titled “O Come All Ye Faithful” and the music is great, but the book that comes with it is even better. In the book John MacArthur explains the history and theology of each hymn on the CD. Luke and I found that very interesting and it made the songs so much more meaningful.
Last year I bought the WOW Christmas CD on eBay. I love the WOW cds of Christian songs (there are usually at least 3 in my CD changer in the van) and I am one of those people that starts listening to Christmas CDs on Thanksgiving day and is sad to put them away in January!!!
Oh my, there are so many!
Well, let’s see……
Individual song would have to be
O Holy Night. My current favorite version is by Josh Groban.
We like Vince Guaraldi (sp?) Charlie Brown Christmas, which we listen to as we drive around looking at Christmas lights (while drinking cocoa).
I have a bunch of old standards by Bing Crosby and Nat King Coel I listen to as well.
My hubby and I got married in 1989, and every single Christmas of our married lives, we’ve decorated the tree while listening to Michael W. Smith’s Christmas album! I know our 10 year old daughter doesn’t quite “get” why it’s so special to us, but hopefully when she’s an adult, it will be in her memory bank as a childhood tradition.
Karen Carpenter
We’ve heard the Peterson CD and it is very, very good!
My all time favorite is Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas, if you can believe it. We listened to it all the time when I was a kid. Also, the more I learn about God’s Kingdom (The Kingdom of God is NOW!) and His heart for justice, “Someday at Christmas” brings on the tears every time…. My next all time favorite is “Welcome to our World” by Chris Rice.
I love all Christmas music! I must say though I do like my old Bing Crosby Christmas cd. Great music to have on while decorating the tree or baking Christmas cookies.
any Rat Pack rendition of a Christmas song!
My family had a bunch of classic Christmas music on cassette tape, I can’t remember the name of it but it had Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, alot of the classics which I still love!
I absolutely love Christmas music. I have so many favorites, one of them is Jim Brickman’s The Gift. It has beautiful instrumental music and a couple of songs by different artist. I would love to add “Behold the Lamb of God” to my collection
I love Christmas music cd’s. I try to add a new one each Christmas. I have several favorites depending on what mood I’m in. I love Andy Williams Christmas cd’s because I grew up listening to his Christmas records. I also love my old time Christmas music cd that I bought at Cracker Barrel on my wedding night. What?! No one else thinks of Christmas music on their wedding night, the night before Halloween??!! I guess I just really love Christmas music!
Our hands-down favorite Christmas album is the Caribbean Christmas — not specifically a Christian CD, but so much fun and we play it every year when decorating our tree. We lost it once, and for two years keenly missed it, until our adult daughter surprised us with a copy she found on ebay! LOL!
Blessings, Julie T/MI (julieandco at sbcglobal dot net
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeintheMitten/
{ 1 trackback }