MM: Christmas Music?

I was raised in the camp that Christmas can wait until after Thanksgiving.  When I was growing up, the Christmas tree didn't get put up until my dad's birthday in the first week of December.  My next door neighbors would decorate their home on Black Friday.  I was raised to believe that was too darn soon!  Christmas was in December and that is when the decorations would finally go up.  My mom would stay true, though I think these days she puts the tree up at Thanksgiving.  Go figure....

In recent years, a local radio station would start broadcasting Christmas music on 1 November.  Ugh.  No.  Yesterday was just Halloween.  How about we enjoy...  *sigh*  Looks like this year they're settling for streaming online rather than over the airwaves.

Where am I going with this?  My sister-in-law posted on Facebook the other day that they've started listening to Christmas music on 1 November and have even started the decorations.  (That reminds me:  time to take down the witch, ghost, and bat...)  I responded that I wait until after my birthday and Thanksgiving

Then I promptly cued my iPod Christmas playlist.

I love Christmas music. I think my favorite part of the Christmas season is the music. I love to play, listen to, and sing along with all the different carols.  I love the religious as well as the secular.  I don't have to decorate before Thanksgiving to enjoy the music...  So I figure that I'll start now.  *wry chuckle*  It's only what, six weeks till Christmas?  That's only six songs....

The song I chose today has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. I've sung it as a lullaby to all four of my children over the years. I love to play it especially, I think, because it's a German folk tune.  (Remember, the link takes you to an interactive player where you can listen to it.)

Mary's Lullaby 

Expressively 

35395, Children’s Songbook, The Savior, Mary’s Lullaby, 44–45 

1. Lullaby, lullaby, my little one.
Lullaby, my child so dear.
Thy precious life has just begun;
Thy mother holds thee near.
While Joseph watches through the night,
A star reflects thy radiant light. 

2. Thy gentle head shall wear a crown,
For thy Father is the King.
Thy tender hands, so tiny now,
Have blessings great to bring.
Let all creation join my song,
For peace and love this night are born.
Lullaby, lullaby, my little one.
Lullaby, my child so dear. 

Optional descant 

1. While Joseph watches through the night,
A star reflects thy light.
2. Let all creation join my song,
For peace and love are born. 

Words: Jan Underwood Pinborough, b. 1954. © 1989 IRI
Music: German folk tune; arr. by Darwin Wolford, b. 1936. Arr. © 1989 IRI
Isaiah 9:6Luke 2:7–19Matthew 2:1–2