Why So Called Christmas Music Drives me Insane

Before you think that I am bah humbug scrooge kind of thing, hang with me for a moment.  I am all about music that celebrates and exalts Christ, and singing about His amazing birth is certainly worthwhile.  Scripture says that we should speak to one another with "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs..." So I am all for that kind of thing, which is truly and purely "Christmas Music."

But then, there is the other stuff.

A few Sundays ago, I was driving to church - the Christian music station has a thing called Sunday morning Praise - with worship songs.  I usually enjoy it.  However, I had to shut it off with a "you have got to be kidding me" when they played "Here Comes Santa Clause" by Elvis (He pronounces it "Sanny Clause".)

So, if anyone is reading this, consider the following.  Non Christ-centered "Christmas music" has just a few themes:

First of all, It's winter.  These are the blatantly non Christmas songs, because they are more about meteorology than theology.  This is the "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Sleigh Ride," "Let it Snow," and the remarkably rediculous "Frosty the Snowman."  If people want to sing about winter, that's fine.  It's better than most of the trash out there in popular music, but call it winter music, not Christmas music.

Second, there is the Christmas Chronology songs.  Those are the songs that croon over and over the difficult and complicated fact that "It's Christmas Time." - i.e. Silver Bells and that horrid Band Aid song "Do they know it's Christmas time?"  (Well, they obviously do, if they listen to western popular Christmas music. The '80s need to apologize for it's contributions at times.)  Perhaps the worst Christmas song ever was the Paul McCartney's musical disaster about having a wonderful Christmas time.  (So antithetical - how could you have a wonderful Christmas time if you have to listen to it?)  Do we really need songs that tell us that it's Christmas Time?  It's the closest that music gets to singing the calendar. 

Third - there is the string of breakups, and dumping of boyfriends and girlfriends that seems to happen most often at Christmas time, if you judge it by the sheer number of these songs.  Elvis sang "Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me." At least it's kinda catchy.

Fourth - the bizarre category.  Santa Baby?  Santa's Beard?  Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer?  'Nuff said.

Fifth - Superstition, mythology and absolute falsehoods.  No Virginia, there is not a Santa Clause, and you would be better to learn about the real life of Saint Nicholas (Veggie Tales did a great job with this on their new Christmas show."  Among the worst of the worst:

• From Santa Clause is Coming to Town.  "He sees you when you're sleeping.  He knows when you're awake.  He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake"  Call me Scrooge - but that is as anti-Christian as it gets. Anything that is in opposition to the grace of God is a bad deal, and the idea of being good to get stuff from Santa - the god like minor deity who is a very cheap substitute for the real God - is a mockery of the Cross of Christ.     
  
• From Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:  "Through the years, we all will be together, if the Fates allow..."  What the heck are fates anyway?  This song is more unChristian than many songs on popular radio.  The "Fates" is equal to chance or luck, which in reality is nothing.  I am better off putting my trust and hope in this couch I'm sitting on than the "Fates."  At least the couch is a real thing. 
  

And so it goes.  I am not opposed to songs that tell a story or that even just plain silly, but even those songs have to be rooted at some level of truth. I know what some might say - they're just traditional Christmas songs, and I shouldn't try to overanalyze them.  I understand that, but that's kind of like saying, "Wrong ideas are ok if they are in traditional things that bring us warm fuzzies."

Wrong ideas are still wrong.

There is some traditional Christmas music sung by Burl Ives or Frank Sinatra or Burl Sinatra or whoever that I just don't like the style and the music, but that's really not the most important thing.  The important thing is that music leads the heart and mind to embrace beliefs. 

I don't let my kids play any of the "guitar hero" or "rock band" games because I don't want the worldview of the songs to be in my kids hearts and minds.  Music has a way of doing that, and doing it very well.  I remember all too well songs that I listened to in my youth that were filled with wrong, ungodly ideas, and I believed the wrong ideas because I loved the songs.  Why would I want to glorify worldly and wrong ideas just because it is in "traditional" music?

Finally, just to be clear, I am not saying that all traditional, non Christ-centered Christmas music is filled with wrong, ungodly ideas, but it's about intentionally glorifying God in every aspect of life.  If we can't keep Christ front and center in every way at Christmas, then when can we?

I played music on my keyboard many years ago for a business Christmas party in Joplin.  I played every Christmas Carol I knew, but the big shot of the party griped because I wasn't playing "Christmas Music."  He said that because I hadn't played "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" or "Jingle Bells."

It was one of those "You've got to be kidding me moments."  As a student of the culture, I learned a lot and grew up that day.  I don't want that culture to be the culture that my family is saturated with.

If I'm wrong - let me know - I am open to anyone's thoughts.