What is your favorite Holiday Carol?

I love Oh Holy Night as far as a traditional song (love the version by Josh Grobin) My favorite "non" traditional song is Baby it's Cold Outside by Dean Martin. When I was little, my mom used to play Dean Martin's Christmas album over and over. She and I would always stop whatever we were doing when that song came on and sing at the top of our lungs. We still do.... While on the same vein, my favorite Christmas album is "How Lovely is Christmas" by Bing Crosby - it's a story of a little boy named Jethro who dreams of Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed and Davey Crocket while home alone on Christmas Eve. My Grandpa used to play this for my mom/aunts/uncles when they were small (in the 50's), then my mom played it for me/brothers in the 70's and 80's, now I play it for our boys. Anyone ever heard of it? It's wonderful!

Oh, it's so hard to pick just one! I just love all the traditional carols so much. Going to Midnight Mass is one of my very favorite things to do, and I love it when we all sing the Christmas carols! I love O Holy Night, Angels We Have Heard on High, and What Child Is This?. I just found the complete lyrics to the following carol if anybody wants them: What Child Is This? by William Chatterton Dix, published ca. 1865 What Child is this, who laid to rest, On Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and *** are feeding? Good Christian, fear: for sinners here, The silent Word is pleading. This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through, The Cross be borne, for me, for you: Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary! This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh; Come peasant, king to own Him. The King of Kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. Raise, raise, the song on high, The Virgin sings her lullaby: Joy joy for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary! This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. :wings:

Thanks for posting the lyrics, Raven. They bring tears to my eyes - I love holiday music, especially traditional songs sung at mass.

Have you ever listened to Kathy Mattea's Good News album? It's a Christmas album that she released back in 1993. It is one of the most beautiful compilations I've ever heard! If you aren't familiar with Kathy Mattea, she is a country-folk singer. She has a song on the album called Mary, Did You Know? that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and it brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. The song brings such an incredible, personal depth to Our Lady. If you get a chance, take a listen to it! :cloud9: