Music on Christmas Morning
by Anne Bronte

Music I love—but never strain
Could kindle raptures so divine,
So grief assuage, so conquer pain,
And rouse this pensive heart of mine—
As that we hear on Christmas morn,
Upon the wintry breezes borne.
Though Darkness still her empire keep,
And hours must pass, ere morning break;
From troubled dreams, or slumbers deep,
That music kindly bids us wake:
It calls us, with an angel’s voice,
To wake, and worship, and rejoice;
To greet with joy the glorious morn,
Which angels welcomed long ago,
When our redeeming Lord was born,
To bring the light of Heaven below;
The Powers of Darkness to dispel,
And rescue Earth from Death and Hell.
Now holy Peace may smile from heaven,
And heavenly Truth from earth shall spring:
The captive’s galling bonds are riven,
For our Redeemer is our king;
And He that gave his blood for men
Will lead us home to God again.


“Music on Christmas Morning" by Anne Bronte. Public Domain. (buy now)

Today is Christmas Day.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (books by this author) wrote:
"I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

It's a holiday observed by about 95 percent of Americans and one-third of the population worldwide. For some, today marks the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas, or Christmastide, a week and a half of feasting and revelry that culminates in the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6.

Some of the most traditional holiday foods and beverages consumed today have their origins in age-old Christmastide dishes, like plum puddings and other fruitcakes; wassail, the hot, mulled cider punch; or king's cake, a sweet pastry or bread that conceals a bean or trinket that entitles the finder to be crowned king or queen of the day.

Washington Irving (books by this author) famously said, "Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."

In Victorian England, the church bells rang on Christmas morning and families went to Mass, came home for Christmas dinner, which was usually a goose or a joint of roast beef. Turkey was popular in America but not in England until the late 19th century. The Christmas pudding had been made weeks before, with beef, raisins, and prunes; it had to be stirred up. The mince pies were brought out, made with mincemeat, fruit, spices, and had to be eaten for the twelve days of Christmas to ensure good luck for the coming year. After dinner, everyone exchanged gifts, followed by parlor games and carol singing.

It was Charles Dickens' (books by this author) A Christmas Carol in 1843 that revived Christmas, after the Puritans had stamped out much of what was left of the old medieval Christmas in England. Dickens described the holidays as "a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."

The Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the Christmas of 1804 in a newly completed fort on the Missouri River near what is now Washburn, North Dakota. William Clark mentioned in his writings: "I was awakened before Day by a discharge of 3 platoons from the Party ... the men merrily Disposed, I gave them all a little [rum] and permited [sic] 3 cannon fired ... Some Men Went out to hunt and the others to Danceing [sic] and Continued untill [sic] 9 oClock P.M. when the frolick [sic] ended."

The novelist Oren Arnold (books by this author) had the following Christmas gift suggestions: "To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.^®

^