Christmas Carols Before Christmas? – What Does This Mean?

Why do we not sing Christmas carols before Christmas?
Or, why do we keeping singing them after Christmas?

These are matched pair of questions that expose one of our national religions, none of which are Christianity. Supply-side economics and its liturgy, consumerism, are the religious drivers of our public understanding of Christmas.

Capitalism and the economic forces contained therein are not evil. But, they are used in evil ways when they impose themselves onto the faith and its practice. Christmas may be the most egregious example of this.

Each year the songs of Christmas in the public square grow less sacred and start sooner before Christmas. The role of the liturgy of secular Christmas music is to compel purchases. The sales begin earlier and earlier. Day-after-Halloween sales appeared recently, stomping all over Black Friday’s turf. It’s a war for your dollars, though not deliberately against Christmas.

Please don’t misunderstand me. Buying gifts for our loved ones is a wonderful act of Christian love. Earning and spending money is a key component of our vocation as citizens in this republic, which is God pleasing work too.

We fall into the ditch, however, when we let emotionally manipulative canned music in the stores and ads direct our understanding of the festivals of the church. For example, it’s not Christmastime until Christmas Eve.

Advent is a season of hopeful expectation. We are in preparation from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. Expecting parents don’t get to hear the coos and giggles, or see the smiles and peaceful sleeping until the baby is born. Advent is that pregnancy for the church. Jesus is coming, but not yet.

Now, when we celebrate Jesus’s birth on Christmas, we’re still not done. The twelve days of Christmas run from Dec 26th – Jan 5th. We get to spill-out all that pent up joy for the whole season. We will gather together for church five times during those days.

Is that not enough? Maybe not. Perhaps next year we should have Christmas services each of the twelve days for the body of Christ to gather together and enjoy the celebration of our Savior’s birth. Christmas is one of the shortest seasons of the church year – keep on singing – leave those decorations up. The celebration is here and it’s just begun.

Even if our culture’s religion has worn-down your Christmas Joy too early, there’s no need to stop. Christmas runs all the way to Epiphany on Jan 6th.

Rejoice! The King is Born!

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX