Favorite Underrated Christmas Hymns - 12 Days of Christmas

Welcome back to the 12 Days of Christmas!  We're talking about more music today because, let's be honest, do I ever talk about anything else?

Can y'all believe we're a day to Christmas?



I'm not freaking out.



Okay I might be freaking out just a little.


Anyway, today we're going to be looking at some of my favorite Christmas songs that are a bit underrated.  (I've put YouTube links to these songs if you want to give them a listen!)  Let me know if any of these are your favorites too! 


1. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
- my favorite version -
Yes, okay, I know the Casting Crowns version has a lot of fans (I like it a lot too), but the original melody is my favorite.  Steven Curtis Chapman has my favorite version that I've heard, but I'm sure there are others out there.  It's just so pretty and lilting and I love it a lot.


2. We Three Kings
- my favorite version -
Again, okay, this one isn't super underrated, but the not many people know the other verses.  And they are so. powerful.  Verse four gives me chills every time.  The Hound + The Fox has an absolutely gorgeous version.


3. Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
- my favorite version -
(technically Laura Story adds a chorus, but I still love it)
This song has been in my life since I was a small child and learned it for children's choir, and I still love it.  It's just got such a fun feel to it, when so many songs of advent have a somber tone.  It's kind of lilting, very fun, and reminds of the joy that Christ's birth brought.


4. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
I couldn't find a version of this that wasn't slow as all get out, so?  I've always sung it upbeat and peppy and all of these were slow.  Uh... no.  But I love this song, it just brings a smile to my face.  And my whole family knows the tune but not all the words so it just ends up being this fun "Infant HOLY, infant LOWLY, for his BED a cattle staaaall, la da bla bla ba ba da da…" etc.  xD


5. There's a Song in the Air
Again, couldn't find a version of this one.  Which tells you how underrated it is.  And it's so fun, too!  Another upbeat, happy song for Christmas that I absolutely love.  I mean, how can you not enjoy singing lyrics like, "Ay, the star rains it's fire while the beautiful sing for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!" 


6. The Birthday of a King
I'm sending you to Judy Garland for this one, because apparently this song used to be known and just isn't any longer.  And even though she says alleluia weird, it's not a bad version.  Basically this is my list of "someone please cover this song, I'm begging you" xD


And for a bonus underrated Christmas song that's not a hymn,
7. The Night Before Christmas - Steven Curtis Chapman
Guys.  This is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs because oh my gosh it's gorgeous??  Listen to it now.  Do it.  It's amazing.  The lyrics!  The accompaniment!  The message!  It's perfect and beautiful and has been stuck in my head for a solid week but that's a-okay by me.


So that's my list!  Are some of these on your "would someone please make a good cover of this" list?  What's an under-appreciated hymn I need to listen to?

Happy Christmas Eve!!

~ Abby

My Favorite Christmas Albums - 12 Days of Christmas

Who's a fan of Christmas music?  I certainly am.  There are definitely other times of year where I still listen to Christmas music, it just makes me so happy.  It's not only full of cheer, but it often makes me think of the birth of my Savior, and I love that about it.

So for today's 12 Days of Christmas post, I'm going to share some of my favorite Christmas music albums so that you can get in the spirit with me!

(Just click on the album art to play it on Spotify!)

1. That's Christmas to Me - Pentatonix

Favorite tracks - Mary, Did You Know // Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

If you haven't listened to Pentatonix Christmas album yet, what have you been doing?  xD  I remember the first year we got this, it was basically all we listened to.  Every track is just brilliant.


2. The Heart of Christmas - Matthew West

Favorite tracks - Leaving Heaven // Christmas Makes Me Cry // O Come, All Ye Faithful

This album is just plain fantastic.  I don't think there's a track I don't like.  It's really good.


3. All I Really Want for Christmas - Steven Curtis Chapman

Favorite tracks - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day // The Miracle of Christmas // The Night Before Christmas

 

SCC is one of my favorite artists in general, but his Christmas albums are really great.  This one just has a sense of comfort for me. 

4. Christmas - Francesca Battistelli

Favorite tracks - Christmas Is // You're Here // Marshmallow World

This whole album is a lot of fun.  Francesca has a nice balance of fun, upbeat songs and slow, meaningful ones.  But that's true of most of her albums, lol.


5. Joy - Avalon

Favorite tracks - Joy (to the World) // Light a Candle // We Are the Reason

Y'all, this album is my JAM.  Joy (to the World) and Angels Medley are two of the Christmas songs that get me dancing the fastest.  I always end up jumping around and singing at the top of my lungs and I love it a lot.


6. All My Christmases - Jillian Edwards

Favorite tracks - (I mean, there's only 4 tracks but) Mary's Lullaby // O Holy Night

Jillian Edwards is one of my favorite artists in general (I love her voice so much oh my wooord) and her little Christmas EP is a really great one.  They've all got a great, lilting quality to them that make them really fun to sing along with.


7. Songs of Winter - The Hound + The Fox

Favorite tracks - What Child is This/Child of the Poor // We Three Kings // God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

This duo is new to me this year, and this album is completely new this year!  I love their whole vibe, it gives me much the same feelings as Jillian Edwards' music.  It's very folksy but not annoyingly so.  Great for chilling or going to sleep to.


8. The Spirit of the Season - Voctave

Favorite tracks - Mary, Did You Know // O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/The First Noel/I Wonder as I Wander

Voctave (also known as EPCOT's Voices of Liberty) is one of the most incredible acapella groups to ever grace anyone's ears ever.  Trust me on this and just click the link.


9. Home for Christmas - BarlowGirl

Favorite tracks - Carol of the Bells/Sing We Now of Christmas // Hallelujah (Light Has Come)

Anybody else remember BarlowGirl?  They were my sister's favorite band for awhile, and I still really enjoy their music.  Their voices lend perfectly to Christmas music.


10. Into the Silent Night - For King & Country

Favorite tracks - Glorious // Baby Boy

 

This is another EP (the extended edition that this links to has 6 songs) but it's a great little collection.  4K&C puts on an amazing Christmas show, I've been to it, and the album really captures the feeling of being there. 

Honorable Mention: Christmas is Here! - Pentatonix

Favorite tracks - Everything but "Sweater Weather", tbh.  (("Sweater Weather" is ewww))

HAVE Y'ALL HEARD THIS YET?? I didn't want to put two ptx albums on this list but they had to go and release an incredible new album and who am I to say no?  They continue to astound me with their arrangements.  How do they do it with only five voices??  HOW???


If you want to hear some of these albums shuffled together with my other faves, I have several Spotify playlists all about my favorite holiday!
what child is this {gentle lullabies and songs of the Savior}
jingle bell rock {bops, jams, and songs that make me want to dance}
light of the world {songs about the first Christmas}

So that's my list!  What would your list include?  Have you listened to any of these albums (or are you going to listen to them?)

Per the usual, be sure to check out everyone else's awesome 12DoC posts!

~ Abby