Christmas Music: It's Okay Before Thanksgiving

Historically, Christmas music has been playing far before Thanksgiving was even a holiday. 

One of the hot topics of the Holiday Season is not whether you are going to your in-laws or staying home for Christmas. It's not whether to get a fake tree or a live tree. It comes much before Christmas even starts. This discussion is very controversial for almost every family. It's whether to listen to Christmas music before or after Thanksgiving.

Let's start with an elementary school history lesson. If you were to ask a young school goer "Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?" They might answer as follows:

"It's when Daddy watches football all day and mommy is in the kitchen making food."

Well, that is what they might say. Here is what they should say.

"To celebrate when Squanto and other Indians had dinner with the Pilgrims."

Close enough. The point is that Thanksgiving is a United States Holiday that celebrates a meal the Pilgrims had with the Wampanoag Indians in Plymouth, Massachusetts. However, at that day the United States wasn't even formed and wouldn't be until over a hundred years later. Thanksgiving was declared a federal Holiday during the Civil War when Abraham Lincoln declared it a day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens" in 1863. It was to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every month.

With that in mind let's review the reason why we celebrate Christmas. Once again if you were to ask a child why we celebrate Christmas, they may respond as follows:

"It's when daddy watches TV and mommy is in the kitchen making food. And Santa comes and brings toys."

Well, that is not quite right, but it's a start. It's the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth on this earth over 2000 years ago. A precious and promised gift from Heavenly Father of His only begotten Son. Therefore, Christmas has preceded Thanksgiving even hundreds of years before Columbus even set sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, traditional Christmas carols and music have been played way before Thanksgiving. And it will always be that way.

Here are just a few of the popular Christmas carols that have been playing before Thanksgiving was even a holiday:

• 1849 - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• 1823 - The First Noel
• 1818 - Silent Night
• 1739 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

There are some that even date to the 15th and 16th centuries. The point is that historically, Christmas music has been playing far before Thanksgiving. I, however, understand the importance of Thanksgiving and expressing gratitude for the blessings we have. Isn't the reason we celebrate Christmas a good reason to be thankful and express gratitude anyway? I don't think we should associate Thanksgiving and Christmas as separate holidays, but complimentary holidays. Thanksgiving compliments the celebration of Christmas. And perhaps that is one of the reasons why Abraham Lincoln declared it a holiday to  express "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens" for his beloved Son Jesus Christ. Let's remember the reason for the seasons and be thankful for this wonderful and eternal gift.

P.S. I wrote this while listening to Christmas music ;)