“I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” always made me giggle and The Chipmunks’ “Christmas Christmas Time is Here” had to be sung holding my nose, of course. Those early Christmas songs were indeed all about joy.
“Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Away in A Manger” were my preferred church Carols and taught the Christmas Story.
I loved to go Christmas caroling, even though I remember freezing as we walked from house to house in frozen snow that squeaked with each step. There was wood smoke and the scent of fresh cut pines in the air and warm hot cocoa as a reward if we were lucky.
Caroling in the south was sheer joy. In the warmth of Florida Christmases, we took part in caroling parties that traveled from house to house in the back of pickup trucks.
My taste in Carols has taken on a more traditional tone as I’ve grown older.
In 1980, my favorite Christmas carol was “I saw Three Ships come Sailing In” as my husband’s aircraft carrier returned from the Indian Ocean only three days before Christmas flanked by two destroyers. That carol became personal for me.
I love to belt out traditional Christmas carols while holding a hymnal and singing all the verses. “What Child is This?” along with “O Come all Ye Faithful” and “Angels We Have Heard on High” — those alleluias are fun. Singing the alto part and making sweet harmony with the choir was exquisite.
Some years if time allowed the Messiah sing-a-long was a marvelous way to spend an advent afternoon.
Recently, my favorite Christmas Carol is “Good King Wenceslas.” I know that is an odd choice, but in my old age, I’m paying closer attention to the message in the poetic lyrics and" Good King Wenceslas" tells a wonderful tale.
Most folks don’t get past the first verse of this obscure medieval hymn but in those later verses there is a sweet and very modern message. Trust me.
It seems that on the Feast of Stephen, that is Dec. 26, on a particularly arctic night King Wenceslas looked out his window to see a poor man gathering twigs to make a fire to keep warm.
Wenceslas asked a servant boy if he knew where the poor man lived and he did.
The king immediately ordered the young page to gather food, wine, and pine logs (Pine logs burn quick and hot) and off they went to deliver the bounty to the poor peasant.
However, as the song poetically explains, it was really truly frigid weather and the page was struggling in the deep snow. The boy asked for help and the King suggested that he follow by stepping in the king’s deep footsteps.
Miraculously the snow in the King’s footprints melted underfoot, making it possible for the lad to keep up and they were able to deliver the food.
The song concludes with an exhortation to follow literally in the steps of saints and to bless the poor. Wow, what a marvelous concept.
So today, instead of trudging through the deep snow in the king’s footprints, we servants are following in the steps of the Saints when we add extra food to our carts at Meijer’s or Kroger’s. Then we haul the bags to the food pantry for distribution. The method has changed but the significance is the same.
As we begin 2026 let us dare to tread in the footprints of the Saints.
Be like good King Wenceslas.
Merry Christmas!
Pam Cottrel lives in Clark County and was previously an editor of the Enon Messenger, a former publication in western Clark County. She is a freelance writer and contributing columnist for the News-Sun.
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