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Christmas is my favorite season of the year. Christmas music is one of things about the season that I love so much. I love the story of the birth of our Savior, and the best Christmas music tells that wonderful story through song.

Some of the most beautiful songs that have ever been written and sung are Christmas songs. There are the great and mighty works like Handel’s Messiah with its moving hallelujah chorus. I love to hear it performed by a choir and orchestra. Even though it is almost 300-years old, it is still fresh and new every time I hear it.

One of the most popular carols of Christmas is Silent Night. Although it may be a simpler song than Handel’s Messiah, in my opinion, it is just as beautiful. There are so many other great ones that I couldn’t begin to list them all, but they certainly include “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” “What Child is This,” and “O Holy Night.” One of the more recent beauties is “Mary Did You Know?” And yes, she knew who and what he was, but did she fully comprehend all he would accomplish for us?

Steven Curtis Chapman is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. He has some great Christmas music and one of them is simply titled “The Christmas of Music.” The chorus of that songs says: “Love is here, it’s the music of Christmas. So, listen, listen with your heart-And you will hear a song in the laughter of a child-Oh won’t you listen for the sound of hope-And you will hear the music of Christmas-For the music of Christmas is love-Oh, its love.”

The last verse of Chapman’s songs says: “Long ago, a baby was born in the night-and as He let out his very first cry-The sound of bringing hope was alive-stars were shining, angels singing-All heaven and earth was ringing-love is here, this is the music of Christmas.”

Throughout each year, I have the privilege of singing for churches and other groups of people. Many of those outings are part of my ministry of humor through stories and songs as Bro. Billy Bob. I find great joy in doing that, but especially during the Christmas season. In recent years, I have played and sung Christmas music several times in the main lobby of East Alabama Medical Center, in Opelika. Last year, little did I know that less than a week after I sang there, I would be back there having heart surgery. I sang on a Thursday and the next Monday I was back for a heart cath. I was admitted to the hospital later that day and had quadruple bypass surgery two-days later. Well, thanks to God, my cardiologist, my cardiothoracic surgeon, and all those who took care of me, I am still kicking, my heart is still ticking, and I’m still singing! And, I will be back in the lobby at EAMC to do Christmas music again this year. I asked for a particular date this time. I will be singing on Friday, December 20th, at noon. Why that date and time? This will be the one-year anniversary of my surgery…almost to the hour that it began! I am so blessed, and so very thankful, to still be here and greatly looking forward to singing again this year. If you live in the Opelika area, please come join me. Come sing along with me on many of the favorite songs of Christmas that we know and cherish. I hope to see some of you there, but most of all, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!