As a convert, one of the more difficult transitions has been replacing the beloved traditions with which I grew up with new traditions centered on the Liturgical Calendar. Probably the hardest has centered on the Advent/Christmas seasons. How are we to truly live Advent when the whole world is rolling out Christmas, starting in September?
I, like most, have a soul which is inspired and invigorated by music. Music sets a tone, can change the mood, becomes a representation of a point in time or an trigger to memory. With an entire genre devoted to one season, Christmas music represents the beloved traditions and memories of years past, growing up in Virginia visiting the annual live nativity and a local green house which set up an extensive animatronic display. Driving around viewing private light displays. Decorating the Christmas tree. Eager anticipation, milk and cookies, egg nog.
For the past couple years, I’ve been saving Christmas music for the Christmas season, and felt the holiday suddenly burst upon me, without warning. From my traditions, Christmas music was the preparation which Advent rightly represents.
A search of Advent albums, as you might imagine or have discovered for yourself, encounters a dearth of choice. I’m typically hesitant about plunking down $16 on an unknown artist, frugal (or cheap) as I am. Previously my Google searches have turned up little. I must have been searching the wrong terms, like “advent music”. Yesterday, I searched “advent hymns”, and Lo! now we’re cooking.
I discovered a couple sites with suggestions enough to fill my iTunes with several hours of music. You may, as I do, quibble with a few of the sites’ suggestions, but there is a nice variety anyway.
LNW Hymns has free mp3 downloads and Full Homely Divinity has an extensive inventory of Advent carols old and new, link to midi files and lyrics. I used the second, along with beemp3 (use at your own risk) to gather my selection of mp3s.
With a musical guide to the season, both familiar and new, I can anticipate the coming season with excitement and celebration. Our mornings will be filled with appropriate music, and I’ll be establishing seasonally relevant traditions for my kids to remember and hopefully continue in their own future families.
(My next project will be to locate DVD copies of all my favorite holiday movies, so that I can play them during the Christmas season, rather than catch them on TV during Advent.)
