Joy to the World

When December rolls around, chestnuts roast on the open fire again, silver bells tinkle everywhere, and poor Grandma must dodge those darn reindeer. In pre-Covid-19 days, Christmas music filled the malls, flowed from doorways and echoed through the corridors of office buildings. Many Christmas carols strike a serious chord in keeping with holiday’s religious significance. Other carols revel in frivolity, lightening the cultural pressures which accompany the holiday. The familiar music will fill homes for as long as people celebrate Christmas. But where and when were these carols written? What are some of the ideas expressed in music? William P. Lazarus traces the background of these songs which are now recognized around the world.