Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven…
–Luke 2:13-14

I have no room for Christmas villains this year.

Try as hard as some of them might, they can’t take Christmas away from me.

You know the kinds of characters I’m talking about. There’s a long list of them. Here are a few of the classics. Can you remember what movie/book they’re from?

Ebenezer Scrooge
The Grinch
Scot Farkus
Oogie Boogie
Heat/Snow Miser
Mr. Potter

…and don’t forget Hans Gruber!

These guys made it their mission to spoil the celebration of Christmas. A few of them had a change of heart, but many? Unrepentant.

This year, I can think of a few real-world names that might actually top that list. It’s hard to be merry-making when others seem to be deliberately poisoning the season. But what can we do about it?

Drown them out.

I’m inspired by one of my Christmas heroes, Buddy the Elf. He says “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.”

He is paraphrasing Luke, of course. (Sort of). Remember the chorus of angels? A “heavenly host”, it says. That’s a lot of angels. A LOT of angels, like an army worth. Bigger than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I’m picturing a musical masterpiece that would make Handel’s Messiah sound like a nursery rhyme.

I love Christmas music. My favorite albums, carolers, even Mariah Carey. And Christmas is the time of year when congregations sing the loudest.

The music of the season is powerful. Just ask the shepherds, or more contemporarily, remember the Grinch?

“Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!”

Music made all the difference. It doesn’t always work. There are a few hearts out there that will continue to shrink rather than grow. Some people seem to revel in “Bah Humbug”, or much much worse.

That’s truly sad, but we’ve had Christmas villains all the way back to King Herod. They can do some real damage, true, but if we keep raising our voices, like the angels, the world will hear something deeper. Truer.

Listen…

Do you hear what I hear?

I hear Christmas.

Have a great week,

Mitch