We continued with our Christmas theme and with Christmas baking. We added a fun Hanukkah song too. I brought a variety of baked and bought cookies, but we sang and chatted quite a bit so we didn't really make a dent in that tin of goodies.
It was a lovely hour well-spent. We'll have more Christmas music and more holiday goodies next Thursday! Will we see you there?
The first thing we did was watch a YouTube video that I mentioned last time. Here is a link. For King and Country is an Australian-American contemporary Christian band, actually a duo of two brothers. The energy and power of their live version of The Little Drummer Boy is electrifying. I highly recommend watching it.
The next thing we did was to listen to and sing along with (as much as possible) the song Happy Hanukkah by Walk Off the Earth, featuring Scott Helman. It's got a fun and uplifting reggae feel, and a catchy chorus. We wondered about the lyrics: "I light up a flame in the name of the Lion of Judah" and "my love shine through from Mount Zion". Lion of Judah is interesting. It can refer to Jesus, his lineage being in the tribe of Judah, descended from King David. The Lion of Judah (a lion) is also a Jewish national and cultural symbol, traditionally regarded as the symbol of the tribe of Judah. And, The Lion of Judah is a prominent symbol in the Rastafari movement. It represents Emperor Haile Selassie I as well as being a symbol of strength, kingship, pride and African sovereignty. That ancient and royal Ethiopian connection is so interesting, and it's the Rastafarian one that jumps to mind because of the reggae rhythms. Mount Zion is also heard often in reggae music, referring to Ethiopia or Africa, and as a utopian place of unity, peace and freedom. Light and peace, harmony, traditions, ancient and new, so when commercialism distracts, we are reminded of the deeper spiritual significance of the eight-day festival of Hanukkah and of Chritsmas at the same time. Brilliant.
Here's a list of some other songs we sang and listened to:
- The Little Drummer Boy by For King and Country
- Happy Hanukkah by Walk Off the Earth, with Scott Helman
- It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
- A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives
- Song for a Winter's Night by Gordon Lightfoot
- Song for a Winter's Night by Ingrid Michaelson
- The Gift by Aselin Debison, Peter Asher& George Massenburg
- The Christmas Shoes by NewSong (well, just a bit of that one-tears)
- Joy to the World by Hillsong Worship & Aodhan King
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