I was sad when the top ten chart for Christmas 2025 was announced at the end of last week with Kylie’s song ‘Xmas’ at Number 1. Although a record breaking success for her, it was poignant that it was the one festive song in the top ten that replaced ’ Christ’ with an ‘X’. Not the first time it’s been intentioned to get rid of Him with a kiss.
Then when I looked at the others in the chart, although they may have Christ in their titles, their sentiments contain nothing of the Christmas story. Possibly the only exception being the Palestine lullaby in promotion of World peace.
I looked back over the last fifty years or so, convinced that ‘it wasn’t like that in my day’, but was surprised and sorry to see that apart from the odd inclusion of a song from Cliff Richard, ‘Little Donkey’ by Anna and Frederick or Johnny Mathis’ ‘A Child is born’ the proportion of songs retelling the Christmas story was few. Of course there have been charity songs, notably ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ but latterly the Christmas charts have been sabotaged by commercial tracks and offshoots from talent competitions.
I’m guessing that as a nod to inclusiveness and religious pluralism, carols aren’t played in shopping malls and public places like they used to be. The only place on the radio I could find them was Classic Fm. It’s all gone a bit sidelined and a bit niche.
Just like trying to find cards with the Christmas story or nativity scene ornaments…
Jesus is Emmanuel ‘God with us’, may we entertain Him with us in our hearts and not push Him to the sidelines, cover Him with hay and relegate Him just to Sunday worship. This coming year, let’s give Him the recognition, praise and worship He deserves.
After all, at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Let’s start now and continue through 2026!