Little Drummer Boy

Last updated on: March 9, 2017 at 5:33 pm by Calah Alexander

Little Drummer Boy 2017-03-09T17:33:27-05:00 Calah Alexander

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

At the risk of invoking the wrath of Simcha, I’m putting this song up here. This is the last day of my favorite but not most favorite Christmas song series, and this song makes me cry.

No, it really does. This song is right up there with The Clown of God for me, in terms of “getting it right” about Christmas.

Last night I was hysterical. My bread wasn’t rising. Like, not at all. I had spent about two hours making marshmallow snowmen for a hot chocolate bar. I ended up cutting out a soup from the Christmas menu because I ran out of time, and it was a soup I had been so looking forward to making. I was frantic, angry, and frustrated.

So I did what I do when I get upset and decided to clean things. I’m sorry to say that I put up the baby gate and snapped at my children to pick up the living room while I attacked the bathroom. As I was scrubbing the toilet, though, I started thinking about this song, and why I was doing all of this in the first place.

I cook on Christmas because it’s what I can do for my family. I love doing it, I do it well, and it’s my way of offering something. A sacrifice of time and sometimes sanity. It’s not much, really, not compared to what many people do at Christmas. I don’t volunteer at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter. I don’t gather toys for orphans or sick kids. But I stay up late carefully wrapping presents for my kids, making sure the ribbons are perfect, knowing full well that they’ll just rip into them anyway. I’m a mother by vocation. My love is supposed to go to my family. And at Christmas, the best way I can show my love for and gratitude to the Christ child is to love my family well. Not to get angry over non-rising bread and imperfect whimsical snowmen, but to laugh it off and be willing to start over with grace and good humor. Taking care of my family is the way I drum. And especially at this time of the year, I should play my best for Him.

So that’s why I love this song. Now, the reason I love this particular version is because first, it’s sung by the Priests, whose voices I think are incredible, plus they’re priests, which makes them awesome. But mostly I love this version because of Shane McGowan.

Shane McGowan, singing this song, is like the old clown juggling for the statue. (If you haven’t read this book, you must.) His life has been tortured, tormented and so obviously painful. But there is such good in Shane McGowan. You can just tell. And here, at the twilight of his career, he’s left off singing about Whisky in the Jar and is singing about a little boy playing for the Christ child. It’s beautiful. Redemptive. It’s why Christ was born into this world for us…to save lost souls.

So here it is. I hope you love it. I also hope you love Shane McGowan as much as I do, or you’re gonna hate my #1 Christmas song. Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! Here’s wishing you stress-free cooking, wrapping, and cleaning.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 23, 2011

7 Quick Takes Friday!

Next Post

December 24, 2011 Fairytale of New York

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 April 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz