Advent Song Ideas

Well, our soft rock radio station begins playing the Christmas favorites after Halloween. Really!? I was tired of them by the time Advent started last year.  As if starting it all after Thanksgiving wasn't enough.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas music and listen to it during other times of the year, but the constant repeat of the favorites over and over (only changing the artist and style) wears them out. I would really love it if more advent songs were included on the list of replays. I know we do already here O Come O Come Emmanuel is wonderful and a favorite of mine, but there are other great hymns, songs that would be wonderful to pass on down. It would give me much more to reflect on if we heard more about our waiting for Christ more often on the radio. Especially if those songs got replayed 85 times a day. I definitely would have the message.

Christmas songs are wonderful and the celebration of Christmas is an immensely joyful time but we don't want to skip over the waiting and preparation period. We know that Advent is about waiting for our Lord Jesus to come and also about preparing our hearts for this wonderful, magnificent savior.  Encourage listening to advent songs to teach the kids about waiting and anticipation.  There is an excitement in the air that comes with this preparation.  One thing we did last year is a box covered in brown felt.  Zachary got to put a stick in the bed each morning during the advent prayers and when he did a kind act. The bed was filled by Christmas Eve and we had a special Baby Jesus to place in the bed. I plan to add a bigger variety of advent songs this year to make the experience more complete.

I've been compiling all of the advent song ideas I've found.  I've purchased a few through amazon mp3 downloads and hope to make a CD for our family to listen to in the car during Advent. Some are probably as old as the favorite Christmas Carols we sing. Here is the list I've been working on. I have more that I want to look up lyrics for so I'll add those later if they fit with advent. Hope it enriches advent for anyone celebrating!

1. O Come O Come Emmanuel
2. The Advent of Our King
3. The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came
4. O Come Divine Messiah
5. Come Lord Jesus- MD Ridge, Gerard Chiusano
6. Come Thou Long, Expected Jesus
7. Come Watch and Wait- Genevieve Glenn, OSB
8. Comfort, Comfort, O My People
9. Emmanuel- Steve Angrisano
10. Every Valley- Bob Dufford
11. Holy is His Name
12. Jesus, Come to Us- David Haas
13. Let the King of Glory Come- Michael Joncas
14. Let the Valleys Be Raised- Dan Shutte
15. Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
16. Magnificat
17. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus- Janet Sullivan Whitaker
18. Maranatha- G. Westphal
19. Maranatha- Tim Schoenbachler, Patrick Loomis
20. Maranatha- Gerard Chiusano
21. My Soul In Stillness Waits
22. On Jordan's Bank
23. Patience, People
24. People Look East
25. Ready the Way- Bob Hurd
26. Ready the Way- Curtis Stephen
27. See How the Virgin Waits- Williard F. Jabusch, Slovakian Folk Melody
28. Soon and Very Soon
29. Stay Awake-Christopher Walker
30. The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns
31. The Whole World is Waiting for Love- Marianne Misetich
32. Waiting in Silence- Carey Landry
33. Wake oh Wake and Sleep No Longer
34. Breath of Heaven-Amy Grant- more contemporary
35. Prepare the Way- Charlie Hall- more contemporary
36. Ave Maria
37. Mary Did You Know?
38. Mary's Song- (Mary's praises to God)

More activities and advent calendar ideas in the next post!