My first thought was Silent Night. Not just the Carol itself, but the way in which it is normally sung by candlelight with minimum musical accompaniment at the end of the Christmas Eve service. I have always found it contemplative and sacred. It centers me.

Having said that, let me be a bit of an iconoclast in suggesting another Christmas song, which is not traditional, but which to my mind describes the arrival of Jesus in a truly human and awe inspiring light. Michael Card’s Joseph’s Song off of his album The Life from 30 years ago. We so often fail to acknowledge Joseph’s role in the Nativity narrative. What must it have been like to have been him holding the savior in his arms? This song captures it perfectly in my opinion.

“How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be
Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my love
Chorus 2
Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, How can I raise a king
He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be…”