THE HEADTEACHER'S BLOG - THE BURFORDIAN, ISSUE 7 2024 - 2025

This is the Headteacher's Blog which was first featured in issue 7 of The Burfordian, published on Friday 20th December 2024

Christmas Carol Assembly  

When you first hear Christmas music out and about in the shops or on the radio, (sometime in September!) I know that there will be mixed emotions. It always seems too early. Yet whatever your sentiment at that moment Advent is soon upon us and that first tune represents the beginning of a process of reflection about the Christmas Story and its importance to the Christian faith. Worldwide the Christian faith is one of many and so, of the 8 billion people on the planet, it is only about 1/3 (approximately 2.5 billion) who observe the Birth of Jesus as central to the Christmas period. Other faiths at different times will observe other festivals and traditions important to their beliefs. Sitting behind these traditions are universal messages that are similar to those at the heart of the Christian Story. And these come through in much (though not definitely all) of the music that we hear at Christmas.

It is possible to connect the origins of the most popular festive songs all the way back to the very first use of music at Christmas as early as the 4th Century and a hymn called Jesu Refulsit Omnium. The translation of the second and third verses of this Latin carol relate directly to the Christmas Story:

The shining star,

gleaming in the heavens, makes him

known at his birth and, going before, has

led the Magi to his cradle

Falling down, they adore the tiny baby

hidden in rags,

as they bear witness to the true God by

bringing a mystical gift.

From this we can track forward to other 18th and 19th Century hymns such as Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Hark the Herald Angels Sing or We Three Kings. All carrying directly the story of the Birth of Jesus and the hope offered by his arrival on earth. The first verse of the original carol however, whilst still founded in faith, introduces a more universal message about family being together in celebration:

Jesus, devoted redeemer of all nations,

has shone forth,

Let the whole family of the faithful

celebrate the stories.

This allows for a connection to more secular and recent songs about togetherness at Christmas with an equal focus on the opportunities for the future. This sentiment is beautifully captured in one of the first contemporary popular Christmas Songs - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 film Meet Me In St Louis.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

And whilst I could go on to write about hundreds of songs about finding love at Christmas or Santa - All I want for Christmas from Maria Carey, or Santa Claus is Coming Town (my favourite version is by Bruce Springsteen) come to mind; the message of joy with family is rarely far away. So, as we wrap up another brilliant Burford term, I thank the amazing students, staff, parents and carers in our community and leave you with the words from one more, ever so cheesy, Christmas song, courtesy of Elton John:

Welcome to my Christmas song

I'd like to thank you for the year

So, I'm sendin' you this Christmas card

To say, "It's nice to have you here"

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone. We look forward to seeing you again in the new year.