A Christmas carol

After ranting on about Christmas in my last blog post, I thought it was time to contribute something (hopefully) a bit more positive. So here's a rough demo version of a new carol what I wrote. :-)

Into the dark of Earth's long night

Into the dark of earth's long night
Shines the star of heaven's light
Into the heart of winter sky
Rises this star so bright, so high
Guiding us with its quick’ning ray
Heralding long-awaited day
Into the dark of earth's long night
Shines the star of heaven's light

Into the dark of sin and shame
Blazes the light of heaven's flame
This flame which burns so pure and strong
Promising end to harm and wrong
Bringing to us love's holy light
Come to restore our broken sight
Into the dark of sin and shame
Shines the light of heaven's flame

Into our winter deep and long,
Sound the notes of heaven's song
This song which melts the frozen heart
Breaking its ice-bound chains apart
Making our souls and spirits sing
With the joy of coming spring
Into our winter deep and long
Sound the notes of heaven's song.

A bunch of my other songs and tunes are available here.

Alien nativities and ghostly carols

School nativity plays have changed a bit since I was wrapping authentic shepherds-wear tea-towels round my head three decades ago... my daughter's nativity play this year involved junior aliens raving to the Prodigy, not to mention a verse of Queen's 'Don't stop me now' (fortunately not the one involving sex machines). 

And our annual scratch carol-singing at work the following day, picturesquely located in a 17th-century royal Great Hall with black-and-white marble flooring, apparently featured ghostly guest singers. The lady who leads our carol-singing, which I accompany somewhat frantically on guitar, told me afterwards she'd invited the house ghosts along to listen and was sure she'd heard one of them joining in. 

What a great way to start Christmas.