My Newswithviews Column, Dec. 9 (‘EU Drops Plan to Scrap Christmas’)

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So the European Union’s “Equality Minister” (it only hurts when I laugh) wanted to erase Christmas from the calendar and do away with “non-inclusive” names like John and Mary… and only retracted it after the Vatican freaked out.

EU Drops Plan to Scrap Christmas

Let’s see if we can explain something to you left-wing jidrools out there. No harm in trying!

The whole flamin’ point of any name at all is to be un-inclusive. To distinguish its owner from the other people in the room. Like, if you’ve got a hall with 500 people in it and every single one of them is named Johnny Koltanowski (even the women), all you have is chaos and futility. Or if everybody there has no name at all, other than “comrade” or “Hey, you!” Names serve a purpose. Just like words do!

Helpful hint: If your government has an equality minister, or any kind of diversity honcho, then your government is way too big and has way too much money, and greatly needs whittling down.

By Request, ‘For Unto Us a Child Is Born’

For Unto Us a Child Is Born, from Handel’s “The Messiah”–and from the Bible, Isaiah Chapter 9: yes, someone did request this a week ago, but we don’t mind posting your favorite hymns as often as you ask for them. This time we have the Kings College Choir.

The two hymns currently leading the Christmas Carol Contest are tied with 19 views apiece.

By Request, ‘Good King Wenceslaus’

Requested by ElderMike–and I know he likes the Irish Rovers, so here we go: Good King Wenceslaus, by the Irish Rovers.

Historical note: Wenceslaus was Duke of Bohemia in the 10th century, famous for his piety and good works. After death, he was recognized as St. Wenceslaus and promoted posthumously to king by the Pope, in recognition of his unfailing charity. He was murdered and martyred in 935 A.D. by his brother, Boleslaus the Cruel.

by Request, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’

This Christmas hymn request comes to us from Scotland, from Ina–Mary’s Boy Child, sung by Harry Belafonte.

I was sure I didn’t know this hymn, until the chorus came along. “Oh! So that’s where that comes from!” So now I know.

By Request, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’

Erlene asked for O Come, All Ye Faithful, kicking off our Christmas Carol Contest this morning; and I remembered from last year this wonderful rendition of it by the students at Fountainview Academy. Okay, it is a little fanciful, setting it up to perform the carol on a moving train. And for once they had to leave their piano behind! But anytime you can get a trainload of Christmas cheer, go for it.

By Request, ‘How Unto Bethlehem (This Pilgrimage of Kings)’

Here’s another one I never heard before, another hymn for our Christmas Carol Contest: requested by Phoebe, How Unto Bethlehem (This Pilgrimage of Kings), by the Robert Shaw Chorale.

Remember–anyone can play, and you can play as often as you like.

By Request, ‘To Us a Child of Hope Is Born’

SlimJim asked for this one–To Us a Child of Hope Is Born, by Cardiphonia. The lyrics, of course, come from Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…”

Hey, everybody, our annual Christmas Carol Contest is ongoing–the Christmas hymn with the most views on the day it was posted, wins!

A Favorite Old Carol: ‘Pat-A-Pan’

I just don’t have it in me to write up any nooze this afternoon. It’s dreary nooze out there. Who really wants to read it?

Instead, I offer up this old Burgundian Christmas carol which, to me, conjures up memories of sitting on the floor by the Christmas tree and loving it–Pat-a-Pan, sung by the Stairwell Carollers. I think they’re singing in Burgundian. Why not?

Christmas is coming. Christ the Savior is born. Someday the dreary nooze will stop. Let Our Lord Jesus Christ reign in our hearts, and pray for Him to reign on earth.

By Request, ‘All Praise To Thee, Eternal Lord’

Requested by Susan–Text by Martin Luther, music by Elaine Hegenberg: All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord.

Our annual Christmas Carol Contest has begun! Anyone can enter, and enter as often as you like. Leave a Christmas hymn request anywhere as a comment or a reply, and we’ll do the rest.

By Request, ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’

Our month-long Christmas party rolls on, and I’m a little late with this one, but let’s have it anyway–

Requested by Erlene: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, by the Kings College Choir at Cambridge…

As for our carol contest, the two carols with 18 views each are still tied for the lead.