The Christ Child

Jeff Westover Christmas History, Christmas News, Christmas Video, Sacred Christmas November 24, 2019#LightTheWorld, Jesus Christ, Nativity story 0 Comment

A new minimalist short film has been released depicting the birth of Christ in a more Biblical way. The Nativity story has been so romanticized in film, song and the written word for so long it is refreshing to see the story set back in a more original context. The result is a richly human look at what it must have been like. Produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 18-minute film pops with overlooked details that many miss or merely do not know: The Shepherds we not ignorant of Christ and were jubliant at hisRead more

Great Christmas Video from the Glitter Bomber

Jeff Westover Christmas News, Christmas Video December 18, 2018glitter bomb 0 Comment

Honestly, this has not been a great year for the non-musical Christmas video. Usually we get a host of Christmas light videos, Christmas pranks or Christmas-themed story telling coming out of YouTube but this year has been fairly boring in that realm. Until now. What follows here could be the Christmas-Video-of-the-Year. Seriously. It’s a little long, but well worth the invested time for anyone who has ordered Christmas online only to have it stolen right off the front porch: I love his comparison to Kevin McCallister. It totally fits and that makes this Christmas. This is quite definitely a 21stRead more

Christmas Travel

William Werner Christmas Video, Holiday Humor December 15, 2018Christmas travel 0 Comment

Are you traveling for Christmas? Experts are saying that with this year’s extended Christmas weekend the travel worldwide could be off the charts. You are going to need endless patience, probably more money, and a little sense of humor: Tim Hawkins is a rarity in comedy. He’s clean — and he is funny. Known to some as a “Christian comedian”, Tim has found fame on YouTube for his musical parodies and whimiscal takes on family life and modern living. Here is Tim in a classic talking more about Christmas:

Virtual Hallelujah Chorus

Jeff Westover Christmas Music, Christmas Video December 8, 2018December 8, 2018 0 Comment

Imagine combining the voices of thousands in a massive performance of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. That was the vision in the creation of this video from just a few year ago: How many of us have imagined ourselves singing like this? How many of us have belted out our part of the Hallelujah Chorus while in the shower or in the car, hearing it on the radio? Handel’s Messiah was originally written for Easter but has over the centuries now become associated with Christmas. The Hallelujah Chorus is the climax of what Handel himself saw as a mircle. Of creating MessiahRead more

Beautiful Messaging of Christmas Commercials

William Werner Christmas Video December 5, 2016December 4, 2016Christmas commercials 0 Comment

What makes Christmas commercials so different than other commercials we see on television? It is like the fact they tell stories that inspire and leave the selling to mere suggestion. Once upon a time American marketers were great storytellers. The commercials of Christmas past brought us things like the Coke truck and images of snowy Americana. Those traditions have been revived and are celebrated internationally now. Case in point is this great ad, shot entirely in English, from Poland, which tells the story of one devoted grandfather learning English to spread a message of love in a funny and touchingRead more

This Christmas and Jingle Bells Mashup by Anthem Lights

Jeff Westover Christmas Music, Christmas Video November 25, 2016Anthem Lights 0 Comment

Something old and something new…ish. The video below by Anthem Lights is a mashup of Jingle Bells (old) and This Christmas (newish). Surprisingly, it’s a good fit with this talented arrangement: Anthem Lights is a Christian pop group based in Nashville, Tennessee. They were formed in 2011, the year their first EP topped out at #42 on the charts. Anthem Lights can trace its roots back to the fall of 2007, when singer/songwriter Alan Powell joined forces with then aspiring solo artist Chad Graham. Both were living in Los Angeles at the time, to pen songs for Chad’s solo effort.Read more

Songs of Praise as Christmas Music

Jeff Westover Christmas Music, Christmas Video November 25, 2016Amazing Grace, Peter Hollens 2 Comments

In the most recent episode of the Merry Podcast we discuss a trend in Christmas music that sees traditional songs of praise released on Christmas albums. Here is a great example of that in the latest video from Peter Hollens and his new Christmas album titled A Hollens Family Christmas features Amazing Grace with the vocal band Home Free: Peter’s new album is OUTSTANDING. But his inclusion of Amazing Grace on a Christmas album is important and interesting. Most ancient Christmas carols are songs of praise. Joy to the World, O Come All Ye Faithful and even Away in aRead more

The Best Christmas Carol You Have Never Heard

Jeff Westover Christmas Music, Christmas Video November 25, 2016November 24, 2016Christmas carol, new Christmas music 2016 1 Comment

Some Christmas carols are so old it is hard to tell which is older — the lyrics or the tune. Below is a carol thought to be one of the oldest Christmas tunes ever. Few today know it well and it is presented here as something new and fresh to Christmas music fans. 500 years ago tunes were performed publicly only occasionally and, of course, there was no radio or television to play things over and over. Songs then were re-purposed for a variety of uses. The song What Child is This? is perhaps the most well known Christmas songRead more

Kenzie Nimmo Releases Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

B. Francis Morlan Christmas Music, Christmas Video November 24, 2016November 24, 2016kenzie nimmo, new Christmas music 2016 0 Comment

Kenzie Nimmo kicks off the rush of new Christmas music videos with this minimal and stirring version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Take a listen: Singer-songwriter Kenzie Nimmo is well known for her cover songs which she posts to her enormously popular Vine account and highly subscribed YouTube channel as well. She released her viral video, “Cool Kids,” when she had only 1,900 followers. She grew up participating in musical theater and many other musical activities. She went to school for music at BYU where she met Harris Heller, another music student with whom she started working onRead more

Go Tell It on the Mountain Played with Hands and Feet

Jeff Westover Christmas Music, Christmas Video August 30, 2016Go Tell It on the Mountain 0 Comment

Go Tell It on the Mountain may not be the most well known or popular Christmas song of all time. But this rendition not only brought down the house it continues to be a marvel to those who have seen it over and over. The song itself actually dates back to 1865 and it’s considered a Christmas song because it references the Nativity of Jesus Christ. It has been recorded by multiple artists over the decades in a variety of styles — but none are quite like this rendition. Most songs have to be heard. But Mormon Tabernacle Choir organistRead more

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