So many people today are disenchanted with the commercialization of Christmas, the predominance of Santa and the relative absence of Jesus Christ, the overspending and the focus on materialism and gift-getting. But I’d like to take a moment and share with you how the “spirit of Christmas” really is the spirit of Christ and the importance that Christmas carols played in my life.

I grew up in a non-religious household. We did not attend church, except for a brief stint when I was ten, and even then I mostly worked in the nursery and never listened to the sermons or went to Sunday School. We did not talk about religion or God, although I knew that my mother believed He existed. We did not pray, not even at mealtimes, nor was I taught how or when to pray. We did not discuss Jesus Christ or His divinity, His attributes or His mission.

We never talked of Heaven or Hell. My mom was a very tolerant, loving, and accepting person and believed that all people were mostly good and I had the vague impression that after death, we would all live in a nebulous state of happiness. As a result of these ideas, my home was not a home where moral standards were set or right and wrong were taught.

Until I was 16 (when I began talking to the Mormon missionaries), the only knowledge I had of the gospel of Jesus Christ was through Christmas carols. Silent Night taught me that Mary was a virgin at Jesus’ birth and how the shepherd’s came and heavenly hosts sang.

Once in Royal David’s City taught me that Jesus was born in a lowly stable.

Angels We Have Heard on High and Hark the Herald Angels Sing taught me that angels came to the shepherds to bring the gladsome tidings of His birth and that the Shepherds rejoiced and went to Bethlehem to see the Babe.

Away in a Manger and O Come All Ye Faithful taught me that Jesus Christ was God and yet was making his appearance in mortality with a body of flesh.

With Wondering Awe tells the story of the wise men following the star to come and adore the Christ child.

And Joy to the World and O Holy Night describe the purpose for all this rejoicing. Christ is born to take away the sins of men.

In addition to learning the gospel through these songs, I came to understood that all people who call themselves Christians believe these things and rejoice in them. And because these songs were sung over and over again all season long, I had them committed to memory just like almost every other child. For the formative years of my life, the Christmas carols were the only form of scripture study I had, but I had memorized them all and loved them and proclaimed my belief in the Savior each time I sang and was strengthened in that testimony every time I heard someone else sing.

And all the Christmas movies that focus on being together with families or Christmas miracles, even if they aren’t obviously teaching religious principles, still touched my heart with the Spirit of Christ. Whenever I would tear up at the beauty of a Christmas miracle or service anonymous given to someone in need, it was the Holy Ghost affirming to me that this is what Christ would do. I knew that those wonderful, soft, warm, happy feelings I felt were somehow related to Jesus Christ.

In his talk, “The Power of Hymns,” Merrill J. Bateman lists some of the roles of church music. It acts as a form of worship, builds unity and a community of saints, teaches doctrine, and facilitates the bearing of testimony. This was my personal experience with the Christmas carols, the only form of religious instruction I had as a child. It was very powerful for me and because of that, I try to include hymns in our home as often as possible.

In addition to It’s an interactive music player where you can see the words and music and control the parts, tempo and key or just print it out. You can also just download spiritually uplifting songs here for free.