Over the past thirty days, I've been listening to a 300+ song playlist on my iPod of my favorite Christmas songs by Christian artists, both in preparing my heart for the true purpose of this most blessed season and to conduct and write
My favorite Christmas albums tend to have a balanced mix of original and traditional songs, such as Amy Grant's 1992 album Home For Christmas, which includes the classic original song "Breath of Heaven."
After careful and repeated listens, these are my top 10 original Christmas songs recorded by Christian artists over the past 20 years. I'd love to read your comments and discover some of your favorites of the season as well. From my family to yours, have a wonderful, God-filled holiday season!
1. "Manger Throne" by Third Day
This original song from
City On A Hill: It’s Christmas Time is my all-time favorite Christmas song. When Mac Powell passionately sings,
“What kind of King would come so small, From glory to a humble stall?, That dirty manger is my heart, too, I'll make it a royal throne for You,” I lose it and pray the worshipful lyrics directly to my King, Jesus Christ.
2. "On A Night Like This" by Sarah Hart
Sarah Hart is an incredible songwriter (“Better Than A Hallelujah” by Amy Grant) whose lyrics immediately connect with me. I was thrilled to learn that she had recorded her own songs for a brand new Christmas album called
This Winter’s Eve. Sarah’s singing voice reminds me of Leigh Nash and I hang on every word of these catchy and original Christmas songs. “On A Night Like This” is my favorite song on the album. It has a banjo intro and super-hooky melody and I love the prayerful tone of the song. The chorus comes right from Luke’s Gospel account of the skies opening and the angels singing “Gloria.” Throughout the song, Sarah acknowledges the true wonder of Christ’s incarnation as she reflects
“Jesus, come and be born in the heart of me, and let me be your manger, let us be your manger.” Amen to that! The album is loaded with that type of profound response to this most blessed season.
3. "Christ Is Come" by Big Daddy Weave
Big Daddy Weave’s original song from
Christ Is Come is an incredible picture of why we celebrate Christmas and Mike Weaver’s vocals are excellent. Do you get so caught up in the busyness of the Christmas season that you miss HIM? This song is great to reflect on during our Christmas time of worship and during the year when we spend time idolizing things that aren’t God. I love that Christmas passage from Luke which includes two very important reminders:
“do not be afraid” and
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
4. "Hallelujah (Light Has Come)" by BarlowGirl
I recently heard the Barlow sisters sing this live in concert and it is one of the most worshipful songs ever written and worthy of our King Jesus. This original song can be found on
BarlowGirl’s Home For Christmas and
Our Journey…So Far albums.
5. "Bethlehem Dawn" by Todd Agnew
The original recording of this amazing song can be found on the
Absolute Christmas Hits album and also on Todd’s
Do You See What I See? Christmas album. The entire album is thematic in that each song is told from the perspective of the different people present at Christ’s birth. There are songs from the Innkeeper, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth, Simeon, The Magi, The Angels and “Bethlehem Dawn” is from The Shepherds.
6. "Babe In The Straw" by Caedmon’s Call & Leigh Nash
This original song from
City On A Hill: It’s Christmas Time is still timeless for me, and features Cliff and Danielle Young of
Caedmon’s Call singing about the humble birth of our Savior Jesus. I sing
“the prophets did say, You would come to redeem the world, little Babe in the straw, save us all” at the top of my lungs.
7. "Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant
I grew up listening to
Amy Grant’s Christmas albums and her recordings of “Tennessee Christmas” and “Breath Of Heaven” are two of my all-time favorites. This is one of the most famous original Christmas songs ever and Amy’s incredible vocals and reverent recording on the
Home For Christmas album is a classic song that never fails to move me emotionally.
8. "How Many Kings" by Downhere
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas is an amazing Christmas album which includes a fantastic version of this wonderful original song by Downhere. It is a very powerful Christmas song that really challenges you to think about the sacrifice that our King Jesus made on our behalf. Truly, no other king in the history of the world besides Jesus humbled themselves to come off their throne to become one of their own and become the least…for me. For that, I am eternally grateful.
9. "While You Were Sleeping" by Casting Crowns
Peace On Earth by
Casting Crowns is a great Christmas album and “While You Were Sleeping” is my favorite song on the album, originally on
Lifesong. The song really challenges you to think about how we show others Jesus through our lives and through His Word. The people of Bethlehem and Jerusalem missed Jesus. Do you know of specific instances in the Gospels when Jesus claimed deity? Are you readily able to point others to those passages and explain them?
10. "A Cradle Prayer" by Rebecca St. James
Rebecca’s Christmas album is still in heavy rotation for me for over 13 years now and features her beautiful recording of “A Cradle Prayer,” an original Christmas ballad sung tenderly to Jesus. I love the simplicity and worshipfulness of the song. The song is biblically reverent and reflective and I love her repeated use of the phrase
“I am in awe of You.” What a great way to reflect on the miracle of Christmas. God came down as a baby, gave Himself to us, our Creator and our King. Whenever I’m tempted to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the commercial Christmas season, a song like this one can help me focus on the true meaning of Christmas, which is to stop and be in awe of my Lord.
