Strictly speaking, a Christmas carol is a song that tells the Nativity story. That's what made Edmund Sears's song, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" so unusual when he wrote it. It didn't tell the story of Jesus's birth; it told the story of how people reacted to the news. This "humanist carol"  arrived at a time when music itself was in the midst of some major changes. 

Music in This Episode

• "Nocturne in E flat major, Op. 9 no. 2" — Aya Higuchi, via Musopen
• "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library
• "Lullaby for a King" — Cathy Oakes, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Endless by PrabajithK"—Mild Relaxation, via Pixabay
• "Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay
• Piano samples from "Carol" and "Noel" generously played by Carrie from the Christmas Past family!

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Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)