The bells start jingling0Mariah starts singling0Cinnamon and pine aromas cause us to remember0Families get tinseling, excitement tingling0For goodness' sake, it's only November0Because from the eleventh month the ballads begin0Catchy Christmas choruses cling to you and your kin0Top to toe in tailbacks0The boys of the NYPD choir0Chestnuts roasting0by now, surely burning0on an open fire0Shakin Stevens, WHAM0, Bing Crosby, Band Aid, Bublé, Slade0Wizard, do you really wish it could be Christmas everyday"0Think of all the shop assistants, six weeks of it to get through0As Bono said, "Tonight, thank God it's them instead of you0 But above and around, beneath and beyond the modern Christmas ditty is a deeper song, eternity long0A melody of old, hear it unfold, the greatest story ever told0A hurting world, an angel's promise, a family scandal, a husband's fright, in the dark streets shineth the everlasting light0Where infinite influence omnipotence suppressed, the word becomes flesh in diapers dressed0The fabled stable becomes a crèche and blessed0As majestic God assumes mortal guise, lo within the manger lies, He who built the starry skies0See the real song of Christmas is more than just a carol0It's an anthem of atonement, a refrain of redemption0In our anguish heaven smiled0The song's composer becomes a child0Peace on earth and mercy mild0God and sinners reconciled0But the peril, the danger of 'away in a manger', is it can make our Christmas story stranger, and rearrange her from the game changer heaven0hell exchanger she is0Because the destiny of the Christmas baby was to die in our lieu0From fairytale birth to criminal's cross, tonight, thank God it's Him instead of you0So in the musical sweatshirts, the John Lewis adverts, listen, remember the song0In the activity remember the nativity your pain and shame undone0For to you a son is given0Over you a song is sung0But don't just remember, respond and surrender, for Christ the saviour is born
