The season of Advent is a blessed time of anticipation and preparation for that wonderful festival of the Incarnation we call Christmas. We are invited to commit ourselves a new to waiting in joyful hope for the second coming of Christ our King, while also marking and celebrating that awesome first-coming of Jesus as a Baby in Bethlehem.

As well as the familiar seasonal carols and hymns, there are many other beautiful songs which can help us to explore the treasured mysteries of these great seasons. Here are 9 of our home-grown favourites: 

1. Come Lord Jesus, Maranatha

A versatile, call and response litany style Advent song.  The text can be easily adapted to include the O Antiphons, or other thematic text depending on the context you want to use it in.

Lyrics & Chords available here

---

2. Hail Mary (Rolinson)

We could call this the “song of the Annunciation” {Luke 1:26 – 38}. The Hail Mary, is of course a familiar year-round prayer in our Catholic tradition, but this setting from our Christmas album The Promise, always seems to have greater resonance at this time of year.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album The Promise
Available on iTunes

---

3. Magnificat

Mary’s great canticle of praise is a familiar feature of the daily Evening of prayer of the Church.  In the context of our Advent Journey, the Magnificat reminds us to trust and praise God for his promise of mercy – whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, we know that he will feed the hungry and raise the lowly just as he promised.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album Before the Lord
Available on iTunes

---

4. Dear Elizabeth

This beautiful story-song was written by the late Mike Stanley and his wife, Yvonne, while they were expecting their first son.  It imagines the correspondence between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth as Mary shares the experience of being pregnant with Jesus amidst the confusion of her husband Joseph.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album The Promise
Available on iTunes

---

6. Love Shone Down

A popular modern carol which is simple enough to be sung by a whole congregation, but which also lends itself performance.  It tells the nativity story from the perspective of one of the shepherds who is wondering in the aftermath of the birth of Jesus, whether is was all a dream or not.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album Born in Bethlehem
Available on iTunes

---

8. O Little Town

The words of the familiar carol are heard and experienced in a new way when carried on this evocative, lilting melody by Mike Stanley.  You can download free melody line and guitar chords for this piece here.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album Born in Bethlehem
Available on iTunes

---

9. We Have Seen the Light

Inspired by the Epiphany story of the three magi who found the Christ-child by following the light of a star in the East. This epic song echoes the journey of ALL of who who seek and find Christ. Our response, in the end is the same: “Come, let us adore him“.

PIANO sheet music is available here
Recorded on the album The Promise
Available on iTunes

---

Downloadable PDF Sheet music for each of these songs is available here

We’d love to hear about your other favourite Advent and Christmas songs. Please share in the comments below…