There’s no shortage of Christmas music, and each carol and anthem is sure to be someone’s favorite. But if you’ve been saving the Christmas carols for Christmas, it’s near impossible to fit them all into the few services between Christmas Eve and Epiphany. Here, we’ve curated some of the carols, hymns, anthems, and songs that best fit our What Can’t Wait? theme for Advent and Christmas, Year A, as well as some other favorites. Below is a list to help you in planning worship services, and we’ve also compiled them into a Spotify playlist for you to listen to and share as the season approaches. We hope these resources are a blessing to you this Christmas season.

“What Can’t Wait?”—Christmas Eve and Christmas

Hymns and Congregational Songs

• “Once in Royal David’s City” [↗]
  Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1848) Tune: IRBY (8.7.8.7.7.7)

• “Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow” [↗]
  African-American Spiritual

•  “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn” [↗]
  Words: Marty Haugen (1983) Tune: REJOICE, REJOICE (9.8.9.8.8.7.8.9)

• “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” [↗]
  Words: Edmund H. Sears (1849) Tune: CAROL (8.6.8.6 D)

• “O Holy Night” [↗]
  Words: Placide Cappeau (1847) Tune: CANTIQUE DE NOEL (11.10.11.10.11.10.11.10.10)

• “Go Tell It On the Mountain” [↗]
  African-American Spiritual

• “Joy to the World” [↗]
  Words: Isaac Watts (1719) Tune: ANTIOCH (8.6.8.6)

Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music

• “The Wait is Done” by Future of Forestry [↗]

• “Some Children See Him” by Alfred Burt and Wihla Hutson [↗]

• “Christmas Must Be Something More” by Taylor Swift [↗]

• “Heaven Everywhere” by Francesca Battistelli [↗]

• “Love Came Down” by Kim Walker-Smith [↗]

• “Star of Wonder” by Sara Groves [↗]

• “The Prayer” by Danny Gokey and Natalie Grant [↗]

Anna Strickland (she/her/hers) is currently pursuing her Master's of Divinity at Iliff School of Theology. She is a native Austinite and graduated from the University of Texas where she now works in college ministry, especially serving LGBTQ students. Anna loves painting, spending time outside, and her family.