10 Thankful and Merry Hymns for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Every year Christmas seems to get here earlier and earlier and I used to stand firm in my conviction to celebrate one holiday at a time.

Until 2020.

That year I decided celebrating early was a welcome way to lift our hearts and minds up from the difficult circumstances surrounding us. 

Many people seek extra cheer around this time of year but do it through shopping and extra early Black Friday deals. But we would all do better if we celebrated early — not by getting more, but by realizing we already have enough.

So now that November is here, let’s focus on having a very merry Thanksgiving and a thankful Christmas.

And let’s start by looking for themes of joy and thankfulness in some of our favorite hymns and carols:

1. “Ten thousand thousand precious gifts my daily thanks employ; Nor is the least a cheerful heart that tastes those gifts with joy.” – When All Thy Mercies, O My God
2. “Thus might I hide my blushing face while His dear cross appears, dissolve my heart in thankfulness and melt my eyes to tears.” – At the Cross
3. “Hear our grateful praises to the Babe so dear.” – Sing We Now of Christmas
4. “Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son, and leaving Your Spirit till the work on earth is done.” – There Is a Redeemer
5. “While all our hearts and all our songs join to admire the feast, each of us cries, with thankful tongues, ‘Lord, why was I a guest?’” - How Sweet and Awful Is the Place 
6. “Sweet hymns of joy, in grateful chorus raise we; Let all within us praise His holy name.” – O Holy Night
7. “This gift of God we’ll cherish well, that ever joy our hearts shall fill.” – How Great Our Joy
8. “O worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing His wonderful love.”– O Worship the King
9. How good it is to thank the Lord, and praise to You, most High, accord.” – How Good It Is to Thank the Lord  (Psalm 92, Psalter, 1912)
10. “Let us all with grateful praises celebrate the happy day when the lovely, loving Jesus first partook of human clay.” – Let Us All with Grateful Praises (Joseph Hart)