5 Ways to Keep Hymns In Your Heart All Season Long

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Or is it? Your answer to this may depend on where you live, your threshold for cold and what kinds of outdoor activities you’ll welcome or be missing.

But no matter how you feel about this colder time of year, you can always have hymns in your heart to help keep it warm to the things of God.

Here are a few ways to keep hymns in your heart all fall and winter long.

1. Make a Thanksgiving hymn playlist. Don’t overlook Thanksgiving in our culture’s rush toward Christmas! Many hymns help cultivate gratitude and a Thanksgiving playlist you can access while driving, cleaning, walking and living your day is a great way to make sure your heart is grateful and ready for the Christmas celebration ahead.

2. Make a Christmas hymn playlist. So many fun Christmas songs exist and help us get in the spirit of Christmas but the most special kind of Christmas music is the carols that refer to the gift of Jesus’ birth. Jingle the bells all you want but a dedicated Christmas carol playlist that focuses on Christ alone is a must to help you remember “the Reason for the season.”

3. Play “Do You Hear What I Hear?” One of the best parts about the holiday season is you begin hearing the sweet and powerful name of Jesus in places you wouldn’t normally hear it. Many stores play classic Christmas carols and many of those classic Christmas carols refer to Jesus’ birth. What a great opportunity for you and your family to keep a running record of the number of times you hear the name of Jesus and where you hear it!

4. Host a Sing and Cider night. This can happen with just your immediate family and/or friends at home or you can volunteer to help make a special event at church close to Thanksgiving. Encourage guests to share how God has answered prayer and sing your favorite hymns of praise together. Apple cider and fall treats make this a festive occasion to remember.

5. Go Caroling. Already a tradition for many, caroling at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted living facility is one of the best ways you can bless others and point hearts — often lonely ones — to Christ. The more is the merrier for this activity so if your family isn’t a large one, go ahead and invite others.

On a more personal note, our church here in Iowa is made up of mostly senior citizens and we went caroling to several nursing homes last year. One couple brought their young granddaughter and the way faces lit up to see a young one was a joy to see. Don’t shy away from bringing young children caroling. They bring enough joy as is.