God even in Christmas

I'm a sucker for Christmas songs. I'm not so far gone that I'm okay
with department stores playing some pop princess's version of "Baby It's Cold
Outside" on an 85-degree early November day here in central Texas. But let me
join in on a round of "O Holy Night" or "White Christmas" and I'll get choked
up every time.

They might be overdone and cheesy, but there is something visceral
about the collective emotion that Christmas songs tap into. Something is
stirring even in all the schmaltz and sentimentality, something that goes
beyond the consumeristic trappings. God shows up in the midst of all that
cheese.

This week I finally allowed myself to click on the "Christmas Songs"
playlist on my iPod (yes, I waited until Thanksgiving week). The songs shuffled between Willie Nelson and Enya and Harry
Connick Jr. and The Wiggles. Then the player landed on U2's version of "I
Believe in Father Christmas." Released two years ago to raise awareness for
World AIDS Day, this quickly became my favorite Christmas song--mostly because
of a one-word change Bono makes to the lyrics.