Showing posts with label carolings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carolings. Show all posts


Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Perhaps the best know of all the reindeer is Rudolph - the red nosed reindeer. Rudolph was the creation of Robert May, an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. May, who was very imaginative, wanted to create a booklet to give to parents who shopped at Montgomery Ward and with the help of Denver Gillen, a friend who had artistic skills, they created a booklet about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. The story of how Rudolph lit the way through the fog to help Santa Claus deliver his toys was distributed for several years, with millions of booklets distributed at Montgomery Wards stores over the years.
In 1947 the story of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was put to music by a friend of Robert Mays by the name of Johnny Marks. It was recorded and sung by Gene Autry a famous TV star and sold millions of copies of the song. Rudolph has had his own TV shows and movies and continues to grow in popularity with every passing year.


The origins of caroling during the Christmas holiday is uncertain and scholars tend to agree to disagree on the beginning of the tradition.
French historians write about Bishop Telesphorus of Rome whom introduced the custom of celebrating Christmas with songs about 129 A.D.
Some confusion comes because songs were often sung while pagans danced joyfully at their Winter Solstice celebrations. "Carole" is defined as Old French as "...round dance with singing." Pagans celebrated every season with their caroling - not just for winter.
Along with starting a tradition of a live nativity scene (creche) it is believed that St. Francis of Assisi brought additional joyful music (other than the traditional hymns) during the midnight mass worship services in AD 1223.
It is true that millions of people everywhere enjoy watching and listening to carolers every Christmas season. Today, many European towns and countries even house those who boast it is their hometown location for the origin of the Christmas caroling tradition. What is not disputed is that music in religious celebrations to honor the birth of Jesus was commonly practiced

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