Hearthstone Companion

The First Noel was put to print in 1833, but it was written approximately 300 years before that. The author is unknown but was likely a peasant. During the Middle Ages, most people were illiterate. He didn't "write" the song in the traditional sense (on paper). It was a song of the people, a Christmas folk song. The church, at the time, would've rejected it as "new music". So it wouldn't have been sung in church. There is also a small scriptural discrepancy. Beings the author was illiterate, he/she wouldn't have been able to read the Bible on his/her own. Besides that fact, Bibles at that time were not well circulated, and most common people never saw an actual Bible in person. In the second verse is says , They looked up, and saw a star, shining in the east, beyond them far; and to the earth it gave great light and so it continued both day and night. In actuality, the shepherds didn't follow the star to the stable to see Jesus. The angels appe...

 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is known as one of America's greatest poets. He was born in 1807, and as a young boy he began school when he was 3 yrs old.  He was reading classic literature at the age of 6, and by the age of 19 he was a college professor. He got married in 1831 and by 1834 he was known as one of the most respected scholars in our country. Henry and his wife moved to Massachusetts so he could teach at Harvard. But soon after the move, his wife became sick and she died.  Henry was devastated.  He focused on his teaching as he dealt with his grief. It took him 7 long years to get over the tragedy enough to want to remarry, but remarry he did. Henry and his new lovely wife welcomed 5 children and it was a happy time. In 1861, after 18 years of marriage, another devastating event fell upon Henry's life. While his wife was lighting a match, her clothes caught fire and she burned to death.  While he was still in dark despair over the loss of his second wi...

 I haven't written in my blog for a long time. My goal is to start writing more frequently because it is something that I enjoy doing. I changed the name of my blog to Hearthstone Companion, because no matter the subject I write about, I'd love for you to imagine you and I sitting together and talking at a Hearthstone sipping coffee or hot chocolate.  For the month of December, I plan to blog about different Christmas carols and their meaning, history, or truths we can cling to this Christmas season.  The song I will begin with is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". During the Middle Ages, most of the songs that were sung at church were dark, somber and melancholy.  They lacked the ability to evoke enthusiasm or inspiration. So the peasants took it upon themselves to make their own Christmas carols. In doing so they led a quiet rebellion against the current tone of religious music writing.  Although the church leaders would've disapproved of the song, it truly presen...