By operating a website for almost 10 years, my knowledge of international music has grown immensely. Communicating with readers in Mexico, Ireland, France, Australia, Germany, South Africa, and a host of other countries around the world, many of them have shared their customary Christmas music with me.
I learned from one of my readers that the Christmas celebration in the Philippines runs from September through the beginning of January, and a happy song named “Sa may báhay ang áming báti (At the House We Greet)” is among the country’s most popular songs.
One particularly fun Christmas song is “Christmas Where The Gum Trees Grow.” Native to Australia, this song comically suggests that Santa could get around better on water skis than a sled because of Australia’s warm climate. The song also suggests kangaroos instead of reindeer. This song is a fun taste of foreign culture.
“Christmas In Killarney” is another fun song that hails from Ireland. This is a song that makes your feet move while it insists that Santa Claus is from Killarney.
On a more solemn scale, the official Christmas song of Poland is “Bog sie Rodzi (God is Born).” This song is more than 300 years old, and was used by Pope John Paul ll during his 1996 Christmas speech.
And, perhaps the most melancholy of Christmas songs comes by way of Vietnam. Although an exact translation of the lyrics is hard to come by, “Bai Thanh Ca Buon” speaks with its sad but gorgeous melody.
Whatever music you decide to celebrate with, remember to keep the loving and giving spirit of Christmas in your heart.
