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We love Advent Music (and Christmas music, of course)! Today Catholic musician, mom, recording artist, and friend of Haley’s Colleen Nixon joins us to chat about what songs we all look forward to every Advent, the importance of good sacred music especially in the Liturgy of the Mass, and our favourite little ways of observing Advent in our homes. We hope this gets you in the spirit of Advent and preparing for the great feast of Christmas!
Colleen’s music can be found at her website colleennixon.com. She’s also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Marian Grace’s album In The Bleak Midwinter is the perfect album to have for your advent music mix, you can find it on iTunes!
We also mentioned Advent at Ephesus
by the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Heaven, Handel’s Messiah, and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
which we really recommend for great sacred Advent music.
We’ve written about what we love about Advent in the past as well. Christy has these posts: The Beauty of Advent Music and The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Advent. Haley has an Advent playlist here, as well as another post on Advent music here, and a roundup on celebrating all things Advent.
As a surprise bonus, here’s Christy’s instagram of the moose outside her Canadian window:
But wait — there’s even more great stuff this week:
Also, just in time for Advent – Haley’s new book, More Feasts! With 10 new, gluten free recipes inspired by liturgical feast days from the year, this new ebook is a easy way to celebrate the liturgical calendar while eating great food. There are also excellent spiritual reflections and ideas on how to celebrate from Haley and Daniel. To get yours for only $3.99 head on over to Carrots. (Haley’s first ebook is also on sale for just $4.99 for Advent, so these are a smoking deal!)
Both Colleen and Haley are excited to be giving away, to one lucky winner, a copy of In The Bleak Midwinter and both of Haley’s books, Feast! and More Feasts!, just rafflecopter to win.
And as always you can find us on iTunes, where we’d also love to have your rating or review if you get a chance. If you’re on Android you can listen on Stitcher. All links, show notes, and episodes can be found at Fountains of Carrots.com.
Coming next week…
I looove this topic, thanks for doing a show this… even within our Catholic circles we are one of the few that even use the term “Advent music!” And we love Colleen Nixon’s music. Thanks for suggestions and I’m really loving the podcast!
I will say though that have a hard time “People look East” it’s one of those songs that make me sin, lol…
PS we wait until Christmas to play Christmas music
I love this topic! In college, my roommate gave me a hard time (in a kind way..she’s awesome!) for not playing any Christmas music before DECEMBER. Seriously!!
Now, (10 years later) I’ve become even more focused on celebrating seasons appropriately. We haven’t decorated yet, haven’t purchased a tree, etc. I love Advent music, but we do listen to some Christmas music during Advent as well, related to specific activities such as shopping. We find that it helps to bring out the spirit of generosity and cheerfulness.
Oh, and the idea of “What we attract people WITH is what we’re attracting them TO”…Yes. A thousand times YES.
Oh..one more thought…My husband LOVES “On Eagles Wing.” It leaves me cold. But, even worse is, “Like a Sunflower.”
I’m actually not that big of a fan of music during Advent. It doesn’t seem like there are many options out there. Love that more is being added though!
I love singing all of the Advent carols during this time of year! I think they set a beautiful tone of anticipation. I feel that way about Lenten music too…so much richness and meaning in the songs!
I love listening to this podcast (and reading your blogs!) Thank you so much for talking about sacred music! (Okay, music in general). I have been in charge of music at my parish for last year and a half, and I’ve been learning a lot. We just got new hymnals and missals (the Lumen Christi series by Illuminare Publications). The hymnals have a wonderful section in the back full of translated chants from the Liturgy of the Hours. We’ve already sung a few, and I look forward to more. They are such a treasure trove of beauty, in their imagery, poetry, origins, and music!
Advent music is great, but I don’t have access to nearly enough of it outside of Mass. It’s great to hear your favorites!
I have been loving the podcasts! I have been listening to them during drive to work 🙂 I do not own any Advent music CDs and tend to get too excited about Christmas music to wait until Christmas for it 🙂
Loved your podcast. Intentionally celebrating Advent for the first time this year. Already started listening to Colleen’s music on spotify!
The podcasts are so much fun that now I delude myself that we know each other IRL. Thanks for sharing. As a baby Catholic, baptized and confirmed just a year ago, you teach me so much about living our faith. Visit Wisconsin, please!
I love Advent and Advent music! My favourites are O Come Divine Messiah and O Come oh Come Emmanual.
We don’t listen to enough Advent music. Thank you for the suggestions. We keep Christmas Carols at bay until Christmas, but by the time Christmas comes–it seems over too quickly, so my kids never really get to experience a lot of Christmas music either.
I teach music at a Catholic school. After the 8th time of doing the Twelve Days of Christmas I REALLY wanted something Advent-y. I proceeded to teach them O Come O Come Emmanuel. And watch Mary Did you Know by Pentatonix.
I love Advent music, although I honestly didn’t know it was a *thing* until last year! Loved this podcast 🙂
I am a fan of Advent music also. O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Marian Grace’s ,Creator of the Stars at Night are continually heard in our home .
Such a great episode – thanks, ladies! I LOVE Advent music & “O Come, Divine Messiah” as well as “People Look East” are two of my absolute favorites. I pray that your Advent continues to filled with blessings.
Yes I do like advent music but don’t listen to it as much. I need a seperate list on my ipod.