What is your favorite Christmas song? 

I woke up to a light dusting of snow, so I clicked on the lights of my Christmas tree to enjoy another Christmas Countdown moment. Then, I tuned into KLOVE's Christmas Radio, and I noticed a link to one of their "Most Clicked Stories" about a modern-day "Little Drummer Boy." Sean Quigley, a young Canadian musician, takes one of my favorite Christmas songs viral on YouTube, as he passionately drums out the beat of "The Little Drummer Boy." 

Quigley's "The Little Drummer Boy" reminded me of another version of this song, recorded by Jars of Clay a few years ago. And as I listed to several versions of this song on YouTube, I wondered about the origin of this Christmas classic. 

American classical music composer/teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis translated the original Czech version of this song, called "Carol of the Drum," in 1941, and the Trapp Family Singers first recorded it in 1955. Then, the Jack Halloran singers revised the arrangement and recorded it in 1957, but missed the Christmas release date. So, Harry Simeone released the song for a Christmas album in 1958, changing title to "The Little Drummer Boy" (Wikipedia).

The history of this classic Christmas song hints of controversy over its authorship. And if we focus on the possible debates surrounding this song, we might lose sight of the real message. 

In the lyrics the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the nativity where, without a gift for the infant Jesus, he played his drum with the Virgin Mary's approval, remember "I played my best for Him" and "He smiled at me." (Wikipedia) 

What this song say to you? For me, I choose to focus, like "The Little Drummer Boy," on the real message of Christmas. 

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor,t Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end .... (Isaiah 9:6 NLT).