A Shenandoah Family Christmas Celebration Tour + Giveaway

Visit here  to see more information about the book, blog tour and enter the giveaway!

Guest post by Lisa Belcastro:

Joy to the World!

It’s Christmas time!  My favorite holiday, and I start a month-long celebration the day after Thanksgiving.  The first thing I do on Black Friday is break out my Christmas music, and then spend the day avoiding all shopping while I sing as many Christmas songs as I can.

As I was writing A Shenandoah Family Christmas, I needed to find hymns that were sung in 1777. I couldn’t believe eyes when I read that Isaac Watts wrote “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” in 1707. I love that hymn! I admit that I’d never paid any attention to who penned they lyrics, but I gained an intense interest at that moment. As I researched more on Watts, I learned that he also wrote “Joy to the World.” Wow!

I had no idea that “Joy to the World” had been around for centuries. The song sounds so contemporary, and is on nearly every Christmas CD I own. Talk about learning something new. I have a brand new appreciation for a song I’ve sung since I was a child.

The best part of my Watts discovery was being able to use one of my favorite Christmas carols in a historical novel set during the American Revolutionary War.  I think I’ll call that an early Christmas present!

Merry Christmas and blessings to all,

Lisa

Visit Lisa Belcastro on Facebook or on her website: http://lisabelcastro.com/