On Christmas night all Christians sing
“On Christmas night a l l Chr i s t ians sing,” chants Sussex Carol. As if to sustain this truth, John Killinger, in Parables for Christmas, transposes Mark’s parable of the sower: “A group of carolers went forth to carol. As they caroled, some carols were lost on the evening air and simply disappeared in the night. Some fell on stony ears, and as soon as they were heard, they were forgotten. Some were caught up in the general noise of the street, which at times rose up and overpowered them. Other carols went straight to their mark and gladdened the hearts of those who heard them, so that they were hummed and repeated hundreds of times as these persons went about during the Christmas season. Whoever can understand this should give thanks for carols!”