Grand Avenue by Mike Thompson for December 20, 2024

Well, you’re not wrong.

Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr.

We have an “Advent Book.” It’s got a tiny book for each day of December. It covers many Christmas stories and traditions. One book is the story of how Silent Night came about and was made popular.

I’m an advocate for changing it to National Mercantile Day.

Martin Luther

I learned long ago how to tune out all of that noise and my wallet has been very happy ever since.

Stille Nacht was written by Joseph Mohr (lyrics) and Franz Gruber (music). First performed on Christmas Eve in 1818, the only accompaniment was acoustic guitar.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of bad ‘isms’ floating around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism. Make a buck, make a buck. Even in Brooklyn, it’s the same – don’t care what Christmas stands for, just make a buck, make a buck.” – Alfred, Miracle on 34th Street (1947).

Are had 2 bratty kids living with them.

What is the true story behind Silent Night?

The Austrian priest Joseph Mohr was in desperate need of music for the midnight mass because his church’s organ was broken. So, he penned these lyrics and brought them to the organist Franz Gruber, who composed a simple melody for a guitar accompaniment.

Got that right, Grandma!

Oberndorf in 1818 likely only had a few shops selling basic needs.

True, Kate. There was none of that when the song was written over 200 years ago in Austria.