On a social media site that shall be nameless, another participant asked me what are my three favorite Christmas songs. I answered quickly, without over-thinking it, but while trying to show some range among the many different kinds of song, and eras of song-writing, in the genre. I answered: Snoopy's Christmas (1967) Have yourself a merry little Christmas (1944) I heard the bells on Christmas Day (1863/1956). "I heard the bells..." has two dates on this modest list because it began life as a poem by Longfellow. When Johnny Marks composed the tune most of us have heard, so that Bing Crosby could sing this poem to the world, Crosby cracked wise. "I see you've finally gotten yourself a decent lyricist, Johnny." Anyway: I have since been thinking too much about my list of three. In the lyrics of none of them does one find any reference either to Santa or to Jesus. My list avoid both commercialism and specifics of faith. Two out of my three choices invo...