Acknowledgments 

Although we grew up in different parts of the country and did not meet until college, we both grew up in families that sang hymns at church and at home. When on road trips, both of us recall singing every hymn we could remember, starting with each letter of the alphabet! This book is perhaps more than anything a heritage of parents who taught us to love hymns. Interestingly, Dave’s parents both attended Moody Bible Institute, and he grew up reading many books from Moody Publishers.

We have passed a tradition of hymn singing on to our four grown children, and today they all take their families to churches where hymns are the primary music for worship. Our oldest son, Jonathan Leeman, is an author and editor for 9 Marks Ministry in Washington, DC. With a PhD in theology, he helped greatly in checking our theology, offering suggestions in numerous places—particularly in the explanations of Advent, the Nativity, and Epiphany.

We are so grateful for Andrew Wolgemuth of Wolgemuth and Associates, who caught our vision for this book and introduced us to Moody Publishers and acquiring editor Amy Simpson. She and the Moody team shared our vision for helping the Christian world to retain and review the great hymns and carols of Christmas. Amy has shepherded us through this process like a friend, making this a wonderful experience.