Laud

Our kids’ primary exposure to Christmas carols (and Christmas lore in general) is through the boychoir. This year is Aaron’s first performance of Lessons and Carols, with scriptural readings and highly religious carols, so I wanted to make room for him to discuss the content if he wanted to.

Me: Do you have any questions about the songs or the readings?
Him: Yes. What is 'laud'? Like, ‘Haste, haste, to bring him laud.’
Me: Laud is praise.
Him: Huh. I thought it was meat.
Me: (after a minute) ...No, that's lard.

Jordan was there and said that he had also thought it was lard, for years. This is hilarious. On the other hand, is lard really any weirder of a gift than myrrh? Except for the treyf part, which I guess would have been a problem.

In the past Aaron has felt funny singing Christmas carols, so I asked him how that feels these days. He said it is still a bit strange for him, especially when the choir director instructs them to really think about the meaning of what they are saying.

Aaron: It’s weird, because it doesn’t have the meaning for me that he might be thinking of.
Me: So what do you do?
Aaron: I think about another meaning. Like, if the song is about how it’s so incredible to be born in a manger and become the savior, I think about how incredible it could be to be born very poor, maybe even homeless, and grow up to have so much influence.
Me: I think that is very wise.