Sally DeFord Music

downloadable sheet music for LDS and other Christian use

 

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Christmas Program Ideas
Submitted by users of this web site from around the world.

This page is provided only as a resource, and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of the programs or musical selections contained herein. If you need sources for music mentioned in these programs, check out the vendors listed on my Links page. Thanks to everyone who contributed. New contributions are welcome. Have a wonderful Christmas!


A Story of Jesus' Birth (Script) Hail Redemption's Happy Dawn (Script) Two Relief Society Homemaking Program Ideas
The Life of Jesus Christ (Script) Son of the Highest (Script)
Christmas Script from ActivitEase
Christmas Presentation
Based on excerpts from President Thomas S. Monson
A few of my favorite songs... Christmas Sacrament Meeting
1996 Christmas Program (Script) Christmas Program There Shall a New Star Arise
An International Christmas The Christmas Guest Upon Them Hath the Light Shined
Globe, Arizona, Stake Christmas Program 2001 Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men Testify of Christ
A Scriptoral Account of Jesus Christ Silent Night (DeFord) Miracle: The Matchless Atonement Of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Gifts Biblical Christmas Story Christmas Cantata by Blair Clawson (MSWord)
Christmas Program by Megan Pettus (MS Word) 2006 Sacrament Meeting Christmas Program by Emily J. Bolman Christmas Choir Program 2006 by Nessie Zitlau
Christmas Choir Program 2007 by Nessie Zitlau 2007 Christmas Program from Tasha Seegmiller This space available!


Two Relief Society Homemaking Program Ideas
Jane Ficiur (Alberta Canada)
    I am sending information on a program our RS sisters did for our Christmas homemaking last year.  It is copyrighted so I won't send any text but thought you might want to hear about it.  The price was reasonable - I think $20 including an original musical number plus text.  We did change the musical interludes (hymns) just a bit.  The script says to play on organ or piano.  We chose to have a ladies trio sing small bits of the songs that fit the script being read.

    The program is called "What Think Ye of Christ?" and is written by Rachelle Castor with the musical number by Diena Moore.  It gives vignettes of 7 women telling how they feel about Christ.  They are women from the scriptures and from Church history.  Sister Castor can be reached at Rachelle Pace Castor, 1295 Oakcrest Cir., Provo, UT 84604, (801) 375-6653 or rpcastor@gmail.com if you are interested in more information.

    A program we did for a RS homemaking two Christmases ago [that] anyone could put this one together without a lot of work:  We went looking for anything we could find about Mary. There are many poems and songs out there including some from the Children's songbook.  We just put together an assortment of those using special musical numbers by the choir, a mother/daughter duet and I think a solo, for the songs then ended with a couple and their new baby in costume portraying the Nativity while the story of Christ's birth was read from the scriptures.  Ended with the congretation singing Silent Night.  Only lasted about half an hour then we socialized with lots of food and friendship after.

    Editor's note:  Food and friendship... I like that! . :~)

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THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
Submitted by Gayle Navarre (Kanab, Utah)
    1.  Jesus Christ, Our Creator
      D &C 128:23
       Soloist: How Great Thou Art

    2.  The Birth of Jesus Christ
      Luke 2:4-7
       Ward Choir:  A Manger Filled With Love

    3.  Jesus Christ, Our Example and Friend
      3 Nephi 27:21
       Children’s Chorus: If the Savior Stood Beside Me

    4. Jesus Christ, Our Shepherd
      John 10:14-16, 27
       Soloist: The Shepherd of My Soul

    5.  Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer
      Ether 3:14
      Alma 11:40
      Helaman 14:17
       Women’s Choir:  Look on Him and Live

    6. Jesus Christ’s Atonement and Resurrection
      2 Nephi 2:6-9
       Soloist: I Stand All Amazed

    7.  Jesus Christ’s Gospel Restored
      Rev. 14:6-7
      Isaiah 2:2-3
       Ward Choir:  The Voice of God Again is Heard

    8.  Jesus Christ’s Second Coming
      D &C 88:104
      Isaiah 40:4-5
      D &C 133:25
       Ward Choir:  The Spirit of God  Verses 1 & 2
       Congregation: Verses 3 & 4

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Christmas Script from ActivitEase
Submitted by Trudy Giampaolo

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A Few of My Favorite Songs
(Submitted by Sally DeFord)
    If you're still looking for a selection or two for Christmas this year, here are a few that have become my perennial favorites:

    "In the Stable" (SAB w/children's Choir)--Maxine Poesgate: An easy piece with a delightful melody that the children pick up quickly.  Available through commercial music vendors.

    "Soft, Soft" (SATB)--Hanson/Lyon:  A little more difficult, but a beautiful, almost sad-sounding selection.  Available through LDS music vendors.

    "Gesu Bambino" (Solo, SATB, TTBB, SSA, violin... you name it)--Pietro Yon: An old standard that I just can't do without.

    "Jesus, Name of Wondrous Love"--How/Titcomb: Another old standard with a gorgeous melody.  Available through commercial music vendors, and also through LDS distribution (included in "The Choirbook).

    Sources for sheet music:  Access to good music has improved dramatically (thank goodness!) since vendors have begun to set up shop in cyberspace.  A few suggestions appear on my Links page, and many more can be found by searching the web.  Have fun!

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Christmas Sacrament Meeting
Submitted by Maureen McIlwain (Alberta, Canada)
    For last year's Christmas Sacrament Meeting - we used the idea from the script of "The Women Who Knew Jesus" found at http://www.omnicron.com/~fluzby/sister-share/womenjes.htm  Our speakers represented a Shepherd, the Innkeepers Wife, Joseph and Mary, but we asked them to speak as if they were the person - "I" - and used some of the script for ideas for them.  They did not read a script, but instead gave a "talk".  We used appropriate musical numbers, such as Shepherd Leave
    Thy Sheep, Guard Him Joseph, and others, as well as a piano-organ duet.  The success of this is really dependent upon good speakers.  Ours turned out really well, we had some insight into perhaps how the people involved in that first Christmas night actually felt.

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An International Christmas
Submitted by Suzanne Reese (Draper, Utah)
    I was the ward music director in a ward that had no choir. I was asked to put together the entire program using special musical numbers. Out of desperation, I came upon an idea that worked beautifully. I passed out surveys asking ward members if they had any connection with a foreign country, either through a mission, living abroad, etc., and if they would be willing to sing a hymn in the language of that country, with a group, in the sacrament meeting program. The response was amazing. With very little effort, I put together groups representing five different countries. I no longer have the two pieces of narration I wrote, but the meeting was introduced and closed by a narrator who talked of the impact Christ, a simple carpenter who lived thousands of years ago, still has today throughout the world. Then each group was asked to have one person share what Christ means to the people from the country they represented, before singing a hymn in that tongue. The meeting ended with the congregation singing a Silent Night. The spirit was strong in the meeting. The best part was that it included so many members of the ward who normally would not have participated. One of the most memorable parts was an elderly brother, who few knew could sing, who performed in a foreign tongue one of the most beautiful solos I have ever heard.

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Upon Them Hath the Light Shined
Submitted by Laura Owings (Garden Grove, California)

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Globe, Arizona, Stake Christmas Program 2001
Submitted by Becky Woolf (Globe, Arizona)

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Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men
Submitted by Raquel Lonas (Carlsbad, California)

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Testify of Christ
Submitted by Katie Gauger (Alpine, Utah)

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A Scriptoral Account of Jesus Christ
Submitted by Jennifer Morgan (Eagle Mountain, Utah)

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Miracle: The Matchless Atonement Of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Submitted by Carl W. McBrayer

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The Gifts
Submitted by Carl W. McBrayer

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Biblical Christmas Story (Excerpts from Bruce R. McConkie's The Mortal Messiah)
Submitted by Michael J. Peterson

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