Today is January 6, which is “Old Christmas” in many parts of the world. In Ireland, January 6 is observed as “Little Christmas“. The Feast of Epiphany may or may not be January 6 – it depends. But the tradition of “Old Christmas” is always observed on January 6.
January 6 is also the day my grandfather passed away, twenty-seven years ago today, a day I’ll never forget. He was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on December 25 – Christmas Day – and at his funeral, I heard some of the folks there in South Carolina remark that he was born on “New Christmas” and passed away on “Old Christmas”.
My grandfather was James Demery, and he was a great man. And he played electric guitar a lot like Vince Gill plays in this video, a fact I didn’t know for years, even after I’d picked up the guitar myself at ten years old. And whenever i think of gospel music like this – which I love – I often think of my grandfather.
I don’t generally post on Sunday, but this isn’t just any Sunday, not to me. So for today, here’s a unique video. This is perhaps the best performance of one of the greatest hymns ever – Carrie Underwood singing “How Great Thou Art”, with Vince Gill on guitar.
For more about Old Christmas, see:
- Old Christmas Day – “in some parts of Great Britain people still call the 6th of January, Old Christmas Day”
- North Carolina and Old Christmas
- Old Christmas Celebration – “Does The Twelve Days of Christmas sound familiar? These twelve days of feasting, and merrymaking ended on January 6th or “Twelfth Night” with a grand celebration.”
- Little Christmas – “one of the traditional names in Ireland for January 6”