In the Bleak Midwinter

Christmas is a time to reflect and understand its true meaning. Traditionally, we sing a wide range of Christmas Carols. Poems also hold a place in the true spirit of the festive season. Written by Christina Rossetti in 1872, the poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” has now become the greatest Christmas carol in the world.

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The lyrics take their influence from two of Rossetti’s main passions, which were her commitment to Christianity and her artistic abilities. This seamless blend of words has become a focal point for many of us at Christmas time.

Initially, it was known as “A Christmas Carol” but it later changed its name. However, delve into the verses and you will soon realise there is a lot of meaning to this festive favourite.

What does the hymn mean and why is it so significant?

Written to create an image in the mind of the reader that takes us back to a time that shaped everything that Christmas has become; the words first relate to earth and its main elements such as wind, water and snow but they then take us to the focal point of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, what makes the poem so unique is the way in which Rossetti has almost merged together a traditional Christmas scene of snow and frost, and then blended that with the scene of Christ’s birth. The two scenes could not be further apart – a traditional scene is cold yet the place where Jesus Christ was born could not be any different by contrast.

It is believed that the words were written to bring warmth to a situation that is cold and destitute, and all of this comes from the birth of Christ, the child that was born into the world, who later became the man who healed and inspired.

The lyrics poetically describe the birth of Jesus and the scene of his nativity. They talk about the elements that we all know about the day that Jesus was born – the stable, angels, his mother, the shepherds and wise men. So, it stands out because of the way in which it depicts Christmas; yet it straddles both the cold winter we are familiar with in the western world and the setting where Jesus was born.

How did it become a Christmas Carol?

The poem was eventually set to music in 1906 by composer Gustav Holst and has since become a well-known and much-loved Christmas carol. As we know, Christmas is based around the birth of Jesus and the poem itself impeccably describes the scene.

Who is Christina Rossetti?

Christina Rossetti was born in 1830. Considered to be one of the best-known Victorian poets, she was a fiery child but as she managed to control her temper, she found herself immersing her time in poetry. As a result, she created a number of verses that have become widely considered as some of the best poems of all time.

Her passion for Christianity underpinned many of her works but In the Bleak Midwinter is now considered to be one of the best loved Christmas carols.