The Christmas Narrative As the Great Equalizer
- Liz Flaherty
- Dec 6, 2025
- 2 min read
by Roseann McGrath Brooks
One of my husband’s favorite Christmas carols is the somewhat obscure “’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime.” Those readers unfamiliar with the hymn, also called the “Huron Carol,” may be surprised to see verses about mighty Gitchi Manitou and hunter braves. Such words remind me in these disheartening times of division and animosity that the Christmas story is meant for everyone.
The hymn was written in 1642 by Jean de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary among the Huron-Wendat First Nations people in Canada. The original text is in the language of the Huron-Wendat, and the tune is a traditional French folk song. In 1926, Jesse Edgar Middleton wrote an English version of the hymn, updating some concepts but retaining the indigenous images.
The hymn retells the story of the birth of Jesus using imagery designed to be understood by First Nations people. For example, instead of “God the Father” sending angels to announce the birth of Jesus, the English translation refers to the sender as Gitchi Manitou, a traditional term for God in Algonquian languages. The original Huron-Wendat text calls the angels “the sky people.”
The babe is born in a “lodge of broken bark” and wrapped in “rabbit skin.” The hearers of the announcement are not the usual angels and wise men but “wandering hunters” and “chiefs from far.” The gifts are “fox and beaver pelt.”
What beautiful word pictures! Although I’m not a “hunter brave,” I understand this narrative in the same way that I understand the traditional nativity story I’ve grown up with.
The refrain of this hymn can resonate for all listeners who celebrate Christmas: "Jesus your King is born, / Jesus is born, / In excelsis gloria."
As I find myself growing more impatient with those who don’t view the current world situation the [frustrating] way I do, this hymn reminds me that we could stand to reframe the Christmas story to remember its message of peace to all.
Culturally, our experiences are not the same. Heck, individually, our experiences are not the same. In the end, what’s important is the story of the experience, in this case, that of the Christmas events. Like the seventeenth-century missionary, I hope we can learn to tell that story from our hearts, as “children of the forest free.” Make it make sense for you and your listeners. Let the story bring us together. It’s the great equalizer.
Roseann McGrath Brooks is a Pennsylvania-based author who loves reading and
writing, mostly about grammar and romance. She is working on book 5 of her Vacation
Friends Romance series.
Midnight Clear at Christmas, book 3, is her holiday romance:
Bailey and Tanner think their lives are just fine as is, especially at Christmastime. But do
fate, Tanner’s brother, and the holiday season have different plans?
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Roseann-McGrath-
Brooks/author/B08HL6QQ19?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabl
ed=true&ccs_id=efe1fbc7-a0c0-4b8a-aef1-cebd1f9a8479
Midnight Clear at Christmas: https://a.co/d/2odIqUf
Threads: @brooksrm2002
Really interesting story about this hymn that I, too, had never heard of before. Lovely Christmas message.
I've never heard of this hymn, but I loved learning about it and I love your message. Love knows no boundaries. Happy holidays, Roseann!
Oh, Roseann, thank you for this. I went to YouTube to hear the melody and found a choir singing the lovely old carol. It's beautiful. Hugs and Happy Holidays!
Always wonderful, Roseann! Thanks for visiting today.