Silent Night?

One of the things I love about Christmas is singing carols. We try not to sing carols in Sunday worship during advent (we stick to the advent hymns). But there are still plenty of other times to sing the carols - the familiar and the new songs that tell and retell the story, that remind us of layers of meanings, and that are just fun to share. We have had various carol services, and there have been carols playing over the sound system for the last week or so.
But - like many others, - I have had the lurgy over the last couple of weeks. The aches and pains passed quite quickly, and even the sniffles disappeared pretty fast. But then there was the cough.... It's not too bad, but it does flare up when I giggle - or when I sing! And so I have been not singing. It happens at various points in the year, since whenever I have a cold, it hits my voice. But somehow, it has more impact not singing the carols.
Talking to others, I'm not alone in this. Somehow, missing carols is more frustrating than not singing at other times of the year.
And it leaves me wondering why? Is it because we sing them for such a short period - miss them now, and there's twelve months before they can be sung again? Is it because we - some of us at least - have sung them all our lives, and their familiarity draws us into security and comfort, especially when life feels pretty grim? Is it because they are such beautiful examples of poetry and music (no - I don't think so!)?
All of these might be true, and none the worse for that. But I am also wondering if it there is more. Is it that the wonder of Christmas - of Incarnation, the Word become flesh, Immanuel - that this is more than we can say. And singing, making music, letting ourselves go in the experience is part of our wonder and worship.
May Christmas blessings be yours.