Though we all enjoy the jingling of the bells and the decking of the halls, it is our job as Christians to keep Jesus at the forefront of the festivities at Christmas.

And so it is if you are a Gospel artist tasked with doing a Christmas project.

There are words and sounds we’ve come to associate with the season of Jesus’ birth, but Gospel artists sing of Him all year long. How much of a challenge must it be to celebrate the season, not compromise The Message and somehow manage not to be cliché?

How does one make sure Christmas songs are fresh, but meaningful?

Well, Fred Hammond concedes that his latest project, Christmas: Just Remember, took a little thinking through.

"Sure, it’s tough creatively, but the approach I took on this one was a little different. I did most of the singing myself; there are only a couple of choir tunes.”

“I didn’t really want to make it too urban or too churchy. I just wanted to show the more artsy side of me and just do what I do —which is praise and worship."

And that is what makes it worthy of year-round spins.

Album Review

Click on the CD cover for the album reviews of Christmas: Just Remember from Fred Hammond

Like a cup of hot cocoa are Hammond’s supple vocals telling of Jesus’ story. And like the drop of vanilla that fragrances the cup, is just enough familiar seasonal reference.

No clichés here, just warm remembrances. As in the title cut "Just Remember", which calls on the classic tune “Favorite Things” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s famed The Sound of Music.

"It just kind of fit into it. I wrote the chorus first and by the time I got to the vamp it just kind of fit" recalls Hammond.

The project is markedly acoustic. Hammond says, "That’s the flavor I’m on right now. I kind of like the more natural sounding instruments."

And he wears it well. The one thing about going acoustic is there is no loudness to cover your imperfections. Good thing for us, there are none here. Just some nice instrumentation, Fred and some friends.

So cozy up to Fred Hammond’s Christmas project, Just Remember. It’s a warm collection of songs that belong right next to the ‘raindrops on roses’ and ‘whiskers on kittens’.