Cherie has Gifts
By Michelle Roberts, BYU Meridian Correspondent

The Christmas season is upon us, and with it, the hustle and bustle of busy shoppers trying to get that perfect present for their special someone. In all of this chaos, it can often be difficult to find a quiet spot to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas — why it is we endure the long lines and bruised ankles to celebrate a single day.

 Click to Buy
Cherie Call, in her new CD entitled Gifts, combats this dilemma. On the CD, there is not a single track that advocates one word about Santa Claus, expensive presents, or keeping up with the Joneses. Instead, the CD brings the spirit of the true Christmas season and its real reason — the birth, life, and atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.

The title track is representative of this fact. The precious “Gifts” of which Cherie sings are those from the heart. They’re not the “sweaters [or] the diamonds [or] the chocolates [or] cologne.” Instead, they are the gifts that will matter for forever — a heartfelt note from a child, precious time with a dear friend, Christ’s Atonement — anything given in true love.

When you first turn on the CD, there is nothing immediately astounding that catches your ear. That is, until you listen to the lyrics. The first song on the CD, “Peace on Earth to Me,” begins a little country-ish, and you may wonder what you’re listening to. However, as you continue to listen, the song takes on a much deeper sound. Singing about the baby Jesus, and what makes life meaningful to her personally, the song contains incredible truth of finding peace on an earth that is in constant turmoil.

The second track, “Starting Again, Again” is about resolutions — making each year better than the one before. A great song for leaving the past behind, it’s a message of hope and having the strength to move on.

One of the greatest things about the CD is the unique approach it takes to the Christmas season. The world has plenty of songs about snow and lights and quiet nights, but Cherie has written songs that mix these distinctively “Christmas” metaphors with people — real people and real subjects.

Both the third and fourth songs are embodiments of this. The third, a song about Joseph entitled “The Man behind the Scenes,” is an intensely thought-provoking and heartfelt ode to the Savior’s surrogate father. The fourth, “I Just Knew,” is an inspiring song about Mary and the way she must have felt.

Unlike more temporal “Mary” songs like the recent “Breath of Heaven,” “I Just Knew” is a spiritual song about the feelings of inadequacy and challenge Mary may have experienced in raising a holy child. It’s about the love that Mary felt for Jesus, and He for her. It’s definitely one of the best pieces on the album.

With songs about not only colloquial Christmastime but about people, Cherie Call is sure to have made a hit. The song, “Broken Hearts Like Mine,” is a song about the challenges of the Holidays for a person who has lost a loved one. It’s about holding on to the love, and letting go of the sadness. “One Star” is a song of wonderment about the miracles surrounding Christ’s birth. Included in these mixes of creative original pieces are traditional Christmas carols such as “I Wonder as I Wander,” and “Silent Night.” Throughout all of the tracks, the entire album is heavily influenced with guitar, making the sound earthy, real, and deep. 

In the end, it may be difficult to find time to single-handedly bring peace on earth to the world, but you will be able to bring peace to yourself with this new CD. At just over a half hour long, listening to Gifts will be a rejuvenating and refreshing moment to supplement your shopping sprees and tree decorating. Collectively, the songs are upbeat, thought-provoking, and, as testaments to the real reason for Christmas, they ring true.

Purchase Gifts by clicking on the artwork above, or look for it from LDS booksellers.