Why The Little Drummer Boy Is My Favorite Christmas Song/Cartoon

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

As a child I would watch the little drummer boy and before the end of the cartoon I would be in tears. To this day when I hear the song I struggle not to well up. This happens to me because of the deeper message within the little parable. If you look into the story, you see that everyone has something to give to the baby Jesus except the little drummer boy. As the story progresses he actually becomes distraught because he in his mind, did not have anything to give. He did not realize that the very thing he had to give was the most important gift of all; his talent which was an extension of himself.

I hate to see everyone in the crowd having something except one. It's the one who is going without or does not have that gets to me. In this story the little drummer boy did not have anything material to give while everyone else did. What he had to give was from the spiritual realm which is often seen as less important than the material possessions. Interestingly enough, as you follow the story you see that Jesus smiles at the little drummer boy when he is finished playing his fine drum solo. This suggests that his gift was just as appreciated if not more as the gold or myrrh given by the wise men.

The little drummer boy's gift was accepted because it was from the heart. It was not for form or fashion; it was not for show. In many instances it's not what is given, it is the spirit in which it is given. The little drummer boy gave in the right spirit. It is because of this that The Little Drummer Boy is my favorite Christmas song/cartoon.