The words are from a poem by Josef Mohr, a Catholic priest, and the music was composed by church organist Franz Gruber. That first performance, however, the organ was busted and so Gruber accompanied the priest on guitar.
Thus was Christmas heralded a hundred and three years ago.
One hundred and seventy years later, Christmas was rung in by another Gruber, the criminal mastermind Hans, plummeting to his death off Nakatomi Tower. Captured on film, the event heralds the start of the holiday to this day.
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