Carol Singing History and 7 Best Christmas Carols

Table of Contents

“In the air, there’s a feeling of Christmas!
Children laughing, people passing, dressed in Holiday style; On Every street corner you’ll Hear”.

Sings Micheal Buble! These are my favorite lines from one of my favorite carols, In fact, a Carol singing also happens to be one of my favorite things to do during the season! I remember sitting with my mum searching for the best Christmas carols from the book we used to have. I was about 6 or 7 years old. We would then enjoy singing them for our neighbors, lifting spirits and spreading joy. Such a fond memory! We’re looking into some Christmas carol’ lyrics and let me give you some tips for Christmas caroling as well.

What is the Point of Carol Singing?

Carol singing is an ecstatic expression of the spirit of Christmas i.e, the hope, love and goodwill that the birth of Jesus Christ brings!

“A time for Forgiving and for forgetting;

Christmas is Love, Christmas is peace”

are the words from a lovely and one of the best Christmas carols called ‘Mistletoe and Wine’

Early Beginnings: History of Carol Singing

The beginning of this joyous Christmas tradition can be traced back to ancient times. The act of caroling was a part of any festivities or seasonal festivals. It was not exclusively tied to Christmas in the early days!.

Did You Know?

The word ‘Carol’ originates from a French word ‘Carole’ which roughly translates to singing and dancing in circles.

During the medieval times, celebrations were held at the time of winter solstice involving singing and dancing. You should also know that carol singing during these days was pagan in nature. There were not many christians around. Although as Christianity spread, the songs that people sang during their festivities started to adapt to christian themes. This eventually started to become traditional Christmas carols and a part of Christmas celebrations.

7 Best Christmas Carols Of All Time!

It is absolutely hard to list only a few of the cherished and best Christmas carols. I remember fondly, as we gathered at home on christmas eve, we sang christmas carol lyrics! And there I learned some tips for Christmas caroling. Anyway, here are some of the classic and Traditional Christmas carols.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

It is one of the traditional and best Christmas carols of all time. ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’, the christmas carol lyrics origin can be traced back to the 16th century. The carol weaves a story of the angels who visited the shepherds bringing the news of baby Jesus’ birth.

This carol is known to have a cheerful melody with lively rhythm reflecting on the warmth and hope that Christmas brings to all. Here is one my favorite rendition of ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ in recent times.

Silent Night

This Christmas carol lyrics was written by Mohr and composed by Gruber in 1818. It was first performed in an Austrian church on christmas eve and since then, ‘Silent Night’ has become a part of carol singing traditions. It gently explains the peace and tranquility that Christ’s birth has brought.

Silent Night Christmas carol lyrics describes the scene in Bethlehem, an image of baby Jesus watched over by Mother Mary and Joseph. Over the years, these best Christmas carols have been translated into many languages and hundreds of artists have sung them.

O Holy Night

O Holy Night’ origin can be traced back to France somewhere around 1847. It was titled, ‘Minuit, Chretiens’ which translated to ‘Midnight, Christians’. Original version of O Holy Night’ lyrics was written by Placide Cappeau De Roquemaure. This carol reflects the joy and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Not just joy, it also talks about hope and redemption of mankind after his birth.

This carol’ popularity grew worldwide, especially during the civil war era. The lyrics speak about liberation and redemption. It reads,

Overall, one can say that the lyrics convey peace and goodwill. It also reflects upon the arrival of our ‘Dear Savior’ is a call for adoration and celebration.

We Three Kings

I was 7 years old when my music teacher Ms. Hawes taught me this beautiful carol. This Christmas carol’ lyrics tells us about how the Three wise men traveled from afar to see and offer presents to Baby Jesus. They followed the bright star that led them to Bethlehem. Though we don’t know the exact date, this was written in the 18th century by Henry Hopkins.

Check out the We Three Kings’ Chords and Lyrics here!

Here is one of the oldest recorded performances of We Three Kings, Christmas carol.

Deck the Halls

The Christmas carol lyrics that we hear today were written in the 19th century. It is a call to everyone to decorate their homes with Holly which is a traditional symbol of Christmas.

The repeated refrain of “Fa-la-la-la-la-la” in Deck the halls adds holly to this melody and makes everyone join the warmth of spreading joy even if they don’t know How to Sing!

Did You Know?

‘Deck The Halls’ is translated from a Welsh carol called ‘Nos Galan’ back in the 16th century.

In The Bleak Midwinter

Written by Christina Rosetti in 1872, ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ is a poignant carol reflecting on the humble settings of Christ’ birth. This christmas carol lyrics paints a vivid picture of the bleakness of winter and the humility of the nativity.

I must say, it has a hauntingly beautiful melody. Though it has several different melodies, the most famous one or the one that we hum today was composed by Gustav Holst in 1906. ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ resonates deeply during the season and is one of the best Christmas carols

O Come, All Ye Faithful

“O Come ye, O Come ye, to Bethlehem”, to adore and praise him.

‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ is a hymn that invites all the people on earth to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. This Christmas carol lyrics may have been written in 1751 by John Francis Wade. it is fitting that this hymn has been translated into many languages and stays at the top of the list during Carol singing!

This is one of the best Christmas carols to be sung on Christmas Eve. The message of faith, love and devotion resonates with generations after generations making it a cherished part of Christmas traditions everywhere.

Tips For Christmas Caroling

We can all agree that carol singing is such a delightful way to spread cheer and bring everyone together. And so here are a few tips for Christmas Caroling to enhance your experience.

Choose famous Christmas carols, a mix of classic and contemporary carols that kids and adults can enjoy.

The More the Merrier! Gather everyone who can sing to create a fuller sound.

Yet another essential tip for Christmas caroling would be to have a quick practice session to ensure everyone is familiar with the lyrics and melody.

Though carol singing is for celebration, wear festive attire. Santa hats, antlers or matching scarves in red and green to boost the holiday spirit.
Use instruments like Guitars, Ukuleles, Tambourines or Bells to accompany your beautiful singing. This could easily be one the most essential tips for Christmas caroling!
Last but not Least, do not forget to share joy and cheer and have a bit of fun!