Christmas 2021: Winter is a season to rejoice with Christmas, originally known as Yuletide around the corner. December 25 is celebrated worldwide to honour the birth of Jesus Christ. A key aspect of Yuletide celebrations is carols, or religious folk songs about Christmas. We mention five such carols below.
We wish you a Merry Christmas
This is undeniably the most popular Christmas Carol ever. We wish you a Merry Christmas is an old song, whose most popular version was composed by musician Arthur Warrell, from Bristol. He first performed the carol in a concert arrangement, on December 6, 1935, at the University of Bristol with its Madrigal Singers.
Jingle All the Way
The second-most popular Christmas carol is of course Jingle Bells. The song was not originally written to be a Christmas carol, but a Thanksgiving song. It became so popular that children started to sing it at Christmas time as well. Jingle Bells was composed by James Lord Pierpont, around 1850, and was originally called One Horse Open Sleigh, based on the subject of the song, which is sleigh ride.
Gaudete
The Latin Christmas carol Gaudete, which means “rejoice,” is believed to have been written in the 16th century. It was first published in Piae Cantiones, a collection of late Medieval Latin songs compiled by one clergyman named Jacobus Finno. It is unknown who authored the song. The carol speaks of renewed hope in the world with the birth of Jesus; in particular, hope for divine grace and salvation of humanity.
O Holy Night
Based on a French poem by Placide Cappeau, composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847, Christmas carol O Holy Night, was translated to English by John Sullivan Dwight in English, in 1855. The song celebrates the birth of Christ as a relief, particularly for those suffering from slavery. Mariah Carey’s rendition of the carol is the post popular.
Joy to the World
Written by Isaac Watts in 1719, the song is the author’s interpretation of Psalm 98 of the Book of Psalms. The musical tunes that accompany the lyrics are usually from Lowell Mason’s 1848 composition.
The musical tunes that accompany the lyrics are usually from Lowell Mason’s 1848 composition.
