- Basic Terms
- Commercial vocabulary
- Christmas food
- Christmas Characters
- Quiz with answers
- Christmas carols
โTwas the night before Christmas, when all throโ the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be thereโฆโ
โ โA Visit from St. Nicholasโ by Clement Clarke Moore, 1823
BASIC TERMS
CHRISTMAS
Christmas, pronounced /โkrษชsmษs/ or โkriss-miss,โ is one of the most important holidays in Western (and especially American) culture, occurring on December 25th every year. Whether or not youโre a Christian, thereโs no escaping the Christmas decorations, songs, wishes, and atmosphere that comes around each winter. And with this special (and over-exaggerated) holiday comes many vocabulary words that you should know in order to seem like a true, culturally aware English speaker.
CHRISTMAS EVE
The word โeveโ is used to mean the day before a holiday. So, โChristmas Eveโ refers to the day before Christmas. The other common holiday that uses the word โeveโ is โNew Yearโs Eve.โ For some families, Christmas Eve tends to be even more important than Christmas itself, and many people will have a special dinner and open their Christmas presents that night.
CHRISTMASTIME
Christmastime is pretty much what it sounds like โ the time around Christmas. This exact frame of time can vary, although it usually includes Christmas Eve and New Yearโs. You might know this word from the famous song โChristmas Time is Hereโ from the TV special โA Charlie Brown Christmasโ (here, the word is spelled as two separate words).
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE
Although you usually wish somebody a good holiday with the word โhappy,โ (e.g. โHappy Valentineโs Day,โ โHappy Thanksgivingโ), it is not common to say โHappy Christmas.โ Instead, people say, โMerry Christmasโ or โMerry Christmas Eve.โ Christmas is such a popular holiday that it even seems to have its own special greeting.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Nowadays, some people consider the greeting, โMerry Christmasโ to be too much associated with Christianity. Therefore, a more โpolitically correctโ greeting you can use is โHappy Holidays,โ which encompasses all the holidays that happen around Christmastime, notably Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
XMAS
Another way to de-Christianize Christmas is to take the word โChristโ out of the name. This results in the informal term โXmas,โ which is pronounced the way it looks (/โษksmษs/).
YULE, YULETIDE
โYuleโ or โYuletideโ is an archaic term for Christmas and is usually only used in songs. The name actually comes from an older Norse festival, but it later referred to Christmas due to Christian influences. The term โyule logโ also comes from this name, which is a large log usually found in the fireplace on Christmas eve.
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COMMERCIAL VOCABULARY
CHRISTMAS TREE
For most families, buying a Christmas tree is an important Christmas tradition. Usually, itโs an evergreen tree decorated with lights and ornaments that people put presents under to be opened on Christmas day. Itโs such a core Christmas tradition that thereโs even a song named after it (โO Christmas Treeโ).
CHRISTMAS PRESENT/GIFT
A โChristmas presentโ (or gift) is one that is specifically given on Christmas. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays for gift-giving among friends and family, which is probably why holiday sales are such a big deal.
ORNAMENT
โOrnamentโ is another word for โdecoration,โ and in the context of Christmas, it is specifically a decoration used to adorn a Christmas tree. Christmas ornaments usually come in the form of shiny, metallic spheres that are hung off of the branches of Christmas trees. However, theyโre notorious for falling and breaking easily.
WREATH
A wreath is a large ring of plants and flowers used for decoration. For example, the Greeks used to award laurel wreaths to the winners of competitions like the Olympic Games and were worn as crowns. Christmas wreaths, on the other hand, tend to be made out of evergreens and symbolize strength through the winter. Youโll often see them hung on peopleโs front doors.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, FAIRY LIGHTS
Christmas lights, or fairy lights, are wires of lights wrapped around trees and houses to decorate them, usually at night during the winter. Lately, theyโre being used as decorations for school classrooms and dorm rooms, regardless of the season.
STAR, ANGEL
The most iconic part of a Christmas tree is the star that adorns the very top. It represents the star that the shepherds followed to find the baby Jesus in the Nativity story, and no Christmas tree is complete without it. However, it is sometimes replaced by an angel, which traditionally served a similar role of guiding people to Jesus.
STOCKING
Another common Christmas tradition is to hang up stockings on the wall of oneโs house, usually by oneโs fireplace. According to popular legend, Santa Claus is supposed to climb down peopleโs chimneys and fill the stockings with candies and treats in addition to putting presents under the Christmas tree. In the past, stockings were long socks worn by men (which is what Christmas stockings look like), but now they refer to the translucent garments worn by women.
MISTLETOE, HOLLY
Mistletoe and holly are both plants that many people like to use for decoration during the holiday season, but they are often confused for each other. Traditionally, mistletoe is a plant with leathery leaves and white berries. You might be familiar with the tradition of kissing someone โunder the mistletoeโ on New Yearโs Eve, and most people are familiar with the plantโs name. However, mistletoe is often confused with holly, which is a plant with shiny, spiky leaves and red berries. Itโs also used as decoration (โdeck the halls with boughs of hollyโ), but many people will hang it on walls thinking that itโs mistletoe. Ultimately, itโs up to you how accurate you want to be with your traditions!
SNOWMAN
Youโve probably built some sort of snowman at some point of your life. Itโs a statue of man made out of snow, and usually decorated with buttons, beads, and a carrot for facial features. The idea of a snowman has actually become somewhat of an archetype and appears a lot in popular culture. Some examples are Frosty the Snowman, the Abominable Snowman (also known as the Yeti), and Olaf from the Disney movie Frozen.
NUTCRACKER
A nutcracker, most simply, is a tools used for cracking the shells of nuts. There are many mundane designs, but the most famous design is one that resembles a human, whose jaws are used to do the cracking. Nutcrackers are particularly famous in Germany and serve as the inspiration for Tchaikovskyโs ballet, The Nutcracker.
CAROL
A carol is a well-known song (either religious or popular for other reasons) thatโs usually associated with Christmas. Some examples are โDeck the Halls,โ โHark! The Herald Angels Sing,โ and โJingle Bells.โ A common tradition for singers around Christmas is to go around โcarolingโ through neighborhoods. People who do this are commonly called โcarolers.โ
TINSEL
If youโve ever seen what looks like thin, metallic streamers or shiny ribbons on Christmas trees, those are called tinsel. It can come in two forms: the thicker rope-like tinsel that wraps all the way around a tree, and the tinsel that looks like streamers hanging off branches.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
A white Christmas is a Christmas where you can see snow on the ground (at least in the northern hemisphere). Itโs an ideal-looking Christmas, though we might not be seeing too many anymore thanks to global warming. The famous song โWhite Christmasโ is named after this term.
POINSETTIA
A poinsettia is a plant from Mexico that usually has bright red leaves and is a common Christmas decoration. The plantโs association with Christmas comes from a legend from Mexico, which tells of a little girl who was too poor to give anything but weeds as a gift for Jesusโ birthday. The weeds sprouted into bright red flowers, which are what we know as poinsettias today. Some people also associate the red color of poinsettias with the blood of Christ.
CHRISTMAS FOOD
TURKEY
The class Christmas dinner for Americans, just like with Thanksgiving, is the turkey, a tradition that actually comes from Britain. Though a roast turkey is the typical centerpiece of a Christmas dinner, other common meats include ham, beef, or pork.
EGGNOG
A classic alcohol drink for the Christmas season, besides champagne, is eggnog, a sweet drink made from eggs, cream, and sugar. Itโs a strange yet popular drink among Americans and Canadians, and you can usually find the non-alcoholic mix sold at stores. Some people also make their own eggnog at home.
CANDY CANE
Different types of candy tend to be associated with different holidays. For example, Halloween is famous for its candy corn, and Valentineโs Day is the perfect holiday for giving chocolates. As for Christmas, the candy cane (also known as a โpeppermint stickโ) is the most famous. Traditionally, itโs a cane-shaped peppermint candy with red and white stripes, though it can now come in a variety of colors and flavors. Christians sometimes associate the candy cane with Christian symbols. For example, the cane shape represents the cane of the shepherd, either because the shepherds visited Christ as an infant, or because Christ is the โshepherdโ of the people. It also looks like a letter โJ,โ which stands for Jesusโ name. In addition, the red color is sometimes associated with the blood of Christ, and white with the purity of faith. However, these associations come more from folklore and are not actual reasons why candy canes were invented.
GINGERBREAD MAN
A gingerbread man is a cookie made of gingerbread in the shape of a human and is a classic holiday treat that kids love to decorate with icing, chocolate, and small pieces of candy. Itโs such a famous dessert, in fact, that it often appears in popular culture, especially fairy tales. For example, youโve probably heard the story of โThe Gingerbread Man,โ a fairytale about a gingerbread man that came alive and ran away from its baker. The character of the gingerbread man has also appeared in The Nutcracker, the boardgame Candy Land, and the movie Shrek.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Sometimes, people will also build gingerbread houses along with their gingerbread men, which are usually completely covered in candy decoration and icing. The most famous example of a gingerbread house in fairy tales is the story of โHansel and Gretel,โ in which the brother and sister comes across a life-sized gingerbread house owned by a evil witch.
FRUITCAKE
Fruitcake tends to be one of the most unpopular Christmas desserts, especially among younger people, who consider it to be outdated and unappealing. Typically, it is a cake made of fruit, nuts, and spices, and are eaten around Christmastime. Itโs a very rich dessert, although it may not be appearing on the dinner table too often anymore.
POPCORN STRING
You may have seen popcorn used not as a food, but as a decoration around Christmastime. In North America, some families like to string popcorn together and use it as a sort of tinsel to adorn walls or Christmas trees.
MILK & COOKIES
A favorite tradition among families with children is to leave milk and cookies out overnight on Christmas Eve by the Christmas tree. Supposedly, the milk and cookies are for Santa Claus, who likes to take snack breaks in the houses he stops by while dropping off presents. Sometimes, kids also like to leave carrots out for Santaโs reindeer.
CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Christmas pudding is more of a British tradition than an American one, but it is a common traditional dessert served as part of the Christmas dinner. Sometimes called โplum puddingโ or โpud,โ the dessert is full of spices and fermented fruit, therefore giving it a high alcohol content.
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CHRISTMAS CHARACTERS
SANTA CLAUS, ST. NICK, FATHER CHRISTMAS
For most people, religious or not, Santa Claus is one of the main key figures of Christmas. According to tradition, Santa is supposed to visit every home in the world on Christmas Eve to give presents to good children (and sometimes, coal to bad children). He lives in the North Pole and travels through the air on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, shouting his classic catchphrase, โHo, ho, ho.โ
The figure Santa Claus comes from Saint Nicholas, an actual Christian saint from modern-day Turkey, from which he also gets the name โSt. Nick.โ The figure may also have been derived from Norse myths, as Europe went through its process of Christianization. Today, we know Santa Claus is a fat, jolly old man with a white beard and red coat, who often visits malls to greet children and their parents. He also permeates popular culture to the point where it is almost impossible to escape him. Images of him appear in stores, movies, books, and music. Whether or not the actual Santa Claus is immortal, is legacy surely may be.
ELF
Elves appear in all types of fiction, and are usually depicted as small, human-like creatures with pointy ears and magical powers. Coming from Germanic folklore and Norse mythology, they appear in countless fictional worlds, including The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Legend of Zelda. When it comes to Christmas, though, theyโre known as โSantaโs Little Helpersโ and help Santa make the toys that he gives to children on Christmas Eve. In popular culture, they usually wear green uniforms and appear in movies like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Elf.
REINDEER
Reindeer, also known as โcaribou,โ are actual animalsโmore specifically, theyโre a species of deer that live in cold regions like the tundra and subarctic. However, theyโre probably most famous for pulling Santaโs sleigh across the night sky on Christmas Eve, flying from house to house and landing on peopleโs roofs. According to the song, โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,โ Santa has nine reindeer total: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.
JACK FROST
Jack Frost is a folklore character inspired by cold and ice and is seen as the one who creates the nippy winter weather. Some say that he carries a paint brush and bucket to change the colors of leaves in the fall and create frost patterns on windows. Most people know his name, and he appears a lot in popular culture, especially as a cartoon character.
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
Rudolph is the famous ninth reindeer of Santaโs sleigh-pulling crew, known for his shiny red nose that other reindeer supposedly made fun of him for. You probably know his name from the song, โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,โ which explains how Rudolph joined Santaโs herd of flying reindeer. Thereโs also a movie named after him.
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN
While Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a beloved Christmas character, you may have also heard of Frosty the Snowman, who also became famous through a song. The story tells about a snowman who magically came to life to play with the children who built him. Thereโs also a childrenโs movie named after him.
THE GRINCH
โHow the Grinch Stole Christmas!โ is a famous book written by Dr. Seuss about a bad-tempered, green character who hated Christmas celebrations. The name โGrinchโ comes from the French word โgrincheux,โ which means โgrumpy.โ The Grinch is a popular character among children and, not surprisingly, has his own cartoon movie.
SCROOGE
Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character from the famous book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In the story, Scrooge is a bitter miser (a rich, stingy person) who loathes Christmas until he is visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Together, these ghosts convince Scrooge to become a kinder, more sympathetic man who learns to love the Christmas spirit. The book is an old Christmas classic, and the character Scrooge is so famous that the name as become its own word, meaning someone who is stingy with money.
RELIGIOUS
JESUS CHRIST
Although many people associate Christmas with Santa Claus and related traditions, Christmas is primarily a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, many people attend Christmas services at church, where Christmas pageants reenacting the Nativity scene are usually staged. There are also many religious songs sung around Christmastime about the birth of Christ. The name โChristmasโ comes directly from Christโs name, meaning, โmass of Christ.โ
NATIVITY SCENE
The word โnativityโ refers to the birth of Jesus. Therefore, a โnativity sceneโ is a scene, either built as a miniature model or reenacted live, depicting the birth of Jesus. This usually includes Mary and Joseph in a stable with animals, the baby Jesus sleeping in a manger, and visitors coming to see Jesus, including shepherds and the three Magi.
BETHLEHEM
Bethlehem, a Palestinian city located in the central West Bank near Jerusalem, is the town where Jesus was born. In the Bible, Joseph and Mary were called to Bethlehem to be registered for the census. While they were there, Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus and stayed overnight in a stable (a building used for keeping animals). Today, the town is a popular tourist site, especially for pilgrimages around Christmastime.
MARY & JOSEPH
Mary and Joseph are the parents of Jesus. Although Joseph is not Jesusโ direct father, since Jesus was immaculately conceived, the Bible traces his lineage all the way back to Adam and God, making him an important genealogical figure. Mary, commonly referred to as โThe Virgin Mary,โ has become an extremely influential figure in Christianity, especially Catholicism, and many songs have been inspired by her, such as the famous calling, โAve Maria,โ which is Latin for โHail Mary.โ Both Mary and Joseph are typically depicted in the Nativity scene and are thus easily recognizable figures around Christmas.
HEROD
Herod was the king of Judea at the time of Jesusโ birth and was known biblically for his cruelty. For example, in his Massacre of the Innocents, he ordered the execution of all young male children near Bethlehem to protect his throne from the newborn โKing of the Jews.โ In the Bible, Jesusโ family fled into the Egyptian desert to escape Herodโs persecution until the king died.
MAGI, THREE WISE MEN, THREE KINGS
The Magi, also known as โThe Three Wise Menโ or โThe Three Kings,โ are a group of men sent by King Herod to visit Jesus after his birth. Theyโre known for bearing luxurious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and are commonly depicted in the Nativity scene. The only Gospel in the Bible to mention the Magi is Matthew, and interestingly, he never specifies their number or the fact that they were kings. These were associated with the Magi later on.
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
According to the Bible, the shepherds and the Magi were guided to Jesus by a bright star in the night sky. Because of this, the โstar of Bethlehemโ has become an important Christmas symbol, and is the reason why one usually places a star at the top of their Christmas tree.
MANGER
A manger is a long open box or trough used to feed animals. Jesus was supposedly born in a manger inside a stable since Mary and Joseph could not stay in an inn, and the Nativity scene usually depicts this. Nowadays, the word โmangerโ is more associated with the story of Christmas than actually feeding animals.
ADVENT
The Christian church year is divided into seasons, the first of which is โAdvent,โ which means โarrivalโ or โappearance.โ Advent usually includes the four Sundays that lead up to Christmas and can be celebrated in church by lighting a candle every service until the coming of Christmas. The term โAdventโ can also refer to the second coming of Christ.
ADVENT CALENDAR
Advent calendars are special calendars used to count down the days before Christmas. A typical Advent calendar includes flaps or windows that you can open for each day leading up to Christmas, usually starting on December 1.
NOEL
โNoelโ is another word for Christmas typically used in Christmas carols and comes from the French word โnoรซl.โ The uncapitalized word can refer to a Christmas carol.
HANUKKAH
Hanukkah, also known as the โFestival of Lights,โ is a Jewish holiday that usually occurs around Christmastime and therefore tends to be associated with Christmas. Hanukkah celebrates the triumph of Jewish people over religious persecution and is observed for eight nights and days. During this time, eight candles on a menorah are lit, one per day, to represent the sacred oil that miraculously lasted for eight days during the rededication of the Holy Temple during a Maccabean rebellion. The dreidel is a popular top-like toy associated with the holiday.
KWANZAA
Another holiday typically associated with Christmas is Kwanzaa, a relatively new holiday observed by many African Americans not as a religious holiday but as a celebration of African heritage and tradition. Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 and was created by Maulana Karenga, a major figure in the Black Power movement, around 1966.
NEW YEARโS DAY
The most well-known holiday associated with Christmas in New Yearโs Day (also called โNew Yearโsโ or โNew Yearโ), celebrated on January 1. Many people throw parties on New Yearโs Eve and celebrate at midnight with fireworks, drinks, and watching the Times Square Ball drop on TV. This peculiar tradition is often called โthe ball dropโ and follows a string of performances by famous bands and singers. Many cultures celebrate New Yearโs Day on different days, such as the first day of the lunar calendar cycle.
QUIZ WITH ANSWERS
- What do you call a Christmas where there is snow on the ground?
- What nickname for Santa Claus is used in the title for a song by The Beach Boys?
- Where was Jesus born?
- This holiday was invented in the โ60s to celebrate African heritage
- Santa fills these with presents, which are usually hung on walls
- Whatโs the name of the girl in the Nutcracker?
- What do you call the shiny stuff that hangs off of Christmas tree branches?
- Which has red berries? Mistletoe or holly?
- What is a shortened term for โChristmasโ?
- This figure of folklore is known for painting frost on peopleโs windows
- How many magi were there?
- What word is an old term for โChristmasโ that comes from French?
- Whatโs another term for โChristmas songโ?
- This alcoholic drink is made from eggs and cream
- Who is the main character of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?
- Whatโs the name of Mariah Careyโs famous Christmas hit from 1994?
- True or false: Candy canes are shaped like canes to represent the canes of the shepherds who saw the baby Jesus.
- This word refers to the period leading up to Christmas
- This is a North American term for โreindeerโ
- This Christmas plant is famous from Mexican folklore
- Whatโs the name of the snowman who magically came to life?
- What do you call a trough that animals eat out of?
- Which reindeer has a shiny red nose?
- Fill in the blank: โOn the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a _____ in a pear tree.โ
- What snack do children usually leave out for Santa?
ANSWERS
- White Christmas
- St. Nick
- Bethlehem
- Kwanzaa
- Stockings
- Carla
- Tinsel
- Holly
- Xmas
- Jack Frost
- Three (though this isnโt mentioned in the Bible)
- Noรซl
- Christmas carol
- Eggnog
- Ebenezer Scrooge
- โAll I Want For Christmas Is Youโ
- Technically false. This explanation of origin comes from folklore.
- Advent
- Caribou
- Poinsettia
- Frosty the Snowman
- Manger
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Partridge
- Milk and cookies
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CHRISTMAS CAROLS
How many of these songs do you know in English?
RELIGIOUS
O Come, All Ye Faithful
โO come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Himโฆโ
โ Originally โAdeste Fideles,โ written around the 17th or 18th centuries
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
โWhile shepherds watched their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone aroundโฆโ
โ Dates back to 1700
Joy to the World
โJoy to the World, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature singโฆโ
โ Published in 1719, based on Psalm 98
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
โHark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
Peace on Earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciledโ
โ Published in 1739, written by Charles Wesley
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
โGod rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ the Savior was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satanโs power when we had gone astray
Oh, tidings of comfort of joyโฆโ
โ Published c. 1760, though it dates to the 16th century or earlier
Silent Night
โSilent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peaceโฆโ
โ Composed by Franz Xaver Gruber in 1818
The First Noel
โNoel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israelโ
โ Published in 1823
Once In Royal Davidโs City
โOnce in royal Davidโs city
Stood a lowly cattle shed
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed
Mary was that mother mild
Jesus Christ, her little Childโ
โ Published in 1848, originally a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
โIt came upon midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of goldโ
โ Written by Edmund Sears in 1849
Good King Wenceslas
โGood King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay โround about
Deep and crisp and evenโ
โ Written by John Mason Neale in 1853
We Three Kings
โWe three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts, we traverse far
Field a mountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder starโ
โ Written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. in 1857
Angels We Have Heard On High
โAngels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly through the night
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight
Gloria, in Excelsis Deoโฆโ
โ Translated from French into English in 1862
What Child Is This?
โWhat Child is this who laid to rest
On Maryโs lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?โ
โ Written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865
O Little Town of Bethlehem
โO little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go byโ
โ Written by Phillip Brooks c. 1868
Away in a Manger
โAway in a manger, no crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet headโ
โ Published in 1885
Ding Dong Merrily on High
โDing dong, merrily on high
In heavโn the bells are ringing
Ding dong, verily the sky
Is rivโn with angels singingโ
Gloria, Hosanna in Excelsis!โ
โ Published in 1924, lyrics by George Ratcliffe Woodward
The Little Drummer Boy
โCome they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born king to see, pa rum pum pum pumโ
โ Written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941
Do You Hear What I Hear
โSaid the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the seaโฆโ
โ Written by Gloria Shayne Baker and Noรซl Regney in 1962
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NON-RELIGIOUS
Twelve Days of Christmas
โOne the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear treeโ
โ Published in 1780 without music
Deck the Halls
โDeck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!
โTis the season to be jolly,
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!โ
โ Old Welsh melody published as a carol in 1794 (English lyrics from 1862)
O Christmas Tree
โO Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branchesโ
โ From the German song โO Tannenbaum,โ published in 1824
Jingle Bells
โJingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleighโ
โ Originally published as โOne Horse Open Sleighโ in 1857
Winter Wonderland
โSleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, weโre happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderlandโ
โ Written by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith in 1933
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
โYou better watch you, you better not cry
You better not pout, Iโm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to townโ
โ Written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie in 1934
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
โGood tidings we bring
To you and your kin
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Yearโ
โ Published in 1935, though may have been older
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glowedโ
โ Written by Johnny Marks in 1939
White Christmas
โIโm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snowโ
โ Written by Irving Berlin in 1942
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
โHave yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sightโ
โ Judy Garland, 1944
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
โChestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimosโ
โ Written by Bob Wells and Mel Tormรฉ in 1945
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
โOh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since weโve no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snowโ
โ Vaughn Monroe, 1945
Here Comes Santa Claus
โHere comes Santa Claus
Here Comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus laneโ
โ Gene Autry, 1947
Carol of the Bells
โHark how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say
Throw cares awayโ
โ Based on a Ukrainian folk chant, lyrics written in 1914
Sleigh Ride
โJust hear those sleigh bells jingling
Ring-ting-tingling too
Come on, itโs lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with youโ
โ Originally an orchestral piece by Leroy Anderson in 1948, lyrics by Mitchell Parish in 1950
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
โI saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didnโt see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom, fast asleepโ
โ Jimmy Boyd, 1952
Jingle Bell Rock
โJingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bell swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begunโ
โ Bobby Helms, 1957
Rockinโ Around the Christmas Tree
โRockinโ around the Christmas tree
Have a happy holiday
Everyone dancing merrily
In the new old-fashioned wayโ
โ Brenda Lee, 1958
Little St. Nick
โWell, way up north where the air gets cold
Thereโs a tale about Christmas that youโve all been told
And a real famous cat all dressed up in red
And he spends the whole year workinโ out on his sled
Itโs the little Saint Nickโ
โ The Beach Boys, 1963
Itโs the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
โItโs the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you, be of good cheer
Itโs the most wonderful time of the yearโ
โ Andy Williams, 1963
A Holly Jolly Christmas
โHave a holly, jolly Christmas
Itโs the best time of the year
I donโt know if thereโll be snow
But have a cup of cheerโ
โ Burl Ives, 1965
Christmas Time is Here
โChristmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of yearโ
โ Written in 1965 for A Charlie Brown Christmas
Feliz Navidad
โFeliz navidad
Feliz navidad
Feliz navidad, prospero aรฑo y felicidadโ
โ Josรฉ Feliciano, 1970
All I Want for Christmas Is You
โI donโt want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I donโt care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is youโ
โ Mariah Carey, 1994
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