Pagine26 public-domain Christmas carols and songs, plus Pagine originals — free to print and sing at home, school or church.
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!
Words: James Lord Pierpont · Music: James Lord Pierpont
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year!
Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year!
Now bring us some figgy pudding,
Now bring us some figgy pudding,
Now bring us some figgy pudding,
And bring it out here!
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some,
So bring some out here!
Words: Traditional (English West Country) · Music: Traditional
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
’Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la!
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Strike the harp and join the chorus,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la!
While I tell of Yuletide treasure,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Fast away the old year passes,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la!
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
Words: Thomas Oliphant (English words) · Music: Traditional Welsh melody (“Nos Galan”)
Up on the housetop reindeer pause,
Out jumps good old Santa Claus;
Down through the chimney with lots of toys,
All for the little ones’ Christmas joys.
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click,
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick.
First comes the stocking of little Nell;
Oh, dear Santa, fill it well;
Give her a dolly that laughs and cries,
One that will open and shut her eyes.
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click,
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick.
Words: Benjamin Hanby · Music: Benjamin Hanby
Jolly old Saint Nicholas,
Lean your ear this way!
Don’t you tell a single soul
What I’m going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you’ll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.
When the clock is striking twelve,
When I’m fast asleep,
Down the chimney, broad and black,
With your pack you’ll creep;
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row;
Mine will be the shortest one,
You’ll be sure to know.
Words: Traditional (19th-century American) · Music: Traditional
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How steadfast are your branches!
Your boughs are green in summer’s clime
And through the snows of wintertime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How steadfast are your branches!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
What happiness befalls me
When oft at joyous Christmastime
Your form inspires my song and rhyme.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
What happiness befalls me!
Words: Ernst Anschütz (German, “O Tannenbaum”); traditional English translation · Music: Traditional German folk tune
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day … four calling birds
On the fifth day … five gold rings!
On the sixth day … six geese a-laying
On the seventh day … seven swans a-swimming
On the eighth day … eight maids a-milking
On the ninth day … nine ladies dancing
On the tenth day … ten lords a-leaping
On the eleventh day … eleven pipers piping
On the twelfth day … twelve drummers drumming
(Each day, sing all the gifts counting back down to
“…and a partridge in a pear tree!”)
Words: Traditional English (published 1780) · Music: Traditional; best-known tune arranged by Frederic Austin
Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand’ring
So fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too;
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year,
And God send you a happy New Year.
Words: Traditional English · Music: Traditional English
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Words: Joseph Mohr (German, 1816); English translation John Freeman Young (1859) · Music: Franz Xaver Gruber
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
Words: Anonymous (American, verses 1–2 published 1885; verse 3 1892) · Music: “Cradle Song” by William J. Kirkpatrick (1895) or “Mueller” by James R. Murray (1887)
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
Words: Isaac Watts (1719), based on Psalm 98 · Music: Arranged by Lowell Mason (“Antioch”)
O 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 him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
Words: Latin hymn “Adeste Fideles” (18th century); English translation Frederick Oakeley (1841) · Music: Attributed to John Francis Wade (c. 1743)
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Words: Charles Wesley (1739), altered by George Whitefield · Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1840), adapted by William H. Cummings (1855)
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
Words: Phillips Brooks (1868) · Music: Lewis Redner (“St. Louis”, 1868); in the UK, “Forest Green” arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
Words: Traditional English (published 1823–1833) · Music: Traditional English
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Words: Traditional French carol “Les Anges dans nos campagnes”; English translation James Chadwick (1862) · Music: Traditional French (“Gloria”)
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night divine.
Words: Placide Cappeau (French, 1843); English translation John Sullivan Dwight (1855) · Music: Adolphe Adam (1847)
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Words: William Chatterton Dix (1865) · Music: Traditional English tune “Greensleeves”
We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Words: John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1857) · Music: John Henry Hopkins Jr.
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Words: Edmund Hamilton Sears (1849) · Music: Richard Storrs Willis (“Carol”, 1850); in the UK, “Noel” arranged by Arthur Sullivan
God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Words: Traditional English (18th century or earlier) · Music: Traditional English
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.
In his master’s steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
Words: John Mason Neale (1853) · Music: Spring carol “Tempus adest floridum” (Piae Cantiones, 1582)
While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour’s birth.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
Words: African American spiritual; verses by John Wesley Work Jr. · Music: African American spiritual
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
Words: Traditional English · Music: Traditional English (collected by Cecil Sharp, 1909)
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Words: Christina Rossetti (poem, 1872) · Music: Gustav Holst (“Cranham”, 1906)
Ding dong merrily on high,
In heaven the bells are ringing;
Ding dong verily the sky
Is riven with angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Words: George Ratcliffe Woodward (1924) · Music: 16th-century French dance tune (“Branle de l’Official”, Arbeau, 1589)
Dashing through the books,
With a blanket and a light,
Turning every page,
Reading late tonight;
Stories by the fire,
Pictures big and bright,
What fun it is to read a book
On a snowy Christmas night!
Reading bells, reading bells,
Reading all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to read
A story every day, hey!
Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star,
Shining over near and far;
On the tree so tall and green,
Brightest light I’ve ever seen;
Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star,
Shining over near and far.
One little, two little, three little presents,
Four little, five little, six little presents,
Seven little, eight little, nine little presents,
Ten little presents under the tree!
Ten little, nine little, eight little presents… (count back down)
One little present just for me!