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You can’t say “Christmas carols” without immediately thinking of your favourite one. Most people will know one or two Christmas carols or Christmas songs and you can’t stop yourself from humming along to them during the holiday season.
Each Christmas song evokes a particular Christmassy theme: Father Christmas, a Christmas tree, a snowman, the birth of Jesus, etc. Generally, Christmas music is designed with joy and happiness in mind and getting people in a good mood.
In this article, we’re looking at some of the most famous Christmas songs including chart-topping hits, traditional Christmas carols, and hymns that are often sung in churches during the holiday season and how they can help you learn how to sing.
Learn about the best online singing lessons on superprof.
Silent Night
Silent Night was originally an Austrian song written in the 19th century. This is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs and also one of the most famous. This song was sung by British, Belgian, French, and German soldiers during a temporary ceasefire on Christmas day during the First World War.
Here are the opening lyrics:
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
While originally a hymn, it’s now recognised as a Christmas carol. When starting to learn how to sing, this song is ideal on account of its slow tempo.
Find out more about practising singing.
The Best Christmas Songs: Jingle Bells
The song “Jingle Bells” is one of the most popular Christmas carols and has versions all over the world.
So many artists have done a version of this song:
- James Pierpont
- Elvis Presley
- Carl Perkins
- Jerry Lee Lewis
- Johnny Cash
The song was originally published as One Horse Open Sleigh and was written with Thanksgiving in mind.
That said, you can’t enjoy Christmas without hearing this song sung by carolers.
O Christmas Tree
If you want to learn to sing, this song is great as the melody is fun and the lyrics are fairly simple.
O Christmas Tree
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime
O tannenbaum, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches
These are the first few lyrics to O Christmas Tree, a song that you’ll regularly hear during the Christmas period. This song originated in Germany in the 17th century as “O Tannenbaum” and was adopted into English before becoming popular in the 20th century.
This is another great Christmas song that the whole family can practise singing with. After all, Christmas trees are symbolic of Christmas.
Learning to Sing: Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. Many artists have performed this song. The lyrics tell the story of a couple building a snowman together.
This song has made its way into our list because there’s no doubt that you’ll hear it during the holiday season and it’s great for singing around the warmth of a fire while it’s cold outside.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
This is the traditional Christmas song that you'll probably the most during the holiday season. The song originated in the West Country and popularised by Arthur Warrell, a conductor and organist who arranged it for the University of Bristol Madrigal Singers. It was later published by Oxford University Press. Initially, the song was used "I" rather than "We".
The earliest records of this song date back to the mid-19th century in which it would be sung by children who'd go door to door asking for presents and the original verses referenced beer rather than figgy pudding.
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year;
A pocket full of money,
And a cellar full of beer.
Discover some great British patriotic songs for aspiring singers.
White Christmas
White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin in the 1940s and the most famous version was performed by Bing Crosby. This is a Christmas classic all over the world.
Many different artists have covered this song.
- Frank Sinatra
- The Drifters
- Elvis Presley
- Louis Armstrong
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Beach Boys
- Eddy Mitchell
- The Supremes
- Tony Bennett
- Céline Dion
- Michael Bublé
- Katy Perry
- Taylor Swift
- Lady Gaga
If you’re just getting started with some Christmas songs, White Christmas is the perfect place to start. With so many different versions, there’s bound to be a style you like.
Check out some of the best songs for practising singing.
Angels We Have Heard on High
“Angels We Have Heard on High” is a Christmas carol with English lyrics by James Chadwick. It, like many other Christmas carols and hymns, covers the birth of Jesus. It’s one of the songs that you’ll probably hear over the holidays.
Whether you’re a practising Christian or not, you can still enjoy the music and melody of this song.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by Robert Lewis May. The song has been performed by plenty of different artists over the years. Here are the lyrics:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
This story of Rudolph is very popular with children and isn’t difficult to sing.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
This Christmas carol was written in the early 18th century in a collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. It was written by Charles Wesley and later adopted by George Whitefield, founding ministers of Methodism. The music was adapted from the piece "Vaterland, in deinen Gauen" by Felix Mendelssohn.
The current version that's commonly sung around the world is based on the version from the Oxford University Press publication Carols for Choirs from 1961:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born 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 new-born King!
There are plenty of other great hymns you could use to practise.
In addition to these traditional Christmas songs, we could have easily mentioned Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, or any of the modern Christmas classics like Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Now that you know a few great Christmas songs, you can start using them to learn how to sing. To learn more about learning how to sing, check out our other articles in this series or get in touch with one of the many talented private tutors on Superprof!
There are three main types of tutorials offered: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type of tutorial has its pros and cons so think carefully about which type would work best for you, your learning style, and your budget.
Face-to-face tutorials are your traditional private tutorials between you and a private tutor. You'll be the only student in a class and your tutor will tailor the tutorials to you and your learning style. Tailoring each class to each student takes time and effort from the tutor so expect to pay more per hour for this type of tuition.
Online tutorials are also between just the tutor and a single student with the main difference being that the tutor and student aren't in the same room as one another. Thanks to the internet, anyone with a decent internet connection can be taught by tutors from all over the world. With fewer outgoings for travel and the ability to schedule more tutorials a week, online tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials.
Finally, group tutorials are more like classes in school with one teacher and several students. These groups can either be with people you know or with strangers. If you and some friends are all interested in learning how to sing, you can all get in touch with a tutor and ask for group tutorials. With each student footing the bill, these types of tutorials tend to work out cheaper per student per hour. Of course, you won't get as much one-on-one time with your private tutor.
In short, the more personalised the tuition, the more you'll tend to pay for it. Of course, the more personalised the tuition, the more cost-effective it'll be, too!
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