Christmas Carols

@ The Dullstroom Inn

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Contents

Deck The Halls 3 ................................................................................................

O Come All Ye Faithful 5 .....................................................................................

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night 5 .............................................

White Christmas 6 ..............................................................................................

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 7 ..........................................................................

Away In A Manger 8 ...........................................................................................

When A Child Is Born 9 ......................................................................................

The First Noel 10 ................................................................................................

Jingle Bells 11 ....................................................................................................

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer 12 ....................................................................

The Twelve Days of Christmas 14 .......................................................................

Good King Wenceslas 15 .....................................................................................

Joy To The World 17 ...........................................................................................

Silent Night 18 ...................................................................................................

Little Drummer Boy 19 .......................................................................................

Mary’s Boy Child 20 ...........................................................................................

We Wish You A Merry Christmas 21 ....................................................................

South Africa’s National Anthem 24.....................................................................

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The Meaning of Carol - The word carol comes from the ancient Greek 'choros', which means "dancing in a circle," and from the Old French word 'carole', meaning "a song to accompany dancing".

Over the years, the word 'carol' changed its meaning, referring only to certain kinds of songs, the word carol became known as Christmas songs. St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services. Carol singing, or Caroling, is singing carols in the street or public places. It is one of the oldest customs in Great Britain, going back to the Middle Ages when beggars, seeking food, money, or drink, would wander the streets singing holiday songs.

The traditional period to sing carols is from St Thomas's Day which is the 21st of December until the morning of Christmas Day. The joyous themes for many traditional Christmas carols were banned in England by the staunch Protestant Oliver Cromwell and many of the very old Christmas carols and songs were subsequently lost

for all time. Christmas carols were only fully popularized again during the Victorian era when they again expressed joyful and merry themes in their carol lyrics as opposed to the normal, more somber, Christian lyrics found in hymns. As religious observances in the United States and England were closely linked the popularity of Christmas carols grew in both countries in the 19th century. Now carol singers go from door to door singing carols, or sing in public places to raise money for charity.

Greenery at Christmas - Holly, Ivy and other greenery such as Mistletoe were originally used in pre-Christian times to help celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival and ward off evil spirits and to celebrate new growth. When Christianity came to Western Europe the greenery was given Christian meanings and used to decorate homes.

Holly - The prickly leaves represent the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified. The berries are the drops of blood that were shed by Jesus because of the thorns. In Scandinavia it is known as the Christ Thorn. Ivy – This plant has to cling to something to support itself as it grows. This reminds us that we need to cling to God for support in our lives. In Germany, it is traditional that Ivy is only used outside and a piece tied to the outside of a Church was supposed to protect it from lightning! In pagan times Holly was thought to be a male plant and Ivy a female plant. An old tradition from the Midlands of England says that whichever was brought into the house first over winter, tells you whether the man or woman of the house would rule that year! But it was unlucky to bring either into a house before Christmas Eve.

Laurel – The leaves have been worn as a wreath on the head to symbolize success and victory for thousands of years. It symbolizes the victory of God over the Devil.

Fir & Yew Trees – They are evergreen and so signify everlasting life with God. Fir is also very commonly used for Christmas Trees.

Rosemary – This plant was connected with the Virgin Mary as it was believed to be her favourite plant and therefore it could protect you from evil spirits. It is also known as the remembrance herb and was used at Christmas as this is the time that we remember the birth of Jesus.

Christmas Wreaths - Hanging a circular wreath of evergreens during mid-winter goes back to Roman times when wreaths were hung on doors as a sign of victory and of status. Rich Roman women wore them as head-dresses at special occasions and Roman Emperors also wore Laurel Wreaths. Wreaths were given to the winners of events in the original Olympic Games in Greece. The word 'wreath' comes from the Old English word 'writhen' which means to writhe or twist.

Kissing Boughs or Kissing Bunches – This tradition dates back to the Middle Ages as a mid-winter decoration. These were made of five wooden hoops were covered with Holly, Ivy, Rosemary, Bay, Fir or other evergreen plants. Red apples were then hung inside. The bough was finished by hanging a large bunch of mistletoe from the bottom of the ball.

It is traditional to take down the decorations after Twelfth Night, which is the 5th of January or on Epiphany which is the 6th of January. But during the middle ages, greenery was often left hanging up until Candlemas in February which is when Christians celebrate Jesus going to the Jewish Temple as a baby.

Deck The Halls

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Tis the season to be jolly,

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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 Yule tide 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 Yule tide treasure, Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Musical interlude for one verse

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.

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaa.

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O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye FaithfulJoyful 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,

Sing all ye citizens of heaven above.Glory to God, 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.

Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,Born this happy morning,Jesus to be the glory divine

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.

O Come All Ye FaithfulJoyful 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.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night (by Nahum Tate (1652-1715), circa 1700)

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,

All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down,

And glory shone around.

"Fear not," said he, for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled mind, "Glad tidings of great joy I bring

To you and all mankind."

"To you, in David's town this day,

Is born of David's lineThe Savior who is Christ the Lord,

And this shall be the sign: The heavenly Babe you there shall find

To human view displayed, All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,

And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith Appeared a shining throng

Of angels praising God and thus Addressed their joyful song:

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"All glory be to God on high And on the earth be peace,

Goodwill henceforth from heaven to men Begin and never cease."

Facts about “White Christmas”

Irving Berlin originally wrote “White Chirstmas” for a

Broadway musical that was never produced. It was then picked up by Hollywood producers who used it in Holiday Inn, a 1942 film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.

Bing Crosby’s version of “White Christmas” is the highest-selling single of all time. The version we all listening to now was re-recorded in 1947 as the original from 1942 was

damaged beyond repair.

Irving Berlin so hated Elvis Presley’s version of “White

Christmas” so much that he tried to prevent radio stations from playing Presley’s cover.

In April 1975, the American military played “White Christmas”

over Armed Forces Radio as a covert signal instructing soldiers in Vietnam to evacuate Saigon.

The definition of a white Christmas in England is when one

snowflake falls on the roof of the London Weather Centre in the 24 hours of 25 December. Therefore England has only known seven white Christmases in the entire twentieth

century. According to the records of the Meteorological Office in London, snow fell on Christmas Day only in 1938 and 1976.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are more likely to have a

white Christmas than England.

We would never have a white Christmas in South Africa as

Christmas is our summertime! The most severe snow we have had was on the 10th to 12th of June in 1902 when a snowstorm hit the country and swept over a large portion of

the interior. On the 9th it also snowed on the Palmiet River flats at Caledon. During the next three days snow fell

unceasingly in the Karoo, Eastern and North-Eastern Cape, the Free State and Natal. Strong winds accompanied the snowstorm and there were great stock losses. In the North-

Eastern Cape, where the snow lay 60 cm deep, tens of thousands of small stock perished. In East Griqualand, the snow lay 1,5 meters deep, and more than 13 000 sheep froze

to death. This snowstorm was known as the Peace Snow, as the Anglo-Boer War ended in May 1902.

Visit www.snowreport.co.za for some amazing snow in South

Africa information.

White Christmas By Boney M

I'm dreaming of a white ChristmasJust like the ones I used to know

Where the tree tops glisten And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white ChristmasJust like the ones I used to know

Where the tree tops glisten And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white ChristmasWith every Christmas card I writeMay your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white ChristmasJust like the ones I used to know

May your days be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmaswith every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white

May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white

And may all your Christmases be white And may all your Christmases be white And may all your Christmases be white

All your Christmases be white

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Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

(by Charles Wesley (1707-1788) written in 1739)

Sung by Boney M

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 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 Son of Righteousness!Light and life to all He brings,

Risen with healing in His wings.Mild He leads 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!"

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 angelic host proclaim"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"Hark! the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"Glory to the newborn King!"

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Away In A Manger

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,

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When A Child Is Born Sung by Boney M

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm, Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm, Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm, Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm, Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm

A ray of hope flitters in the sky A tiny star lights up way up high

All across the land dawns a brand new morn This comes to pass when a child is born

A silent wish sails the seven seas The winds have changed whispering the trees

And the walls of doubt crumble tossed and torn This comes to pass when a child is born

A rosy fume settles all around You’ve got the feel you’re on solid ground For a spell or two no one seems forlorn

This comes to pass when a child is born

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah And all of this happens

Because the world is waiting Ah-ah-ah-ah, Ah-ah-ah-ah-a)

Waiting for one child Black, white, yellow, no one knows

Ah-ah-ah-ah, Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah But a child that would grow up and turn tears to laughter

Ah-ah-ah-ah Hate to love, war to peace

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah And everyone to everyone’s neighbor

Misery and suffering would be forgotten forever

It’s all a dream and illusion now It must come true, sometimes soon somehow All across the land dawns a brand new morn

This comes to pass when a child is born

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The First Noel Sung by Boney M

The first Noel the Angels did sing 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.

The first Noel the Angels did sing 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.

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Jingle Bells By James Lord Pierpont – written in 1857 Sung by Pat Boone

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!

O what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh O Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Dashing through the snow In a one-horse open sleigh,

Over the fields we go, Laughing all the way; Bells on bob-tails ring, Making spirits bright,

What fun it is to ride and sing A sleighing song tonight

O Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Now the ground is whiteEnjoy it while you're young,

Take the girls tonight And sing this sleighing song;

Get a bob-tailed nag Two-forty four his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh And crack! you'll take the lead.

O Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way! What fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!

O what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh

FACTS :- While we associate “Jingle Bells” with Christmas, the song was written by James Lord Pierpont to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was also the first song to be sung in space–on December 16, 1965 by astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra.

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Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer (Words by Robert L. May, 1947, music by Johnny Marks) Sung by Dean Martin

Rudolph, Rudolph

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeerHad 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 Roody Join in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve

Santa came to say Rudolph with your nose so bright

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then how the reindeer loved himAs they shouted out with glee "Roody the red-nosed reindeer

You'll go down in history!"

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeerHad a very shiny nose

And if you ever saw it You would even say it glows

All of the other reindeerUsed to laugh and call him names

They never let poor Rudolph Join in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say

Rudolph with your nose so brightWon't you guide my sleigh

tonight?Then how the reindeer loved him

As they shouted out with glee "Roody the big red reindeerYou'll go down in history!"

Rudolph, Rudolph, Rudolph

Amazing Facts about Reindeers

Father Christmas' reindeers are called Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner/Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph. Eight of these names are taken from Clement C. Moore's "A Visit

From St. Nicholas," and the ninth from the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

When he gets to Australia, Santa Claus gives the reindeer a rest and uses kangaroos or 'six white boomers' (a popular Australian Christmas song!). He also changes his clothes for less 'hot' ones!

Reindeers shed their antlers during the winter season which means that Father Christmas’s reindeers are actually females!

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The Twelve Days Of Christmas

In England, between 1558 and 1829, it was not legal for Catholics to practice their kind of Christianity in public or private. Being a Catholic was treated as a bad crime. If you even owned a Catholic Bible, you could be put in prison! Catholics were stopped from worshipping because King Henry VIII fell out with the Catholic Church and started his own 'Protestant' Church (what is now the Church of England). There were many people who were still Catholics and they worshipped in secret.

'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was written in England at the beginning of this time. Some people think that it was written to help children learn about their Catholic religion. In the carol, the days are supposed to represent special symbols and have hidden meanings, because it was illegal to have anything in writing that would indicate that you were a Catholic.

But there's no evidence that this is true and it seems most likely just to be a folk song and that the meanings were added at a later date! Also, all the symbols can be used by Protestants and other Christians! There was another song called 'A New Dial', written in 1625, which gave religious meanings to the 12 Days of Christmas, but not so people could practise their faith is secret.

The 12 Days of Christmas refer to the twelve day period that starts with Christmas day and ends on Epiphany (6th January). The song begins, On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me... The 'true love' was meant to represent God, the true love of the world. The 'me' in the carol

is the Christian man or woman who receives these presents.

The "Twelve Days of Christmas " gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtledoves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese

laying, seven swans swimming, eight maids milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords leaping, eleven pipers piping, and twelve drummers drumming. There are

364 gifts altogether, one for every day of the year.

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The Twelve Days of Christmas Sung by The Nashville Session Singers

On the first day of Christmas,  my true love sent to me 

A partridge in a pear tree. 

On the second day of Christmas,  my true love sent to me 

Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the third day of Christmas, 

my true love sent to me  Three French hens, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me 

Four calling birds, And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the fifth day of Christmas, 

my true love sent to me  Five golden rings,  Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me 

Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings,  Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me  Seven swans a-swaying, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me  Eight maids a-milking, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me 

Nine drummers drumming And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me 

Ten pipers piping,  And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the eleventh day of Christmas, 

my true love sent to me  Eleven ladies dancing

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me  Twelve lambs a leaping, Eleven ladies dancing

Ten pipers piping,  Nine drummers drumming, 

Eight maids a-milking,  Seven swans a-swaying, 

Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings,  Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

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Good King Wenceslas

Sung by The Knightsbridge Choir

ALL: Good King Wenceslas looked out,

upon 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 site,

gathering winter fuel.

KING: Hither page and stand by me!

If you know it needs telling:yonder peasant who is he,

where and what his dwelling?

PAGE: Sir he lives a good way hence,

underneath the mountain;right against the forest fence,

by Saint Agnes' fountain:

KING: Bring me flesh and bring me wine,

bring me pine logs hither: thou and I will see him dine,when we take them thither.

ALL: Page and monarch forth they went,

forth they went together,through the wild wind's loud

lament,and the bitter weather.

PAGE: Sir the night is darker now,

and the wind blows stronger;fails my heart - I know not

how,I can go no longer.

KING: Mark my footsteps good my page,

tread now in them boldly:thou shalt find the winter's

rage,chills your blood less coldly.

ALL: In his footsteps he trod,where the snow lay dinted,

heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed

strong to do the will of God,in the hope of Heaven:

Therefore Christian men be sure,

grace and wealth possessing,you that now will bless the

poor,shall yourselves find blessing.

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Who was Good King Wenceslas?

• This carol was written in Victorian Britain by John Mason Neale to a traditional folk tune. It was written in the town of East Grinstead, in the county of West Sussex, at Sackville College where he was staying at the time. The story in the carol is about the King (or Duke) of Bohemia (an area in Central Europe which is now part of the Czech Republic) from over 1000 years ago, seeing peasants, on Boxing Day, from his castle and taking food and wood to them. The story in the carol was probably completely made up! In fact the real story of King Wenceslas (907-935) is rather gory!

• Wenceslas' father was the Duke of Bohemia and a Christian but it's thought that his mother might have been a pagan. His father died when he was 12 and, as he was not old enough to become Duke until he was 18, his mother took control of the land as regent. During this time his grandmother, Ludmilla, took care of Wenceslas and brought him up as a Christian (she smuggled priests into the house to help teach him). It's thought that His mother had Ludmilla banished to a distant castle where she was murdered by the Queen's guards!

• Wenceslas was still a Christian after this and learned to read and write, something which was unusual for even a King/Duke in those days! He had local Bishops smuggled in at night to teach him the Bible. When he reached 18, Wenceslas took control of his dukedom. He then defended Bohemia from a couple of invasions by Dukes of neighbouring regions and legend says that he banished his mother and her pagan followers from his castle.

• Wenceslas put in a good education system and a successful law and order system, so the parts of the carol story about him being a kind King are certainly true!

• After four years of happiness, when Wenceslas was 22, his brother Boleslav, became very jealous of Wenceslas and plotted (possibly with the pagan followers of their mother) to kill Wenceslas. Boleslav invited Wenceslas to celebrate a saint's day with him, but on the way to the Church, Wenceslas was attacked and stabbed to death by three of Boleslav's followers!

• The (fictitious) story told in the song was written by a Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda in 1847. He wrote many 'manuscripts' that tried to prove that Czech literature was much older and more developed than it really was. The poem was written in three languages, Czech, German, Latin, and was called 'Sankt Wenceslaw und Podiwin' (Saint Wenceslas and the Crocheteer). The Poem found it's way into the UK in the 19th Century where JM Neale put the translated words to the tune of a 13th century spring carol 'Tempus Adest Floridum' ('It is time for flowering') that was came from a collection of old religious songs called 'Piae Cantiones' that was published in 1582 in Sweden/Finland!

• So this Christmas song has got quite a confusing story behind it! • The story inspired much more than a carol. Neale was so touched by the quality of mercy in the

tale he read that he founded the Society of St. Margaret, which still offers care to the poor in their homes.

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Joy To The World

Sung by Boney M

Joy to the world, Joy to the world, joy to the world 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 world, the Savior 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.

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

Joy to the world Joy to the world Joy to the world Joy to the world

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. And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

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Silent Night (sung by Bing Crosby)

Silent night, holy night!All is calm, All is bright

Round yon Virgin, Mother and ChildHoly 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 Al-le-lu-ia!

Christ the Saviour is born!Christ the Saviour is born!

Silent Night – Information The words of Silent Night were written by a Priest called Father Joseph Mohr in Mariapfarr, Austria, in 1816 and the music was added in 1818, by his school teacher friend Franz Xaver Gruber, for the Christmas service at St. Nicholas church in Oberndorf, Austria. Father Mohr asked Franz Gruber to compose the melody with a guitar arrangement. It was several years later that Franz Gruber wrote an arrangement for the organ. Historians who have conducted research in recent years believe that Father Mohr wanted a new carol that he could play on his guitar. There is a legend associated with the carol that says, Father Mohr wanted the carol to be sung by the children of the village at the midnight Christmas Eve service, as a surprise for their parents. But in the middle of practicing, the organ broke and not a note would come from it! So the children had to learn the carol only accompanied by a guitar. They learnt the carol so well that they could sing it on its own without accompaniment. However, there are no records to indicate that a children's choir was involved or that the organ was broken!

At Midnight Mass in 1818, Father Mohr and Franz Gruber sang each of the six verses with the church choir repeating the last two lines of each verse. Mohr set down the guitar arrangement on paper around 1820 and that is the earliest manuscript that still exists. It is displayed in the Carolino Augusteum Museum in Salzburg. There are a number of manuscripts of various 'Stille Nacht' arrangement that were written by Franz Gruber in later years. The original words of the song were in German (and it was called 'Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht') and translated in to English went:

Silent night, holy night,Bethlehem sleeps, yet what light, Floats around the heavenly pair;

Songs of angels fills the air.Strains of heavenly peace.

It's thought that the song might have travelled around the area with an organ repairman, Karl Mauracher, in about 1820. Then two singing families (like the 'Von Trappes' in The Sound of Music) seem to have discovered the song and performed it as part of their concerts. In December 1832, the Strasser family performed it at a concert in Leipzig. It was first performed in the USA in 1839 by the Rainer family, who sang 'Stille Nacht' at the Alexander Hamilton Monument outside Trinity Church in New York City. During this time the tune changed to the one we know and sing today! It was translated into English in 1863 by John Freeman Young. The carol was sung during the Christmas Truce in the First World War in December 1914 as it was a song that soldiers on both sides knew!

By the time that the carol was famous, Father Mohr had died. Franz Gruber wrote to music authorities in Berlin saying that he had composed the tune, but no one believed him and it was thought that Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven had written it! But then the 1820 manuscript was found and in the top right corner Fr Mohr had written: 'Melodie von Fr. Xav. Gruber.'.

It's now one of the most, recorded songs in the world!

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Little Drummer Boy Sung by Boney M

Come they told me Pa rum pum pum pum

Our new born King to see, Pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we’ll bring Pa rum pum pum pumTo lay before the King Pa rum pum pum pumRum pum pum pumRum pum pum pum

So to honor HimPa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Baby Jesus Pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too Pa rum pum pum pumI have no gift to bring Pa rum pum pum pum

That's fit to give our King Pa rum pum pum pumRum pum pum pumRum pum pum pumShall I play for you?

Pa rum pum pumOn my drum.

Mary nodded Pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time

Pa rum pum pum pumI played my drum for Him

Pa rum pum pumI played my best for Him

Pa rum pum pum pumRum pum pum pumRum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me Pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum

Mary nodded Pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time Pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him Pa rum pum pum

I played my best for Him Pa rum pum pum pumRum pum pum pumRum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me Pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum Me and my drum Me and my drum Me and my drum Me and my drum

Me and my drum

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Mary’s Boy Child (Sung by Boney M)

Mary's boy child Jesus

Christ, was born on Christmas

Day And man will live for evermore, because of

Christmas Day

Long time ago in Bethlehem,

so the Holy Bible said,Mary's boy child Jesus

Christ, was born on Christmas

Day.

Hark, now hear the angels sing,

a king was born today,And man will live for evermore, because of

Christmas Day.Mary's boy child Jesus

Christ, was born on Christmas

Day.

While shepherds watch their flock by night,

They see a bright new shining star,

They hear a choir sing a song,

the music seemed to come from afar.

Hark, now hear the angels

sing, a king was born today,And man will live for evermore, because of

Christmas Day.

Humming for a verse

For a moment the world

was aglow, all the bells rang out

There were tears of joy and laughter, people

shouted "let everyone know, there

is hope for all to find peace".

And then they found a little nook in a stable all

forlorn, And in a manger cold and dark, Mary's little boy was

born.

Hark, now hear the angels sing,

a king was born today,And man will live for evermore, because of

Christmas Day.Mary's boy child Jesus

Christ, was born on Christmas

Day.

For a moment the world

was a glow, all the bells rang out

There were tears of joy and laughter, people

shouted "let everyone know, there

is hope for all to find peace".

Oh My Lord You sent your son to save

us Oh My Lord

Your very self you gave Us

Oh My Lord That sin may not enslave

us and that love may reign once more

Oh My Lord When in the crib they

found him Oh My Lord

A golden halo crowned him

Oh My Lord They gathered all around

him to see him and adore

Oh My Lord they have become to doubt

you Oh My Lord

what did they know about you

Oh My Lord but they were lost without

you they needed you so bad

Oh My Lord with the child’s adoration

Oh My Lord there came great jubilation

Oh My Lord and full of admiration

they realized what they had

Oh My Lord you sent your son to save

us Oh My Lord

your very self Oh My Lord……

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Wassailing – Wassailing is a very ancient custom that is rarely done today. The word 'wassail' comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase 'waes hael', which means 'good health'. Originally, the wassail was a drink made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar. It was served from huge bowls, often made of silver or pewter. Jesus College, in Oxford University, has a Wassail bowl that is covered with silver. It can hold 10 gallons of drink! Wassailing was traditionally done on New Year's Eve and Twelfth Night, but some rich people drank Wassail on all the 12 days of Christmas! The Wassail drink mixture was sometimes called 'Lamb's Wool', because of the pulp of the roasted apples looked all frothy and a bit like Lamb’s Wool! Here is a recipe for wassail.

One legend about how Wassailing was created, says that a beautiful Saxon maiden named Rowena presented Prince Vortigen with a bowl of wine while toasting him with the words 'waes hael'.

Over the centuries, a great deal of ceremony developed around the custom of drinking wassail. The bowl was carried into a room with a great fanfare, a traditional carol about the drink was sung, and finally, the steaming hot beverage was served.

From this it developed into another way of saying Merry Christmas to each other!

One of the most popular Wassailing Carols went like this:

Here we come a-wassailing Among the leaves so green, Here we come a-wassailing, 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.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

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 for you and

your kin; We wish you a merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year!

Once in a year is not far amiss To visit our neighbours And sing out like this

We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas,

And a Happy New Year!

So bring on the plum pudding, Now bring on the plum pudding, Now bring on the plum pudding,

And a cup of good cheer! 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 it out here!

We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas,

And a Happy New Year! And a Happy New Year!

Buon Natale, Bonne Noel Frohe Weihnachten

The words mean the same Wherever your home

Why can’t we have Christmas the whole year a round?

Why can’t we have Christmas the whole year a round?

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All Around The World At Christmas Time

❖ A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck in The Ukraine.

❖ Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland. This is believed to be because the country is mostly Presbyterian, and Christmas is considered to be a Catholic event.

❖ In Guatemala, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, but Guatemalan adults don’t exchange gifts until New Year’s Day.

❖ It is still believed in Britain that eating a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 months of happiness.

❖ The poinsettia is the most common Christmas flower in the United States, Mexico, and Central America.

❖ In Norway on Christmas Eve, after holiday dinner and the opening of presents, families hide all the brooms in the house. Norwegians believed in ancient times that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve, and would steal their

brooms for riding. ❖ In Argentina, a Christmas Eve night tradition includes ‘globos’, paper decorations

with a light inside that float into the sky. The sky is filled with them on Christmas Eve after midnight.

❖ While not widely celebrated in Japan, fried chicken is often eaten on Christmas day. It is the busiest time of year for restaurants such as KFC and people can even place

orders in advance! ❖ The traditional Japanese Christmas food is Christmas cake (usually a sponge cake

with strawberries and whipped cream). ❖ The world’s biggest Christmas gift is the Statue of Liberty! Given to the USA by the

French in 1886, it weighs over 225 tons. It’s always stood as a symbol of freedom, but who’d have thought of it as an actual gift?

❖ Americans send 1.5 billion Christmas cards annually.

❖ In Hungary, Christmas Eve is very important and is called 'Szent-este' which means Holy Evening. People spend the evening with their family and decorate the Christmas Tree. Sometimes only the adults decorate the tree (without the children there), so when children come in and see the tree, it's a great surprise and they are told that angels brought the tree for them! The main Christmas meal, which is also eaten on Christmas eve, consists of fish and cabbage and a special kind of poppy bread/cake called 'Beigli'.

❖ St. Nicholas also visits Hungary on the 6th December. In Hungary he is known as 'Mikulás'. Children leave out shoes or boots on a windowsill to be filled with goodies! Presents might also be brought by Télapó (Old Man Winter).

❖ In China, only about one percent of people are Christians. These Christians go to Midnight Mass services. The strange thing is that most of the world's plastic Christmas Trees and Christmas decorations are made in China, but the people making them might not know what they are for!!!

❖ A tradition that's becoming popular, on Christmas Eve in China is giving apples wrapped in coloured paper. This is because in Chinese “Christmas Eve” is called 'Ping An Ye' (meaning quiet or silent night) and the word for apple in Chinese is 'Ping Guo' which sounds similar.

❖ In Egypt about 15% of people are Christians. They are the only part of the population who really celebrate Christmas as a religious festival. Most Egyptian Christians belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church and they have some very unique traditions for Christmas. They celebrate Christmas Day on the 7th of January (as do Christians in Ethiopia, Russia and Serbia).

❖ During Christmas in Costa Rica, families decorate their houses and models of the nativity scene (Pasito or Portal) with beautiful tropical flowers. After Christmas, and into January, there are lots of fiestas, parades, rodeos, street parties, bull runs and choral and dance festivals. On 26th December there is an important horseback

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parade called the Tope and on the following day many towns and cities have their 'Carnaval' with a big parade featuring dancing and big floats.

❖ In Argentina preparations for Christmas begin very early in December. As many of the Christians are Catholics they also celebrate Advent when they decorate their houses with lights and wreaths of green, gold, red and white flowers. Christmas Trees are often decorated by the 8th of December which is the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

❖ Some people in Denmark give and receive extra Advent presents on the four Sundays of Advent. A Kalenderlys (calendar-candle) is an Advent candle and most people have one of these types of candles and they light it every day to count down to Christmas. A Pakkekalender (gift calendar) are also a fun way to countdown to Christmas Eve. There are 24 small gifts for the children in the calendar, one for each day until Christmas Eve.

❖ In Belgium children put their shoes in front of the fireplace for Sinterklaas to fill with presents if they have been good, and a carrot for Zwarte Piet (Black Peter – the horse). Then in the night, Sinterklaas arrives on the roof with Zwarte Piet. Zwarte Piet climbs down the chimney and leaves the presents in and around the shoes. Children are told that if they've been bad Zwarte Piet will put you in his sack and take you back to Spain!

❖ On the 6th of January in Belgium people celebrate Epiphany and the three wise men. Children dress up as the three wise men and go from door to door to sing songs and people give them money or sweets, kind of like Trick or Treating on Halloween.

❖ Sri Lanka is a mostly Buddhist country with only 7% of the population being Catholics, yet Christmas is celebrated as a public holiday by everyone. For Christians in Sri Lanka, the Christmas season starts on 1st December when people let off fire crackers at dawn!

❖ Christmas is often known as 'Yule' or 'Jól' in Iceland. This comes from the ancient winter solstice celebrations. There are lots of different customs and traditions about Yule in Iceland. The Yule season consists of the following days: Þorláksmessa - St. Thorlakur's Day - December 23rd, Aðfangadagur - Christmas Eve / Yule Eve , Jóladagur - Christmas Day / Yule Day, Annar Jóladagur - Boxing Day and then Gamlárskvöld / Nýársdagur - New Year's Eve / New Year's Day This is one of the most important nights of the year in Iceland and there are several magical traditions that are supposed to happen on it! Cows are meant to be able to talk, seals take on human form, the dead rise from their graves, and the Elves move house.

❖ Christmas is very important to the Christians in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank as it contains Bethlehem. There is a parade through the town on Christmas Eve with bagpipe bands in the parade, which you might not expect! Playing the bagpipes is a tradition left over from when the British army occupied the area between 1920 and 1948. Bethlehem means 'house of bread' and back in history was famous for growing wheat for making into bread.

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South Africa’s National Anthem

XhosaNkosi sikelel' iAfrika

Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,

God bless Africa Let its (Africa's) horn be

raised,

ZuluYizwa imithandazo yethu,

Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

Listen also to our prayers,

Lord bless us, we are the family of it (Africa).

Sesotho

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,

O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,

O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,

Setjhaba sa, South Afrika — South Afrika.

Lord bless our nation,Stop wars and

sufferings, Save it, save our nation,

The nation of South Africa — South Africa.

Afrikaans

Uit die blou van onse hemel,

Uit die diepte van ons see,

Oor ons ewige gebergtes,Waar die kranse antwoord

gee,

Out of the blue of our heavens,

From the depth of our sea,

Over our everlasting mountains,

Where the cliffs give answer,

English

Sounds the call to come together,And united we shall stand,

Let us live and strive for freedomIn South Africa our land.

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