by A. A. Milne
For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.
* * *
— Original five-stanza hymn
Jingle Bells (Christmas Carol)
Jingle Bells
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.
* * *
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot.
* * *
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Joy to the World (Christmas Carol)
Joy the the World
Verse 1
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.
* * *
Verse 2
Joy to the earth! 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.
* * *
Verse 3
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
* * *
Verse 4
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.
O Christmas Tree (Christmas Carol)
O Christmas Tree
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
* * *
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
For ev’ry year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
* * *
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are thy branches!
Not only green when summer's here
But in the coldest time of year.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are thy branches!
* * *
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How sturdy God hath made thee!
Thou bidd'st us all place faithfully
Our trust in God, unchangingly!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How sturdy God hath made thee!
* * *
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Christmas Carol)
O Come, All Ye Faithful
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, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
* * *
God of God, light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Very God, begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
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, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
* * *
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)
O Little Town of Bethlehem
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.
* * *
For Christ is born of Mary,
And, gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond'ring love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
* * *
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
Silent Night (Christmas Carol)
Silent Night
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 Savior is born,
Christ the Savior 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.
The First Noel (Christmas Carol)
The First Noel
The first Noel, the angels say
To Bethlehem's shepherds as they lay.
At midnight watch, when keeping sheep,
The wint
er wild, the light snow deep.
* * *
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
* * *
The shepherds rose, and saw a star
Bright in the East, beyond them far,
Its beauty gave them great delight,
This star it set now day nor night.
* * *
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
* * *
Now by the light of this bright star
Three wise men came from country far;
They sought a king, such their intent,
The star their guide where'er it went.
* * *
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
* * *
Then drawing nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem town it took its rest;
The wise men learnt its cause of stay,
And found the place where Jesus lay.
* * *
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
The Twelve Days of Christmas (Christmas Carol)
The Twelve Days of Christmas
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,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
* * *
On the Fourth day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
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-Swimming,
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 Eighth day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
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 Ninth day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
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 Tenth day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Ten Lords a-Leaping,
Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
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 Eleventh day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Eleven Pipers Piping,
Ten Lords a-Leaping,
Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
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 Twelfth day of Christmas my true
love sent to me
Twelve Drummers Drumming,
Eleven Pipers Piping,
Ten Lords a-Leaping,
Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
Six Geese a-Laying,
Five Golden Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
* * *
[Repeat the final verse with great fanfare!]:
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!
The Wassail Song (Here We Come A-Caroling)(Christmas Carol)
The Wassail Song (Here We Come A-Caroling)
Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wandering
So fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you
And to your wassail too,
And God bless you, and send you
A happy New Year.
We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door,
But we are neighbours’ children
That you have seen before.
Good Master and good Mistress,
As you sit by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Who are wandering in the mire.
Bring us out a table
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese
And some of your Christmas loaf.
God bless the master of this house,
Likewise the mistress too;
And all the little children
That round the table go.
We Three Kings (Christmas Carol)
We Three Kings
We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
Chorus
O Star of wonder, Star of night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading.
Still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.
Gaspard: Born a king on Bethlehem plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again;
King forever,
Ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
Chorus: O Star of wonder....
Melchior: Frankincense to offer have I,
Incense owns a deity nigh;
Prayer and praising
All men raising,
Worship Him God on high.
Chorus: O Star of wonder....
Balthazar: Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing,
Bleeding, dying,
Sealed in a stone-cold tomb.
Chorus: O Star of wonder....[Pg 41]
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God, and Sacrifice;
Heav’n sings Allelujah:
Allelujah,
The earth replies.
Christmas Dreams
Christopher North
Christmas Dreams
To-morrow is Merry Christmas; and when its night descends there will be mirth and music, and the light sounds of the merry-twinkling feet within these now so melancholy walls—and sleep now reigning over all the house save this one room, will be banished far over the sea—and morning will be reluctant to allow her light to break up the innocent orgies.
* * *
Were every Christmas of which we have been present at the celebration, painted according to nature—what a Gallery of Pictures! True that a sameness would pervade them all—but only that kind of sameness that pervades the nocturnal heavens. One clear night always is, to common eyes, just like another; for what hath any night to show but one moon and some stars—a blue vault, with here a few braided, and there a few castellated, clouds? yet no two nights ever bore more than a family resemblance to each other before the studious and instructed eye of him who has long communed with Nature, and is familiar with every smile and frown on her changeful, but not capricious, countenance. Even so with the Annual Festivals of the heart. Then our thoughts are the stars that illumine those skies—and on ourselves it depends whether they shall be black as Erebus, or brighter than Aurora.