10 of my most favorite Christmas carols

Christians sing carols with religious reverence and as a service of glorification to God. Most traditional Christmas carols are joyful hymns or religious songs that celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Christmas Holidays, the happiest days during my childhood, remind me how Christmas is the most celebrated festival worldwide, without any distinction of religion, caste, or creed.

Every year, the celebrations commence by mid-November with colorful lights all over trees and buildings, nativity tableaus, fireworks, plum cakes, and carol singing and go on till Christmas Day.

The medieval word carol (or carole in French) refers to a popular dance song with pagan associations.

Most of the traditional Christmas carols are joyful hymns or religious songs that focus on the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, while others celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas that range from the evening of December 24 to January 5, called Christmastide.

We sing Christmas carols to melodiously tell the story of the Nativity and the birth of Jesus Christ and explain what happened around Jesus’s birth.  The songs enable us to encapsulate and express our joy and devotion beholding the awe-inspiring scenes of the Nativity of Christ.

Carol group singing is associated with a sense of community happiness during the joyful time of Christmas.

Christians sing carols with religious reverence and as a service of glorification to God.

We hear hundreds of old and new Carol songs associated with the Christmas season even though the lyrics may not specifically refer to Christmas – for example, ‘Deck the Halls‘ has no religious references.

I remember the good old Carol songs, which are still popular, such as ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘O Christmas Tree’, ‘Home for the Holidays’, ‘Jolly Old Saint Nicholas’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, and ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town’.

 Christmas songs encapsulate and express our joy and devotion beholding the awe-inspiring scenes of the Nativity and birth of Christ as in this painting by Botticelli.

Let me list some of the best carols still ringing jingle bells in my ears.

1. Joy to the World (1739) 

It is America’s most published carol and most published hymn. Rather than celebrate the birth of Christ, the text of this hymn talks of Christ’s triumphant return. The words by English writer Isaac Watts are based on the second half of Psalm 98 in the Bible.

2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (1739)

Written by Charles Wesley and set to a tune by Mendelssohn, this carol was always going to be one of the most recognizable and popular ones on any list.

3. Silent Night (1818)

On December 24, 1818 the song ‘Stille Nacht’ (silent night) was sung for the very first time. By now, this treasured Christmas song has been translated into almost 300 languages.

4. O Holy Night (1843) 

It is a sweet, sacred hymn, but isn’t sung as often as its melody warrants, apparently because it’s too difficult, requiring a wide vocal range. 

5. The Little Drummer Boy (1941)

Popularized in the 1950s by the Trapp Family Singers – of ‘The Sound of Music’ fame – and in our time performed by many including Justin Bieber and Busta Rhymes, ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ may be sappy and sentimental but is a touching story.

6. Mary’s Boy Child (1956)

Also known as ‘Mary’s Little Boy Child’, it is a Christmas song written by Jester Hairston, and is widely performed as a Christmas carol. 

7. All I Want For Christmas Is You (1994)

Hearing this song rendered by Mariah Carey is one of the most reliable signs that the Holidays are here. The song didn’t create ripples when released in 1995 but snowballed in popularity at cultural events.

8. White Christmas by Bing Crosby (1942)

The power of Christmas nostalgia itself is greater than real memories. Hence, all of us can hark back to a white Christmas with Bing Crosby on this Irving Berlin-penned 1940s number.

9. Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano (1970)

Feliz Navidad means Merry Christmas. Sadly, it is an underrated Christmas song despite apparently being one of the most played across the world. It’s been around for years, but its jaunty, cheerful energy has stood the test of time. 

10. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1985) by the Jackson 5

There are versions of this song by everyone from Bieber to Bublé, but Michael and the Jackson gang’s effort is the grooviest and fun-filled one.

Right now, ‘Frosty the Snowman’ by Cocteau Twins, ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘My Only Wish’, ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ are some of the Christmas carols playing as if on a loop on radio and TV channels around the globe. ‘I Wish It Could be 

Christmas Everyday’, to use the words of the carol by rock band Wizzard.  

Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year to all the Lotus readers.

Lead photo courtesy: Freepik

Also read: How to keep Christ in Christmas