This carol dates back to 19th century Germany. Although the Christmas tree had become quite popular in Germany at that point, the song itself did not originally refer to the Christmas tree in particular or really Christmas at all. Nor was “O Christmas Tree” necessarily...

The words of this hymn come verbatim from Isaac Watts. They are also explcitly based on the words of Psalm 98:4-9. Watts had an interesting take on the singing of Psalms in worship: essentially he held that their archaic nature, their context in the individual life of David, and their rootedness in the culture of ancient Israel, rendered them innaccesible to modern Christians. He took it upon himself therefore to reword them in a way that would make them universally relevant and applicable to...

As with most carols there are many tunes this one is sung to. The one used in the General Church of the New Jerusalem is called “St. George’s Windsor.” It is the same tune as the Thanksgiving hymn “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” My favourite version as of late however is a duet by The Walking Roots Band. This carol is a conversation between a traveler and a watchman. The traveler asks…

There is something wondrous and tender about this carol. It captures the quiet, still, darkness of the sleepy little town in which the Lord was born as a tiny infant. Appropriately enough the carol was originally written for a Sunday school Christmas service, in 1868. The author, Phillips Brooks, was the rector of a church in Philadelphia. He had a particular fondness...

We all know that the wise men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Lord; but why those gifts? Various Christmas carols claim to have the answer, including “We Three Kings.” The carol is in five verses: the first and last are general, but verses two through four are...

It seems that no New Church Christmas service is complete without a stirring rendition of “Calm on the Listening Ear of Night.” This hymn has been a favourite in New Church congregations for over a century. Yet if you look online you will search in vain for the old familiar tune. While the words are a popular carol, the tune is little known...

One of the awesome things about singing Christmas carols together is the shared joy they represent. There’s nothing like being part of a large group of people all singing a joyful hymn at the top of their lungs. The carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” certainly lends...

Although we associate the word “carol” with singing, it derives from a word having to do with dance. It is appropriate then that several Christmas carols highlight this aspect of carolling (even if most of us would look askance at a caroller who opted to dance down...

One of the disappointments of researching Christmas Carols is that so often it comes down to “first recorded in the 19th century, most likely drawing on older traditions, the details of which we have no clue whatsoever.” Happily...

Much of the magic of Christmas is rooted in childhood nostalgia. In fact, even as the excitement fades a little with adulthood, it is rekindled by the next generation of youngsters discovering it for the first time and revelling in the holiday spirit. That...