It’s Christmas carol time.
Many folks have sung Christmas-themed songs since childhood.
But what are they?
What does “Christmas carol” mean?
Songs sung in December with a theme revolving around Christmas.
Carol means song or hymn.
That’s pretty simple.
They’ve been around for a long time.
The first noted Christmas-related hymn was written and sung to celebrate Jesus’ birth at a church service in 129 Rome!
The Christmas carol received more wide-spread writing and singing as early as the fifth century.
Those were written in Latin. (How many of us can sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” in 12th century Latin? (“Veni,veni, Emmanuel,” or even “Adeste Fidelis?”)
Francis of Assisi began writing “nativity plays” in the 13th century.
The people in the plays sang songs or ‘canticles’ that told the story during the plays. Sometimes, the choruses of these new carols were in Latin; but normally they were all in a language that the people watching the play could understand and join in! The new carols spread to France, Spain, Germany and other European countries.
The History of Christmas Carols
Martin Luther and Christmas
German Reformer Martin Luther loved Christmas and many traditions we celebrate today originated in him.
Most notably: the Christmas tree, Christmas carols, and presents opened on Christmas eve.
He was such a reformer he “shifted” the concept of The Feast of St. Nicholas (December 6) to Christmas Eve.
(That later morphed into the Santa Claus tradition–which was not Luther’s idea or intention).
Luther wrote a famous Christmas carol still being sung, “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come.” (Total giveaway, it’s to the tune of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” Luther’s greatest hit.)
Why would Christmas music be controversial?
Are you a Puritan?
They influenced traditional celebrations–as in none–and England didn’t sing much during the 17th century.
(Wikimedia Commons)
People sang them in private, so Christmas carols didn’t disappear, but they weren’t sung in public for many years.
Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, was raised in Germany. He loved Christmas celebrations, including the tree, and wanted to share them with his children.
Two British music-lovers, William Sandys and Davis Gilbert visited villages, wrote down the songs, and soon singing Christmas carols returned to the community.
Christmas caroling–groups of people in the frosty snow visiting homes to sing holiday music–became popular as a result.
Who wrote Christmas carols?
Who didn’t?
Up until about the 18th century, most carols were written in and for church settings.
Thus the writers were bishops, monks, priests, pastors, and choir directors.
(Isaac Watts; Wikimedia Commons)
Some of the most famous popular religious carols still sung were written by Isaac Watts, Felix Mendelsohn, and Charles Wesley.
After the popularization of the holiday in the 19th century, however, writers came from all walks of life and faith (or even non-faith). They include Irving Berlin, James Lord Pierpont, and even Mariah Carey!
Here’s a list of the most popular Christmas “singles” in the United States.
Doesn’t everyone enjoy hearing Bing Crosby croon? (Yes, but for a whole album, I prefer Nat King Cole.)
Regardless of the type, the voice, or even the meaning, enjoy Christmas singing this year!
A Christmas carol quiz!
Here’s some fun. Can you guess these carols?
Tweetables
What’s a Christmas carol? Click to Tweet
It’s that time of year! A Christmas carol quiz! Click to Tweet
Enjoy!
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