Christmas Carols
A Christmas carol (also called a noel) is a song or hymn whose lyrics (words) are on the theme of Christmas.
Silent Night
Meaning
The word ‘carol’ comes from the Greek ‘charaulein’, a Greek dance, later replaced by song.
By the 17th century, caroling was restricted to Christmas time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Did you know?
The biggest selling Christmas single of all time is Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’, with estimated sales of more than 50 million copies worldwide.
The best-known carol, ‘Silent Night’, was written in 1818, by an Austrian pastor, Joseph Mohr. As Christmas Eve came, that year, the organ in his church was broken, so together with his friend, Franz Gruber, he wrote this new song for the service that night, and played it on his guitar for his congregation.
‘Jingle Bells’ was originally written for a Thanksgiving celebration in 1857.
The angels sang ‘Glory to God …’ when they appeared to the shepherds who were in the fields at night.
They announced the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, who hurried off to see the baby.
The Bible says
Luke 2:8-20
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.