The spirit of Christmas can mean a lot of things to lots of different people. Some view the Christmas season as a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Others embrace the holiday by spending time with family and friends. Some may just love giving presents to the ones they love.
With so many different reasons to celebrate, lots of fantastic Christmas carols have resulted from our love of the holiday. Here are some of the most popular carols and how they came to be.
Jingle Bells
During the month of December, there is a very large chance you'll hear this catchy tune everywhere you go. The well known carol was originally written in 1850 by James Pierpont. The jingle was inspired by one horse sleigh races in his hometown of Medford, Massachusetts. Almost anyone who hears "Dashing through the snow, on a one horse open sleigh" will know the words.
Silent Night
Silent Night is arguably the most recognizable Christmas carol in the world. It was composed in Austria by Franz Xaver Gruber with lyrics written by Joseph Mohr. The story goes that after viewing a Christmas play, Mohr was standing on a hilltop marveling at the picturesque scenery of the town below him. The view reminded him of a perfect Christmas card, which reminded him of a poem he had written years earlier. Upon being combined with Gruber's music, that poem would become one of the most famous in the world.
Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls is a Christmas favorite that dates back all the way to the sixteenth century. The original version of the tune was penned by the Welsh and went by the name "Nos Galan," which was actually a song about New Years Eve. Scottish songwriter Thomas Oliphant is credited with penning the words to the song as we know them today. His lyrics are about celebrating the beginning of the Christmas season with decorations and joy. Ever sense, people have been singing "fa la la la la" while trimming their trees.
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Originally sung in England in the 1500s by poor carolers. While the main theme of the song is wishing merriment to all, there is actually a small theme of protest. These carolers would often sing the tune to wealthy people in hopes of a handout. The lines about figgy pudding and not leaving till they get some was actually a demand for the wealthy to give back to the poor. Despite this small undertone of protest, We Wish You A Merry Christmas remains a favorite every year.