Are You Going to Sing Carols With Your Family?

I must admit that our family; including my own siblings and extended family, are not very organized or super good planners. We don’t have a ton of great traditions that we are consistent with from year to year, although we are beginning to repeat a few for several years now. One thing we always make time for though is music. Our family…most of us…loves to sing!! Each Christmas after dinner is over, gifts are opened and we are all sitting around, we will break out the guitars, lyric sheets, and begin singing. I’m usually the one to get the singing started and I’ve learned over the years to simply pass out the music, get my guitar, and begin singing. Most of the time everyone is in a good mood and wants to sing carols. If I made it into a big deal and asked “Who would like to sing?”, perhaps enthusiasm would be absent. I make a point to be very informal and casual about it and just begin singing. Usually my brother or sister will join in first and then the children and others will chime in. I encourage my boys to sing and tell them, “This is what our family does at Christmas.” I would never ask them, “Would you like to sing?” unless I wanted a “No, not really” answer. Children naturally love to sing once it has started and they see the adults having fun. I believe that adults need to model and mentor their children in this area if they want their children to have a love and appreciation for music. My boys especially enjoy singing childrens favorites….like The twelve days of Christmas and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. There is something about families singing together that just makes Christmas complete .

We sing every type of carol. We might begin with Joy to the World or Hark the Herald Angels sing, and then we continue on with Rodolph, Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman. My favorite delight is when my brother (who has a lovely tenor voice) and I sing some of the old songs like I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, and I’ll be home for Christmas.

I thought I’d share some of my favorite carols…with the guitar chords so that you can enjoy them as well. Music is a gift from the Lord….and an escape from every day life. Enjoy singing with your family this Christmas !!

Deck the Halls

F
DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY
C7          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY
C7          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
C7             F
DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL
Am        Dm        G     C
FA LA LA, LA LA LA, LA LA LA
F
TROLL THE ANCIENT YULE TIDE CAROL
Bb          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA

F
FAST WAY THE OLD YEAR PASSES
C7          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
HAIL THE NEW YE LADS AND LASSES
C7          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
C7             F
SING WE JOYOUS ALL TOGETHER
Am        Dm        G     C
FA LA LA, LA LA LA, LA LA LA
F
HEEDLESS OF THE WIND AND WEATHER
Bb          F         C7 F
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA  

What Child Is This?                        
Am       C         G       Em
 What Child is this who, laid to rest
 Am            E
 On Mary's lap is sleeping?
 Am     C          G       Em
 Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
 Am                  E
 While shepherds watch are keeping?  			
C             G          Em
 This, this is Christ the King,
 Am                  E
 Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
 C                G         Em
 Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
 Am        E
 The Babe, the Son of Mary.
 
Why lies He in such mean estate,
 Where ox and ass are feeding?
 Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
 The silent Word is pleading.
 
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
 The cross be borne for me, for you.
 Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
 The Babe, the Son of Mary.
 
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
 Come peasant, king to own Him;
 The King of kings salvation brings,
 Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
 
Raise, raise a song on high,
 The virgin sings her lullaby.
 Joy, joy for Christ is born,
 The Babe, the Son of Mary.

The Holly and the Ivy
The holly and the ivy,
Bm A
When they are both full grown,
D Bm
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
G A7 D
The holly bears the crown.
D
The rising of the sun
Bm A
And the running of the deer,
D Bm
The playing of the merry organ,
G A7 D
Sweet singing in the choir.

Additional Verses:
The holly bears the blossom,
As white as the lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour:
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good:
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn.
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all:
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

Joy to the World

D Em D A7 D
Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
G A D
Let earth receive her King!
D G D D G D
Let every heart prepare Him room,
D
And heav’n and nature sing,
A A7
and heav’n and nature sing,
D G D Em D A7 D
and heav’n and heav’n and nature sing!

D Em D A7 D
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns;
G A D
Let men their songs employ;
D
While field and floods, rocks, hills, and plains.
D
Repeat the sounding joy,
A A7
Repeat the sounding joy,
D G D Em D A7 D
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

D Em D a7 D
He rules the world with truth and grace
G A D
And makes the nations prove
D G D D G D
The glories of His righteousness,
D
And wonders of His love,
A A7
And wonders of His love,
D G D Em D A7 D
And wonders, wonders of His love.

Oh Come all Ye Faithful

G D G D
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
Em D D A D
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
G D
Come and behold Him,
D Em D
born the King of angels:

G
O come let us adore Him,
G D
O come let us adore Him,
G Am D G Am
O come let us adore Him,
G D7 G
Chri – st the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all yea citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God, glory in the highest:

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this holy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be glory giv’n;
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing:

O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
G C G D
Hark the herald angels sing

G C G D G
“Glory to the new born King

G C G A
Peace on earth and mercy mild

D A D A D
God and sinners reconciled”

G D C D
Joyful all ye nations rise

G D C D
Join the triumph of the skies

C Am
With angelic host proclaim

D G C D G
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”

C Am
Hark the herald angels sing

D G C D G
“Glory to the new born King”

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel
Hark the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King”

Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace.
Hail the son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings,
risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by,
born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth,
born to five them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King”

Away in a Manger

D (Bm)
Away in a manger,

D G
No crib for His bed

A D
The little Lord Jesus

Em A
Laid down His sweet head

D (Bm)
The stars in the bright sky

D G
Looked down where He lay

A D
The little Lord Jesus

Em A D
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
‘Til morning is nigh.

Silent Night

A
Silent night, holy night
E A
All is calm, All is bright
D A
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
D A
Holy Infant so Tender and mild,
E A
Sleep in heavenly peace,
A E A
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleleulia
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the saviour is born.

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord at thy birth,
Jesus Lord at thy birth.

O Come O Come Emmanuel
Em Am G
O come, O come, E– man– u– el,
Em Am Em
And ransom captive Is– ra– el
Am Em D
That mourns in lowly exile here,
Em Am G
Un– til the Son of God ap– pear.

chorus:
D Em Am Em
Re – joice! Re – joice! E– man – u – el
G Am Em
Shall come to thee, O Is – rael.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach us in her ways to go.
(chorus)

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
(chorus)

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From the depths of hell Thy people save
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
(chorus)

O come, thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
(chorus)

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spitis by thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
(chorus)

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

Am Bm Am G
You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen

Am Bm Am G
Comet, and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen

Em A7 Em A7 D
But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all
G D
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose
G
And if you ever saw it you would even say it glows
G D
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names
G G7
They never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games

C G Am D G
Then one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say

D D#o7 Em A7 D
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight
G D
Then all the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee
G G7
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer you’ll go down in history
G D
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose
G
And if you ever saw it you would even say it glows
G D
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names
G G7
They never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games

C G Am D G
Then one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say

D D#o7 Em A7 D
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight
G D
Then how the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee
G
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer you’ll go down in history

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

G Em7 Am7 D
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
G Em7 Am7 D
Let your heart be light
G Em C D C B E7 Am7 D
From now on our troubles will be out of sight
G Em7 Am7 D
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
G Em7 Am7 D
Make the Yule-tide gay
G Em Am7 B Em G
From now on our troubles will be miles away

Cmaj7 D#maj7 Bm7 A/C#
Here we are as in olden days
Am7 D G
Happy golden days of yore
Em F#7 Bm7
Faithful friends who are dear to us
D A D
Gather near to us once more

G Em7 Am7 D
Through the years we all will be together
G Em7 Am7 D
If the fates allow
G Em Am7 B Em G
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
C Am7 D G
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

I’ll Be Home For Christmas

I’ll be home for Christmas [C] [Ebdim] [Dm7] [G7]
You can count on me [C] [Gm6] [A7] [Dm7] [Edim]
Please have snow and mistletoe [F6] [G7] [C] [Am]
And presents on the tree [D7] [Dm7] [G9]

Christmas Eve will find me [C] [Ebdim] [Dm7] [G7]
Where the love light gleams [C] [Gm6] [A7] [Dm7]
I’ll be home for Christmas [F6] [Fm6] [C] [A7+5]
If only in my dreams [D7] [Dm7] [G7] [C] [(Ab7] [Cmaj79)]

I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas

G C D G
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know
C
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen
G D
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
G C D G
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas with every Christmas card I write
C
May your days be merry and bright
G D G
And may all your Christmas’s be white,
G D G
And may all your Christmas-es be white….

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high [D A D]
Sweetly singing through the night [D A7 D]
And the mountains in reply [Bm, D]
Echoing their brave delight. [D A7 D]

Glo-ri-a [D B7 Em A7 Bm G A4 A]
in excelsis Deo, [D A D G D A]
Glo-ri-a [D B7 Em A7 Bm G A4 A]
in excelsis Deo. [D A D G D A D]

Shepherds, why this jubilee? [D A D]
Why these songs of happy cheer? [D A7 D]
What great brightness did you see? [Bm, D]
What glad tidings did you hear? [D A7 D]

Come to Bethlehem and see [D A D]
Him whose birth the angels sing. [D A7 D]
Come adore on bended knee [Bm, D]
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. [D A7 D]

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Have a holly, jolly Christmas; [C]
It’s the best time of the year [C] [C#dim] [G7]
I don’t know if there’ll be snow, [G7] [Ebdim] [G7] [C#dim]
but have a cup of cheer. [G7] [C]
Have a holly, jolly Christmas; [C]
And when you walk down the street [C] [C#dim] [G7]
Say Hello to friends you know [G7] [Ebdim] [G7] [C#dim]
and ev’ryone you meet. [G7] [C]

Oh, ho, the mistletoe [F] [Em] hung where you can see;
Somebody waits for you; [Bdim] [Am] Kiss her once for me.
Have a holly jolly Christmas, [C]
and in case you didn’t hear, [C] [C#dim] [G7]
Oh by golly, have a holly, jolly [G7] [C] [Am7] Christmas this year.

Winter Wonderland (Sleigh Bells Ring)

Intro
A7 Em7 A A7

Bm7 A D

Verse1
D
Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin’
A
In the lane, snow is glistening
A7 Em7 A A7
A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight
Bm7 A D
Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Verse2
D
Gone away is the blue bird
A
In his place is the new bird
A7 Em7 A A7
He’s singing our song, as we go along
Bm7 A D
Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Bridge
F# B F#
In the meadow we can build a snowman
F# B F#
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
A D A
He’ll say “Are you married ?”, We’ll say “No man,
A7 E A
But you can do the job when you’re in town.”

Verse3
D
Later on, we’ll conspire
A
As we dream by the fire
A7 Em7 A A7
To face unafraid, the plans that we made
Bm7 A D
Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Instrumental
D D
A A
A7 Em7 A A7
Bm7 A D

Bridge2
F# B F#
In the meadow we can build a snowman
F# B F#
And pretend that he’s a circus clown
A D A
We’ll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
A7 E A
Until the other kiddies knock him down

Verse4
D
When it snows, ain’t it thrillin’
A
Though you know, kids are chillin’
A7 Em7 A A7
We’ll frolic & play, the Eskimo way
Bm7 A D
Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I Saw Three Ships

G           D          G       D
I saw three ships come sailing in
G                 D
on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
G         D          G       D
I saw three ships come sailing in
G         Em         D   G
on Christmas Day in the morning

Additional Verses:
And what was in those ships all three
on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day.
And what was in those ships all three
on Christmas Day in the morning.

The Virgin Mary and Christ were there
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day.
The Virgin Mary and Christ were there
On Christmas Day in the morning.

The Christmas Waltz

F D7sus D7 Gm7 C7
Frosted window panes , candies gleaming in side
F D7-9 Gm
painted candy canes on the tree
C7-9 F Gm7 C7-9 Fmaj7
Santa’s on his way, he’s filled the sleigh with things
Dm7 G9 G7-9 C7
things for you and for me.
C7+5 F
It’s that time of year when the world falls in love
every song you hear seems to say
C7-9 F Gm7 C9 Am7-5
“Merry Christmas, may your New Year dreams come true”
D7 D7+5 D7 G9 C9 C7 F D7
and this song of mine in three quarter time
D7}wisbes G7 Cm7 C7 F
you and yours the same thing, too.