List of Christmas carols

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A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics center on the theme of Christmas or that has become associated with the Christmas season even though its lyrics may not specifically refer to Christmas. Both types of Christmas carols are included in this list.

Traditional carols mainly focus on the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Other carols focus on more secular Christmas themes, such as winter scenes, family gatherings, and Santa Claus.

Well known carols

• "Adeste Fideles" ("O Come All Ye Faithful")
• *attributed to John Francis Wade around 1743
• "Angels From the Realms of Glory"
• "Angels We Have Heard On High"
• *based on traditional carol "Les Anges dans nos Campagnes"
• *music is traditional hymn "Gloria"
• *English translation by James Chadwick in 1862
• *reworded, retitled, and sung by Michael W. Smith as "Gloria"
• "As With Gladness Men of Old"
• "Away in a Manger"
• *first published in 1885
• *first two stanzas attributed to unknown author
• *third stanza written by Dr. John McFarland in 1904
• "Boar's Head Carol"
• "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella"
• "Carol of the Bells"
• *music and Ukrainian lyrics written by Mykola Leontovych in 1916 (originally titled "Shchedryk")
• *English lyrics written by Peter Wilhousky in 1936
• "Caroling Caroling"
• *music written by Alfred Burt in 1954
• *lyrics written by Wihla Hutson in 1954
• "The Cherry-Tree Carol"
• *traditional
• "Christ Is Born In Bethlehem"
• "Christmas Auld Lang Syne"
• "Come Buy My Nice Fresh Ivy"
• *music written by Turlough O'Carolan (originally titled "O'Carolan's Lament")
• *lyrics written by John Keegan in 1849
• "Coventry Carol"
• "Deck the Halls"
• "Ding Dong Merrily on High"
• *music written by Jehan Tabourot
• *words written by George Ratcliffe Woodward
• "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
• *written by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne in 1962
• *first recorded by The Harry Simeone Chorale in 1962
• "The First Noël"
• *traditional
• "Gabriel's Message"
• "Gaudete"
• "Gesu Bambino"
• "Gloucester Wassail"
• "Go Tell it on The Mountain"
• "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
• "Good King Wenceslas"
• "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
• *music written by Felix Mendelssohn originally as part of Festgesang
• *words written by Charles Wesley
• "Here We Come a-Wassailling"
• "The Holly and the Ivy"
• "Huron Carol" ("'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime")
• "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"
• *lyrics by Longfellow
• "I Saw Three Ships"
• "I Wonder As I Wander"
• "In Dulci Jubilo" ("Good Christian Men, Rejoice")
• "In the Bleak Midwinter"
• "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"
• "Joy to the World"
• "The Little Drummer Boy"
• *written by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorah and Harry Simeone
• *first recorded by The Harry Simeone Chorale in 1958
• *also recorded by Bob Seger, Percy Faith, Mercy Me, Jars of Clay
• "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
• "Masters in This Hall"
• "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" ("Veni, Veni, Emmanuel"; actually an Advent hymn)
• "O Holy Night"
• "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
• *retitled and sung by Amy Grant as "Little Town"
• "O Tannenbaum"
• "Once In Royal David's City"
• "Personent Hodie"
• "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow"
• "Rocking"
• "Sans Day Carol"
• "Silent Night"
• *written by Franz Xaver Gruber
• "Silver and Gold"
• "Sing We Now of Christmas"
• "Still, Still, Still"
• "The Sussex Carol"
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
• *traditional
• "The Wassail Song"
• "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne"
• "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
• *traditional
• "We Three Kings Of Orient Are" (actually an Epiphany carol)
• *written by Reverand John Henry Hopkins in 1863
• "Wexford Carol"
• "What Child Is This?"
• *music is traditional song "Greensleeves"
• *words written by William Chatterton Dix
• "While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night"

Popular Christmas songs that are not considered carols

• "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
• *written by Johnny Marks
• *first recorded by Burl Ives in 1964
• *also recorded by Alan Jackson
• "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth"
• *written by Donald Yetter Gardner
• *first recorded by Spike Jones in 1948
• "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
• *written by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey
• *first recorded by Mariah Carey in 1994
• "Babes in Toyland"
• *written by Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough
• "Blue Christmas"
• *written by Bill Hayes and Jay Johnson
• *first recorded by Doye O'Dell in 1948
• *also recorded by Elvis Presley
• "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"
• *written by Ross Bagdasarian
• *first recorded by The Chipmunks in 1958
• '''"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
• *written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector
• *first recorded by Darlene Love in 1963
• *also recorded by Mariah Carey, Rosie O'Donnell featuring Cher
• "Christmas All Over Again"
• *written by Tom Petty
• *first recorded by Tom Petty in 1992
• "Christmas Day"
• *music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David
• *from the Broadway musical Promises, Promises (1968)
• "Christmas Shoes"
• *written by Leonard Ahlstrom and Eddie Carswell
• *first recorded by NewSong in 2000
• "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"
• *written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells
• *first recorded by The Nat King Cole Trio in 1946
• *also recorded by The Carpenters, Celine Dion, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton
• "Christmas Time: Don't Let The Bells End"
• *first recorded by The Darkness
• "Christmas Time Is Here"
• *written by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson
• *first recorded by Vince Guaraldi in 1965
• *also recorded by Chicago, Mercy Me, Diana Krall, Toni Braxton
• "Christmas Time Is Here Again"
• *written by George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr
• *first recorded by The Beatles
• "Christmas Vacation"
• *written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann
• "The Christmas Waltz"
• *music by Jules Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn, c. 1954
• *recorded by Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Harry Connick Jr., The Carpenters, and many others
• "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
• *written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure
• *first recorded by Band Aid
• "Feliz Navidad"
• *written by José Feliciano
• *first recorded by José Feliciano in 1970
• *also recorded by Celine Dion
• "Frosty the Snowman"
• *written by Steve Edward Nelson and Jack Rollins
• *first recorded by Gene Autry in 1950
• *also recorded by the Jackson 5, Willie Nelson
• "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
• *written by Randy Brooks
• *first recorded by Elmo & Patsy in 1983
• "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
• *written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono
• *first recorded by John & Yoko The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir
• *also recorded by Celine Dion
• "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
• *written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
• *first recorded by Judy Garland for the film "Meet Me in St. Louis" in 1944
• *also recorded by Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, James Taylor, The Pretenders, Amy Grant, Chicago, Kenny Loggins, Toni Braxton
• "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)"
• *written by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman
• *first recorded by Gene Autry in 1947
• *also recorded by Elvis Presley
• "I Believe In Father Christmas"
• *written by Greg Lake and Peter Sinfield
• *first recorded by Greg Lake of Emerson Lake and Palmer in 1977
• "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
• *written by Thomas Connor
• *first recorded by Jimmy Boyd in 1952
• "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
• *written by Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram
• *first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943
• *also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Amy Grant, The Carpenters
• "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
• *written by Robert Meredith Willson
• *first recorded by Perry Como on September 18, 1951
• *also recorded by Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis
• "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
• *written by Edward Pola and George Wyle
• *first recorded by Andy Williams in 1963
• *also recorded by Amy Grant, Johnny Mathis, Toni Braxton
• "Jingle Bell Rock"
• *written by Joe Beale and Jim Boothe
• *first recorded by Bobby Helms in 1957
• *also recorded by Hall & Oates
• "Jingle Bells"
• *written by James Pierpont
• "Jolly Old St. Nicholas"
• *traditional
• "Last Christmas"
• *written by George Michael
• *first recorded by Wham!
• *also recorded by Hilary Duff, Jimmy Eat World, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Billie Piper
• "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
• *written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
• *first recorded by Vaughn Monroe on October 31, 1945
• *also recorded by Andy Williams, Chicago, Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis
• "Let There Be Peace on Earth"
• *written by Jill Jackson and Seymour Miller
• "Little Saint Nick"
• *written by Brian Wilson
• *first recorded by The Beach Boys in 1964
• "Merry Christmas, Baby"
• *written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore
• "Merry Xmas Everybody"
• *written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea
• *first recorded by Slade
• '''"Please Come Home for Christmas"
• *written by Charles Brown and Gene C. Redd
• *first recorded by Charles Brown in 1960
• *also recorded by The Eagles, Aaron Neville
• "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"
• *written by Johnny Marks
• *first recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958
• "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
• *written by Johnny Marks
• *first recorded by Gene Autry in 1949
• *also recorded by Harry Connick, Jr., Burl Ives, Ray Conniff, Dean Martin
• "Run Rudolph Run"
• *written by Marvin Brodie and Johnny Marks
• *first recorded by Chuck Berry in 1958
• "Santa Baby"
• *written by Joan Javits, Philip Springer and Tony Springer
• *first recorded by Eartha Kitt in 1953
• "Santa Claus Is Back in Town"
• *written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
• *first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957
• "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
• *written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
• *recorded by Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Chicago
• "Silver Bells"
• *written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston
• *first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1951
• "Sleigh Ride"
• *music written by Leroy Anderson in 1948
• *lyrics written by Mitchell Parish in 1950
• *instrumental version first recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1949
• *vocal version first recorded by Merv Griffin with Freddy Martin and his Orchestra in 1951
• *also recorded by Deborah Gibson, Amy Grant, Leroy Anderson, The Carpenters, Air Supply, Johnny Mathis
• "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays"
• *written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman
• *first recorded by Perry Como on November 16, 1954
• *also recorded by The Carpenters
• "Up on the Housetop"
• *traditional
• "We Need a Little Christmas"
• *written by Jerry Herman
• *first recorded by The Original Broadway Cast of Mame 1966
• *also recorded by Percy Faith, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams
• "White Christmas"
• *written by Irving Berlin
• *first recorded by Bing Crosby for the film "Holiday Inn" in 1942
• *also recorded by Chicago
• "Whispering Hope"
• *written by Alice Hawthorne
• "Winter Wonderland"
• *written by Felix Bernard and Dick Smith
• *first recorded by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians in 1934
• *also recorded by Amy Grant, Eurythmics, Johnny Mathis
• "Wonderful Christmas Time"
• *written by Paul McCartney
• *first recorded by Paul McCartney

 

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