Christmas 2023: It’s the most glorious time of the year and bells have started to chime in the streets. One of the most amazing aspects of Christmas is the lovely sound of carols being sung in different churches, events, streets, etc. These jolly Christmas carols have been known for spreading smiles everywhere around the world since time immemorial. From ‘Jingle Bells’ / ‘Dashing Through the Snow’ to ‘Silent Night’ we have got a list of five most popular Christmas carols that you must know about.
Christmas 2023: The origin of Christmas carols and their significance
Back in antiquity, people used to lift their spirits during harsh winters by singing native jolly songs. However, these songs transitioned into Christmas carols somewhere around the 14th century CE. When Christianity was spreading widely in Europe, the Franciscan Friars were the ones who introduced Christmas carols while dancing around in circles for the first time. These carols were dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ himself. A lot of Christmas carols were produced in the 15th century CE which have been well preserved since then.
Jingle Bells – Dashing Through the Snow
The popular Christmas carol that is usually related to the imagined journey of Santa Claus was composed by James Lord Pierpont. Surprisingly, the song doesn’t even have the word Christmas in it, nor does it have ‘Santa Claus’. It was originally meant to be a Thanksgiving song but people loved it so much that they demanded an encore performance for Christmas. People believe that Pierpont was inspired by ‘cutter races’ in Boston.
Joy To The World
Another famous Christmas carol belongs to the era of the early 18th century. The lyrics of the carol are dedicated to the coming of Lord Jesus Christ. Lyricist/hymnist Isaac Watts took inspiration from Psalm 98 from the Old Testament and reinterpreted it with a Christian perspective in 1719.
We Three Kings
This carol comes straight away from the Gospel narratives of the New Testament in the Bible. It narrates the story of the birth of Lord Jesus Christ from the perspective of the oriental Magi who brought the gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense on the occasion. These Magi are believed to have traveled toward the Middle East from Asia (possibly India). They were guided by a star in the night sky which suggests they were probably trained in Astrology. A fun fact is that the Bible doesn’t tell how many there were in numbers, however, judging by the three gifts they brought, traditionally people have come to believe there were 3 Magi.
The First Noel
This beautiful melodious carol’s origins can be traced back to the Cornish people of the UK. However, the version we sing today was first published in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823). Its lyrics narrate the beautiful scenario of the humble birth of Lord Jesus Christ.
Silent Night Holy Night
Christmas is considered incomplete in Christian homes without singing ‘Silent Night’. Many people think that this is one of the oldest Christmas carols considering its popularity. On the contrary, ‘Silent Night’ was first performed in 1818 in Austria. Its lyrics were penned down by Father Joseph Mohr while the music was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber. The lyrics of the carol glorify the birth of the Saviour of the world Jesus Christ.
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