Top Ten Christmas Carols
Top Ten Christmas Carols
What are the Top Ten Christmas Carols? - Day 449 - Daily Content Challenge
Here is a list of the top ten Christmas Carols. Many of these carols I have played on the handbells this Christmas Season and I also wrote a blog about many of them. Which ones are your favorites?
#1. "Silent Night" tops the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols.
In the number one spot is the Christmas carol “Silent Night”. This carol was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber and the lyrics were written by Joseph Mohr. He wrote the lyrics to the melody of an Austrian folk song.
The song was first performed by Mohr and Gruber at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria on December 24, 1818 for the Christmas Eve service.
The lyrics tell the story of the night that Jesus was born. Inspired by the silence of the Christmas night and the beauty of the surrounding countryside, Mohr shared the joy that Jesus’ birth brought to the world.
The carol quickly gained popularity and was soon being performed in churches all over Europe. The carol was translated into many different languages and today is one of the most popular Christmas carols in the world.
Originally written in German, it has since been translated into over 300 languages and dialects. It has also been recorded with hundreds of different versions. Singing “Silent Night’ is a holiday tradition in many countries.
To find the lyrics click on the photo above and you can read my blog about this popular carol.
#2. "Joy to the World" is the second carol on the Top Ten Christmas Carols.
“Joy to the World” was written by English hymnist Isaac Watts in 1719. Based on Psalm 98, it celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
The song was later adapted with music by Lowell Mason in 1839. The carol expresses the joy and anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. The lyrics proclaim the good news that Jesus has come.
The song is a reminder of the joy that Christ’s coming brings to the world.
You can click on the picture above to read more about this Christmas Carol.
#3. In Third place on the Top Ten Christmas Carols list is "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
“O Come, All Ye Faithful" is believed to have originated in Portugal during the 18th C.
If you click on the photo about you can read my blog about this favourite Christmas Carol.
#4. "The First Noel" is in fourth place on the Top Ten Christmas Carols list.
“The First Noel” is a traditional English carol that dates back to the mid-19th C. It is believed to have originated in Cornwall, England. It is likely to be based on a 16th C French carol and is usually performed in English, even though there are some versions in Cornish and French.
The lyrics tell the story of Jesus’ birth and his parents’ journey to Bethlehem. It starts with the angels telling the shepherds in the fields to go to Bethlehem to see the Christ child. They go to Bethlehem and find the baby Jesus lying in a manger. The song ends with a call to all believers to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The song shares the message that Jesus is the savior of the world and that His birth should be celebrated with love and joy.
If you click on the photo, you can learn more about this carol.
#5. Coming in fifth place on the Top Ten Christmas Carols list is "Hark the Herald Angels Sing".
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” was written by English hymnist Charles Wesley in 1739. The song was first titled “Hymn for Christmas Day”.
This carol is based on Luke 2:14. Wesley was inspired by the Gospel of Luke which tells the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields. The angels proclaim the birth of Christ.
Over time, the song has been adapted and rearranged to become the Christmas carol we know today.
#6. "Deck the Halls" stands in sixth place on the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols.
“Deck the Halls" is a traditional Welsh carol that dates back to the 16th century. This was one of the carols that the Bridge Bells ringers played for the residents at St. Mike’s Health Centre in Lethbridge this December.
If you click on the picture you can read the blog I posted about this carol that came in sixth place on the Top Ten Christmas Carols list.
#7. "O Holy Night" is in seventh place on the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols.
The carol “O Holy Night” was composed in 1847 by French composer and organist Adolphe Adam.
The lyrics were written by a poet named Placide Cappeau who was a French wine merchant. He was asked by a parish priest to write something for the Christmas season that could be performed in church.
After the poem was set to music by Adolphe Adam, the first performance was held on Christmas Eve in the church of Roquemaure, France.
The song was translated into English in 1855 and since then it has become one of the most loved Christmas carols of all time.
Its message of hope and joy can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Click on the photo above to find the lyrics to this carol.
#8. In eighth place in the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols is "Jingle Bells".
"Jingle Bells" was another piece the Bridge Bells ringers played for the residents at St. Mike's.
This song was composed in 1857 by an American composer named James Lord Pierpont. It originally was written as a song for Thanksgiving. Today it has been adapted for Christmas.
If you click on the photo of the One Horse Open Sleigh you can read my blog about Jingle Bells which is in eighth place on the Top Ten Christmas Carols list.
#9. In ninth place in the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols is "Away in a Manger".
“Away in a Manger” was written in the late 19th century by either American composer James R. Murray or American hymn writer William J. Kirkpatrick.
This Christmas carol is based on the traditional Nativity story of the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem.
The simple lyrics evoke a feeling of peace, love and joy. The song is widely sung in churches and homes around the world during the Christmas season.
#10. The tenth carol to make the list of the Top Ten Christmas Carols is "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".
The song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is one of the oldest known Christmas Carols in the English language dating back to the 16th century.
Carolers would go door-to-door at Christmas time, wishing the family a Merry Christmas and hoping to get a tip from the family in return.
The lyrics were originally written in a local dialect rather than standard English. The current form of the song was published in the late 19th century.
The song has become widely popular in both the United Kingdom and in North America today.
Click on the photo above and find out what the tip was that they were hoping the family would give them.
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