The Everything Family Christmas Book (40 page)

1. Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain: Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”

2. Christ by highest heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Come, desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’Incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
(Refrain)

3. Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to us He brings,
Ris’n 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 give them second birth.
(Refrain)

The Holly and the Ivy

Lyrics and Music: Traditional English

1. The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown.
Refrain: O the rising of the sun,
      And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

2. The holly bears a blossom,
As white as the lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Savior.
(Refrain)

3. The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.
(Refrain)

4. The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
(Refrain)

5. The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
(Refrain)

6. The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown.
(Refrain)

I Saw Three Ships

Lyrics and Music: Traditional English

1. I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

2. 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.

3. Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

4. Pray, whither sailed those ships all three?
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three?
On Christmas Day in the morning.

5. O, they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
O, they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

6. And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

7. And all the angels in heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the angels in heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

8. And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

9. Then let us all rejoice again!
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Then let us all rejoice again!
On Christmas Day in the morning.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Lyrics: Edmund Sears (1810–1876)
Music: Richard S. Willis (1819–1900)

1. It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heav’n's all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

2. Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heav’nly music floats
O’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov’ring wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

3. O ye, beneath life’s crushing load
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

4. For lo, the days are hast’ning on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years,
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heav’n and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Jingle Bells

Lyrics and Music: John Pierpont (1785–1866)

Dashing through the snow,
In a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

Anonymous

1. Jolly old Saint Nicholas,
lean your ear this way!
Don’t you tell a single soul
what I’m going to say:
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
now, you dear old man
Whisper what you’ll bring to me;
tell me if you can.

2. When the clock is striking twelve,
when I’m fast asleep
Down the chimney, broad and black,
with your pack you’ll creep.
All the stockings you will find
hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one,
you’ll be sure to know

3. Bobby wants a pair of skates,
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book,
yellow, blue, and red.
Now I think I’ll leave to you
what to give the rest
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
you will know the best.

Joy to the World

Lyrics: Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
Music: unknown

1. Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

2. Joy to the world! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3. He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

O Christmas Tree

Lyrics and Music: Traditional German