Christmas Carols Defined

A carol is a song sung to celebrate an event. In the Middle Ages carols were popular as communal sing-a-longs to celebrate the harvest or other happy event. They also had a beat, and you could dance to them. The dance style was a "round," happy people, lubricated by organic beer, cavorting in a circle. If you were in France, then it was a carole, but dancing was still circular.

Later, carols were taken over for Christmas. The origin of carols is a bit on the seamy side, most deriving from wassailing songs, sung in the pub or tavern after a long day in the field. Everybody raised a pint or two, a little round dancing, (it's got a beat, could dance to it, give it a ten) and some wassailing. Good time had by all.

Then the Puritans became, well, Puritanical. Wassailing, singing, dancing, round or otherwise was frowned on and carols were out of favor.

The Victorians revived caroling with the help of Charles Dickens and those old drinking songs received a new life and new lyrics. Singing carols and going door to door was big. Carolers were even rewarded for their efforts.

Carols are an integral part of the modern Christmas experience, even though dancing to carols has gone out of style. Wassailing is still popular (try saying that after a few egg nogs) and in the spirit of carols, caroling, and celebrations, here is a playlist. Dancing and going door to door, optional.

1. White Christmas - Irving Berlin
Academy award for best song 1942. Best selling song of all time. Bing Crosby sung it in the film White Christmas.

2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on An Open Fire)-Mel Tormé and Bob Wells
Written on a blistering hot day in 1944.

3. Good King Wenceslas- John Mason Neale
Music from Piae Cantiones, from the medieval Finnish.

4. Deck the Halls- traditional
Based on the Welsh, "Oer yw'u gwr syn methu caru"

5. The Twelve Days of Christmas
English traditional. John Austen added the melody for the five gold rings part.

6. Jingle Bells- James Lord Pierpont
A Thanksgiving song co-opted for Christmas.

7. Carol of the Bells- Mykola Leontovich
Based on a Ukrainian pagan New Year chant, "Shchedryk"

8. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
Sir Paul got it right. It's got a beat. You could dance to it.

9. Sleigh Ride- Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Signature piece of the Boston Pops.
10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing- Frederick Mendelssohn
Part of the Festgesang. Happy people. In a group.

Let's not forget that old chestnut, "A-Wassailing We Will Go," to get the group into the spirit of things.

Reference:
Merriam-Webster Dictionary