Sing It Out!

There are few traditions associated with the Christmas season more practiced than singing Christmas carols and songs. Caroling, which means to dance and sing songs of praise, has been practiced since the Dark Ages. The first true Christmas carol was sung in Latin in 129 AD in Rome. It was not until 1223 AD when St. Francis of Assisi had a nativity scene built and taught the people to sing songs about Christmas that caroling gained its popularity. The children singing at that time were the first true Christmas carolers. Singing Christmas songs in the people’s native languages became popular in France and Germany where many of the songs originated. The practice of singing Christmas songs and caroling became popular in England in the 1840s and developed into the strolling Victorian carolers we associate with the era. In a few years, the practice spread to the United States, and, after the American Civil War, many caroling groups spread Christmas joy and goodwill to people everywhere. 

There are the great stories of wars coming to a halt while soldiers on both sides celebrated Christmas by singing Christmas songs. It is told that on Christmas Eve in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, a French soldier jumped out of his foxhole and began singing “O Holy Night.” Shortly thereafter, all gunfire ceased and soldiers on both sides sang Christmas carols. The French and German soldiers sang Christmas songs back and forth to each other in peace as they celebrated the holiday. During World War I, the soldiers on the front lines negotiated a truce on Christmas Eve, with the men on both sides coming together to bury their dead, sing Christmas carols, and celebrate the holiday.¹ The power of celebrating Christmas and using music to do so cannot be underestimated even today.

The stories of some of our most-loved Christmas carols are inspiring. For instance, the most widely sung Christmas song, “Silent Night,” was written out of desperation. Father Joseph Mohr, an assistant priest at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Germany, was planning a special Christmas Eve mass. Much to everyone’s disappointment, it was discovered that the organ was broken and there would be no music. That would not do! He had been thinking about a new Christmas song for some time so he sat down and penned the words to what we now know as “Silent Night.” He quickly took the words to the village schoolmaster and church organist, Franz Grüber, and asked him to write the melody to accompany the words. The carol was completed in time for the service. Father Mohr and Franz Grüber sang the newfound song with Grüber playing the melody on his guitar. Everyone was thrilled with the new song. The story continues that the organ repairman heard the song, got a copy of the music, and took it around the region. Its popularity soon spread throughout Austria and Germany and made its way to the United States in 1839. It was subsequently translated into English and, currently, is the most frequently sung Christmas song.²

One of our favorite Christmas songs had its roots here in the United States. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” was written by the famous American writer, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. While he was a literature professor at Harvard University, the American Civil War broke out. Henry’s son, Charley, then 17 years old, ran away to join the Union Army; he was a good and respected soldier. In 1863, he contracted malaria and typhoid fever, but recovered and returned to the battlefield. During a battle in Virginia in November 1863, he was seriously wounded and sent to Washington, DC, to recover. His father found him and brought Charley home. On Christmas Day in 1863, being grateful that his son was alive but distressed about the war, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the words to “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” If you sing or read the entire song, it is easy to see his distress when he says in the third verse: “And in despair I bowed my head; ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said. ‘For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.’” He looks with certainty to the future when he comes to the conclusion in the fourth verse that “The wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth good will to men.”3 

Carols and songs continue to be an important way we celebrate Christmas. Although walking through neighborhoods or standing on street corners singing them is not as popular as it once was, these Christmas songs still convey the message of joy and hope to all. Even if you cannot sing at all, I hope you will take time to be a part of sharing Christmas cheer through music to all. Happy Holidays!