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Heard the Santa fly over your house? Christmas is the time of gifts and merry, and everyone around is gay. And what better way to express your happiness than with Christmas songs for kids. One of the things that make Christmas a lovely holiday is music, and the cheer it brings to us. Whether you are listening to an Xmas carol or singing one with your family and friends, you are likely to feel as joyous as a little child. We have compiled a list of the merriest Christmas songs, carols and poems for kids that your young ones would love to hum along through the holiday season! Sounds like a plan to keep them cheerful during the holidays?
Key Pointers
- Singing Christmas songs is a great way to get into the holiday mood and create lasting memories with children.
- A few classic Christmas carols children love are Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
- Teaching Christmas poems like Happy Days and Christmas Greetings can be fun and educational, introducing them to poetry and enhancing their language skills.
Popular Christmas Songs For Kids
How do you keep the children from making noise during Christmas? Simple, get them to sing songs instead! Our list of Christmas songs for kids include popular ones you cannot stop humming.
1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Figgy Pudding Song)
‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas’ is a very popular and straightforward song that just wishes you a happy Christmas Eve. Fondly known as the Figgy Pudding song by some, the origin of this happy song goes back to 1740, when the phrase ‘a merry Christmas and a happy new year’ was coined in West Country, England.
The song is about every good thing that makes Christmas including good wishes, music, cheer, and of course, the Figgy pudding!
2. Must Be Santa
Santa may or may not be real, but we love him! We love the red suit he wears, the fluffy white beard he dons and his round-rimmed glasses and bag full of gifts! ‘Must be Santa’ is a favorite Christmas song adapted from a German drinking song. The lyrics of the song are a description of St. Nicholas, presented in a question-answer format.
Must be Santa is a fun Christmas song you can teach your child. Here is the first stanza of the song.
3. The Christmas Song
Brandon Heath is one of the most famous contemporary Christian singers there is today. He began leaning towards gospel and Christian music after high school thanks to a Christian Young Life Camp he attended. His lyrics are modern, but about Jesus nevertheless. His album Christmas is Here is a compilation of some of his best songs about the holiday season.
Our pick is ‘The Christmas Song’ from the album, one that young children will enjoy singing along.
4. Wonderful Christmas Time
There’s nothing sweeter than vintage wine and catchy Christmas song by Paul McCartney! There are many Christmas songs out there, but this one is one of the simplest and peppiest ones for kids. The lyrics and the tune are easy. Play this once or maybe twice and your children will catch up in no time.
Here are a few lines from the song.
5. Jingle Bell Rock
Jingle Bells is perhaps the most energetic Christmas Carol there is. But ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ is nothing like the Carol. It is peppier, has simple rhyming lyrics, and makes you want to dance. There are many versions of the Jingle Bell Rock, which was originally composed by Bobby Helms back in 1957.
The original tune is one you can swoon to. But if you want the kids dancing, we suggest the version by Sam Evans, composed for the TV series Glee!
6. Let It Snow
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, ‘Let It Snow’ is just the song for a divinely white Christmas! Like any other favorite song, Let It Snow was performed by several notable artists including Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Kylie Minogue, Frank Sinatra, Carly Simon and Michael Buble.
While the older versions have a classic Christmassy-feel, Michael Buble’s version makes you want to dance to it.
7. Just A Girl
‘Just A Girl’ is another popular Christmas song by Brandon Heath. The song tells you the story of Mary, who is looked down as just a girl, who gives birth to the king of the world. The tune is soothing and sounds great when sung in groups. Just A Girl is a perfect Christmas song for kids to sing in a play or a performance.
8. White Christmas
Bing Crosby’s voice alone can take you into a world of calm, peace, and joy! His version of ‘White Christmas’ is a classic that can be played at Christmas parties or dinners. If you want to get your children to sing it, you may want to try the cover by Taylor Swift. But the version by Michael Buble, featuring Shania Twain, is as peppy as it gets for kids.
9. A Holly Jolly Christmas
A ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ has been a favorite Christmas tune ever since Burl Ives sang it in 1964. You can get your children to perform it at home, school, or at the church, to wish the audience a jolly and happy Christmas. The lyrics are easy and can be sung over and over again!
These are just a few of the many Christmas pop songs that your kids will like. Up on the Housetop is one of the oldest secular Christmas songs, written in 1864 by Benjamin Hanby. Among the most popular include “All I Want for Christmas” by Mariah Carey, which is sure to be a hit with your teenage girl. Listen to it once, and she might just fall in love with Christmas. Then there is Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays by N Sync, and Winter Wonderland by Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga! The Little Drummer Boy is a Christmas song popularized by Harry Simeone. At the same time, Feliz Navidad is another famous track written and recorded by José Feliciano. Another favorite single, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, was written by Johnny Marks and performed by numerous musical artists over the years. A famous rendition of Silver Bells by the American singer Bing Crosby remains a renowned track of this festivity. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer are two other notable Christmas songs worth mentioning.
Favorite Christmas Carols For Children
Christmas songs are fun, but carols are a bit more traditional. They capture the true spirit of the Christmas. So why not teach your little ones a couple of carols with the peppy songs?
Here is a list of the top Christmas carols that we have compiled for you.
1. Jingle Bells By James Lord Pierpont
You don’t have to be a Christian to love ‘Jingle Bells’ at Christmas time. Written by James Lord Pierpont in the 1890s, the peppy, traditional song is about the most loved man during Christmas, Santa Claus. Your kids may already know the lyrics to it if they go to school. If not, now is the time to teach them this happy song. Here are a few lines to start with!
Did you know?There are hundreds of versions of Jingle Bells today. Pick one that your children can understand and sing along with, to teach them.
2. All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)
If you have kids aged six or seven, chances are they’ve lost their front teeth. If you are smiling at the thought of your kids’ toothless smiles, then here is a carol you can teach them this Christmas.
‘All I Want for Christmas’ is a novelty Christmas carol penned by Donald Yetter Gardner in 1944. The song was first performed in 1948, but the one you should make the kids watch is the one by Michael Buble and Elmo!
It is way too cute to miss!
3. The Twelve Days Of Christmas
‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is Carol that the entire family can sing. It is a pretty long song, but kids can easily memorize it, thanks to the simple composition and easy-to-remember lyrics. The song lists down the different gifts that the singer gets from his or her beloved on each day of the twelve days from Christmas.
Here are the first two stanzas from the carol.
4. Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer
How can you love Santa and not love his cute, red-nosed reindeer? The Carol, as the name says, is about how the little reindeer got to working for St. Nicholas and the important role he plays in delivering the gifts to children around the world. Several artists have rendered their versions of the carol for movies and pop and gospel albums. The lyrics and the tune of each of these versions are more or less the same.
But when you want to teach the song to your kids, an animated or cartoon version of the song works well.
5. Here Comes Santa Claus
‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ is yet another peppy Carol about St. Nicholas, second to Jingle Bells. If you are tired of Jingle Bells (as if that is possible!) and want to teach something new, this one is a good kids’ Christmas song. The song, written and originally performed by Gene Autry, announces that Santa Claus is coming on Christmas Eve. Later, the likes of Elvis Presley, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Willie Nelson, Mariah Carey, and the Chipmunks also performed it.
Quick fact
6. Frosty The Snowman
If it is Christmas and there is snow, it is time to make a snowman and name him Frosty! ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is a Christmas song written by Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson in 1950. It was first recorded by Gene Autry and later by artists like Nat King Cole, Jimmy Durante, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, The Carpenters, and Michael Buble.
7. Ding Dong Merrily on High
‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ is one of the oldest Christmas carols, written in the 1500s. The tune was first published in a dance book in the 15th century, while George Ratcliffe Woodward wrote the English lyrics for it in the 19th century. The highlight of the song is the Latin phrase ‘Gloria, Hosanna in exelsis’.
Notable renderings of the carol include the choir version by King’s College, Cambridge. It is one of the best versions of the hymn.
Joy to the World and Silent Night, written by Isaac Watts and Joseph Mohr, respectively, remains a classic Christmas carol that chimes familiarity with everyone. Deck the Hall is a traditional carol with its melody dating back to the 16th century. Additionally, The First Noel and Away in a Manger deserve mention as popular Christmas carols.
Easy Christmas Poems For Kids
Kids are not big on poems unless the verses are rhyming and catchy. So here we are with a list of short poems that your children can learn for Christmas and recite them too.
1. Happy Days
‘Happy Days’ is a poem written by Rhoda Cosgrave Sivell, an Irish poet who lived in Canada. She wrote the poem Happy Days in 1912, about Christmas in a Prairie town. Happy Days is a narrative poem with four stanzas of six lines each. So you might want to pick a verse or two that your child can learn quickly for a performance or just for fun.
2. Christmas Lights
Come Christmas and almost every house on the street is decorated with bright, starry lights. Imagine, how beautiful your city, town, or street looks with Christmas decorations and poetry comes automatically.
‘Christmas Lights’ is a short poem written by Marie Irish. The poem has only one stanza but aptly describes the importance of stars, lights, and candles at Christmas.
3. Christmas Greetings
‘Christmas Greetings’ is one of the lesser-known works of Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland. Carroll wrote the poem during Christmas of 1867 after he completed Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The poem is a wish from the fairies to a child, to forget to be naughty and wish the fairy ladies a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
4. Little Tree
Imagine Christmas without a tree. Where would Santa put the gifts then? What would you decorate?
Small or big, a Christmas tree at home makes the holiday complete, and special. The Christmas tree leaves its home, the forest to deck your home for the festival, a tale so beautifully mentioned in the poem by E.E. Cummings. ‘Little Tree’ describes how kids love decorating the tree and dancing around it.
5. A Christmas Wish
Written by Eugene Field, or the ‘poet of childhood’, as the Newspapers fondly called him, ‘A Christmas Wish’ talks about what a little boy wants for Christmas. The poem encourages, in few lines, to wish for good things only to share with those who do not have them. The poem is short and has rhyming verses, which makes one that your kids can learn.
6. Christmas Giving
As the name of the poem says, Christmas is about giving and sharing the good things in life. This song may seem a little preachy to older kids, but it emphasizes that every gift is precious, regardless of the size or the price. This Christmas poem for children paves the way to teach them to be grateful for what they get from others.
You can choose this for community plays or performances by kids.
7. Smells Of Christmas
Close your eyes. Think Christmas cookies, gingerbread, and cake. Think about everything else that your mom cooks for your family. Smells like home, doesn’t it? ‘Smells of Christmas’ takes you down the memory lane, filling your mind with the fragrances of the holiday season: the fresh snow, warm firewood, and the food!
The poem is written by Bernard Howe.
8. Let Everyday Be Christmas
Christmas is about love, giving, and the joys of spending time with the loved ones. On that thought, Norman Wesley Brooks, a US engineer, wrote an inspiring poem called ‘Let Everyday Be Christmas’. The poet points out that we don’t have to put away the Christmas spirit of joy, kindness and giving like we do lights and decorations.
A beautiful analogy, isn’t it?
9. A Song Was Heard At Christmas
‘A Song was Heard at Christmas’ was written by Timothy Dudley-Smith, who was a bishop of the Church of England. The poem is a short verse describing the eve of Christmas when Jesus was born. The poem tells us how the angels sang to announce the arrival of the King, and how we continue to sing his praises even today.
Illustration: Popular Christmas Songs Carols And Poems For Kids
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I get my child excited about singing Christmas songs?
Choose Christmas songs with an exciting rhythm and rhyming words to get your children excited. Bring their friends over, turn on the music player, and allow the children to sing loudly. You can also involve children in Christmas baking, and decorating to further spark their interest. You may also try sharing Christmas stories for kids to get them in a festive mood.
2. How do Christmas songs for children vary across different countries and cultures?
Christmas songs may have regional variations and local references based on the country. Some songs may also be translated into the local language, or a local version could be sung to the tune of a popular Christmas song.
3. Why are Christmas songs for kids often catchy and easy to remember?
Christmas carols for children tend to be appealing and easy to remember due to their repeating rhythms, simple lyrics, and memorable tunes.
4. How do Christmas songs for children contribute to the spirit of giving and joy during the holiday season?
Christmas songs for children promote the spirit of giving and joy during the holiday season by conveying messages of generosity, compassion, and love. These songs often celebrate themes such as sharing, helping others, and the joy of giving presents.
5. What themes or messages are commonly found in Christmas songs for children?
Common themes and messages found in Christmas songs for children include love, joy, kindness, generosity, togetherness, peace, and the spirit of giving. These songs often celebrate the birth of Jesus, Santa Claus, the magic of Christmas, and the joyous traditions and festivities associated with the holiday season.
6. What role do Christmas songs for children play in school and community holiday performances?
Christmas songs for children are an important part of school and community holiday performances because they serve as a joyous and festive activity. These songs unite children, teachers, and others in the community, establishing a sense of solidarity and spreading pleasure via music, singing, and celebrations.
7. How do Christmas songs for children contribute to the development of language and vocabulary skills?
Christmas songs for toddlers and older children help practice pronunciation, rhythm, and fluency, expand vocabulary, and enhance overall language development in a fun and memorable way.
Carol singing is a wonderful holiday activity that your child can participate in. Singing Christmas songs is a great way to get into the holiday mood, and it’s something you can do with your kids. So, start with one of the Christmas songs for kids from the above list, whether it’s a traditional carol like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” or poetry like “Christmas Giving.” Rather than trying to teach all of the carols at once, focus on a few each year. Most importantly, make singing and caroling a pleasurable experience for kids.
Infographic: Christmas Songs And Carols To Sing For Children
Christmas is a season of joy and celebration with friends and family, and music plays a vital role in the celebrations. Children especially love singing and dancing along to different Christmas songs and carols. So the below infographic presents a collection of some popular Christmas songs and carols your children will love. Scroll on!
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Join the festive fun with CoComelon’s delightful Christmas songs for children! From popular classics to heartwarming melodies, this playlist can make your little one sing with excitement. Let’s embrace the joy of the season!
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