20 Christmas hymns that celebrate the spirit of the season

Alexandre Normand

“He who sings, pray twice,” St. Augustine, the famous 5th century bishop, once said.

Since Christmas is a time for prayer and praise, it's no wonder that this special day (and all the days leading up to it) is rife with hymns and carols.

While Christmas hymns and carols are often interchangeable, the two have different purposes: Hymns are sung throughout the year to worship God, whereas carols don't necessarily have religious ties and are reserved for the holiday season. Some carols have been part of the Christmas canon for centuries. Others are relative newcomers, having established their popularity in the past two decades.

From traditional recordings to modern mixes, this list includes sing-a-long classics performed by Andrea Bocelli, Pentatonix and other top artists.

Want to make a Christmas playlist that really sums up the joyous spirit of the season? Sprinkle in a few of these faith-filled tunes with other festive standbys and you'll be singing all season long.

'Angels We Have Heard on High'

Inspired by a French Christmas carol of the mid 1800s and set to the tune of the ancient hymn “Gloria,” this song is a glorious musical celebration of the birth of Christ. Even if you can’t carry much of a tune or don’t know a word of Latin, it’s hard not to get caught up in the Christmas spirit and give it your best shot on the famous refrain: “Gloria in excelsis Deo!”

'God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen'

Versions of this song date back to the mid 1600s, which is why the title might give us pause today. Today, the song's name would translate to “May God grant you peace and happiness.” The infant Jesus is the source of this peace and happiness: “Remember Christ our Saviour was born upon this day / To save us all from Satan’s power / When we were gone astray / O tidings of comfort and joy / Comfort and joy / O tidings of comfort and joy.”

'Christmas Canon'

Most of the lyrics in this relatively new classic are quite simple — notably the repetition of “On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas night.” But they’re set to the tune of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and sung by a children’s choir, so that simplicity is elevated to something exquisite.

'In The First Light'

This song, written by Bob Kauflin, reflects on the wonder of the baby Jesus’ birth and what it would mean for humankind. “Hear the angels as they’re singing / On the morning of His birth / But how much greater will our song be / When He comes again to Earth.”

'Silent Night'

“Silent Night” was written in 1818 by Father Joseph Mohr and composed by Franz Xaver Gruber. At the time, it was performed with guitar accompaniment during an almost silent night at Father Mohr’s church in a small Austrian town because the organ had sustained damage after flooding. The song has become a cherished if not somber Christmas carol over the centuries, and it was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.

'Children, Go Where I Send Thee'

“Children, Go Where I Send Thee” is a traditional African-American spiritual song. The counting aspect of the song — the verses go up to include the 12 Apostles — makes it appropriate for children to sing along. But people of all ages can’t help but get swept up by (variations of) the repeated line: “One for the little bitty baby / Born, born / Born in Bethlehem.”

'I Saw Three Ships'

Need a mood boost during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? The rousing, repetitive nature of this folksy tune demands some toe-tapping. No wonder it became a popular English Christmas carol, dating back to the 17th century.

'Mary's Boy Child'

Jester Hairston wrote this calypso-style song in 1956 for a birthday party. If the tune sounds a bit familiar, it’s because it's based on the popular children's song “Bingo." The song became famous when it was recorded by Harry Belafonte; later, a faster-paced version by disco and funk vocal group Boney M was also well-received. The entire song is inherently joyful, but the line “And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day" is enough to send your heart soaring.

'Do You Hear What I Hear?'

Sometimes a Christmas song pulls double duty. Take the classic “Do You Hear What I Hear?” which was written by Noël Regney and Gloria Shane as a song for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. It remains a peaceful selection in the Christmas repertoire and has been recorded by many artists throughout the years, including Whitney Houston and Carrie Underwood.

'Joy to the World'

Songwriter Isaac Watts took inspiration from the Bible — Psalm 98, to be exact — when writing “Joy to the World." It was set to the tune of “Antioch” by George Frideric Handel, though we are more familiar with the 1848 arrangement by Lowell Mason. Many won’t need to look at the lyrics to sing the first line, “Joy to the world. the Lord is come / Let Earth receive her King.”

'Go Tell It on the Mountain'

“Go, Tell It on the Mountain” is a famous African-American spiritual compiled by John Wesley Work Jr. in the 1800s. What is meant for us to go and tell up on that mountaintop? “That Jesus Christ is born,” of course.

'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing'

Based on Luke 2:14, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" depicts an angelic chorus welcoming the infant Jesus: “Glory to the newborn king.” The song is pure joy, and if you have ever seen the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” then you’ll know this tune — along with “Auld Lang Syne” — which provides a similarly wonderful conclusion to the film.

'Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)'

So many Christmas carols focus on the happiness of Jesus’ arrival, but they often overlook the fear and loneliness Mary must have felt regarding the birth of her precious baby. Amy Grant’s song shares her perspective: “I am waiting in a silent prayer / I am frightened by the load I bear / In a world as cold as stone / Must I walk this path alone?”

'Little Drummer Boy (Carol of the Drum)'

Written in in 1941 by Katherine Kennicott Davis, this Christmas classic was recorded 10 years later by the von Trapp Family — yes, that von Trapp Family. It tells the story of a poor little boy who was summoned by the Magi, who have brought gifts to the infant Jesus. The little boy fears he has no proper gift except for the music of his drum, the “pa-rum pum pum pum” repeated throughout. His humble tune is indeed enough to please both Mary and her newborn.

'O Holy Night'

This is what happens when you put Placide Cappeau's poem to Adolphe Adam’s music. In 1855, the French song was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight, a Unitarian minister who is credited as the first American classical music critic of note. If ever there were lyrics to remind you of the true reason of Christmas, they are in this song: “Fall on your knees, o hear the angels’ voices / O night divine, o night when Christ was born.”

'The First Noel'

This traditional English carol sets the scene for Jesus’ birth, aka the first Christmas (or in this case, Noel). The song features the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks in the field, as well as the Wise Men who came to honor the infant: “Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel / Born is the King of Israel.”

'Gabriel's Message'

While Sting is known for recording one of the more famous versions of this song, it actually got its start as a Basque folk carol in the 13th or 14th century. It was inspired by the Annunciation story in the Bible, in which the archangel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God.

'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'

“Christmas Bells,” the 1863 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, inspired this classic. The narrator is listening to the peal of the bells on Christmas Day during the Civil War and feels that the battling is making a mockery of what should be a time of peace and good will. Still, hope prevails, as seen in the lyrics: “Then rang the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep.”

'Carol of the Bells'

Believe it or not, “Carol of the Bells” wasn’t always associated with Christmas. The song was first written in 1916 by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovich as a joyous folk song meant to usher in winter. It wasn’t until the song was rewritten in the 1930s to include references to Christmas — including the obvious phrase “merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas” — that the song firmly landed in our holiday repertoire.

'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel'

Take it back to simpler times — about 1,200 years, to be exact — with this hymn, which was originally written in Latin and translated by John Mason Neale in 1851. Following the style of "O Antiphons," this Christmas classic isn't about a person per se, but rather a reminder that God is always with us.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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