I’m not quite sure how the tradition started in our homeschool, but for as long as I can remember, we have learned a new Christmas song every single December. Not a common song but a unique song that we may have heard the melody of, but have not learned the words.
I choose songs that focus on our Savior’s birth and we look forward to singing it every morning in our homeschool. My kids end up learning to play it on their instruments too, for fun. Once you know a wonderful new song, it seems there are chances to perform it, even if only in a family talent show.
As December nears, my children are asking what song we are going to learn this year. I thumbed through our Christmas carol book, and realized just how many we have learned through the years. Here’s a few of the ones we’ve enjoyed:
Good Christian Men, Rejoice!
Fum, Fum, Fum
The Holly and the Ivy
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella
Unto Us a Child is Born
One in Royal David’s City
It is so fun to be able to sing along whenever we hear Christmas music playing, and to think about the words, too, which are often very focused on the good news of Christ. If you have little ones, learn the more traditional songs first so your kids can enjoy singing along at church or caroling. Older children enjoy the challenge of a lesser known song.
This year I found an old traditional carol that we have never heard before: See Amid the Winter’s Snow. It talks about Christ’s birth with some lovely lyrics that include:
Lo, within a manger lies
He Who built the starry skies;
and in another verse:
Teach, O teach us, holy Child,
By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee,
In Thy sweet humility.
If you’d like to learn a song with your family, there are great resources! There are websites where you can both read and print off the lyrics as well as hear the tune.
You can see the lyrics, hear the melody line, hear a 4 part orchestra play the carol, print off free sheet music and more for several traditional carols here:
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/
This site has more carols that you can imagine and free sheet music too!
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/HTML/index_of_carols_ij.htm
Have a singing Christmas!
May I recommend:
