By SUZY TURNER
THERE’S NOTHING more enjoyable than the gathering of family and friends for a good old sing song during this season of good will.
Although many people initially moan at the prospect, they soon get into the spirit of things and you’ll find the ones that didn’t want to sing often end up being the loudest!
You don’t have to be particularly religious to enjoy some of the most memorable Christmas Carols. Perhaps the most known, and the most beautiful, is Silent Night, which is sung in many languages throughout the world.
Originating from Austria, Silent Night received great recognition as early as the First World War when soldiers on each side of the frontline laid down their weapons on Christmas Eve and sang the carol across no man’s land.
It’s a truly beautiful tune, reminiscent of everything wonderful about Christmas. If you cannot remember how it goes, here is the first verse:
Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin-mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
Another fantastic carol is O Come, All Ye Faithful, believed to have been written by John Francis Wade (1711 – 1786). The most popular version, however, dates back to 1852 and goes like this:
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him Born the king of angels: O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Today, more modern songs can be heard on the airwaves at Christmastime. These shouldn’t be confused with carols because there is a difference. Carols can often be sung by a choir and usually have simple and straightforward rhythms.
Some of the more modern day songs are, arguably, irritating to say the least! Others, however, are great to sing along to, and really help you get in the festive mood.
Some examples include Last Christmas by Wham!, The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry and White Christmas by Bing Crosby.
If you’re having trouble finding the kind of Christmas tunes you are fond of, then log on to the Internet, which is full of Christmas radio stations at this time of the year.
