A Feast of Carols

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Come, O Come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel.
That mourns in lowly exile here
Until the song God appear.
Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall ransom captive Israel.

God rest ye, merry gentlemen,
God rest ye, merry gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
O Come Thou dayspring come
God rest ye merry gentlemen
and cheer our spirits
let nothing you dismay
by thy advent here.
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r  when we were gone astray
And death’s dark shadow put to flight!
O Tidings of comfort and joy!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Mi Yimalel
Who can retell the things that befell us,
Who can count them?
In every age, a hero or sage
Came to our aid.

Hark!
In this time of year in days of yore
Maccabees the Temple did restore
And tonight our people as we dream
will arise, unite, and be redeemed.

Gabriel’s Message
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,”
Most highly favor’d lady,
Gloria!

“For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favor’d lady,
Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.”
Most highly favor’d lady,
Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And kindly folk throughout the world will ever say:
Most highly favor’d lady,
Gloria!

Magnificat Anima Mea
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go tell It on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

When I was just a learner,
I sought both night and day.
I asked the Loard to aid me
And He showed me the way.

Go tell It on the mountain…

Lord made me a watchman
Upon the city wall.
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.

Go tell It on the mountain…

The wise men and the shepherds,
All hailed the Saviour’s birth,
He came to spread the message
Of peace to all the earth.

Go tell It on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.

For Unto Us a Child is Born
For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given.
and the government shall be upon His shoulder,
and His name shall be called:
Wonderful, Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace.

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Oh, come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels;

[Chorus]
Oh, come, let us adore him;
Oh, come, let us adore him;
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.

Angels We Have Heard on High
Gloria!
Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o’er the plains.
And the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be?
which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing!
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord our newborn King!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Rejoice Greatly!
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice greatly,
O daughter of Sion.
Shout, O Daughter of Jerusalem;
Behold, thy King cometh unto to thee.

He is the righteous Savior;
And He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

Still Still Still / Silent Night
Still, still still,
One can hear the falling snow,
For all is hushed, the world is sleeping, Holy star its vigil keeping.
Still, still still,
One can hear the falling snow,

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.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘tis the eve of our savior’s birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes let sleep surround you.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘tis the eve of our savior’s birth.

Silent night, Holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing alleluia!
Christ the savior is born!
Christ the savior is born!

Silent night, Holy night,
Dream, dream, dream
Son of God, Love’s pure light,
At the joyous day to come.
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
While guardian angels without number
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Watch you as you sweetly slumber
Jesus, Lord at thy birth,
Dream, dream, dream, dream,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come!

I Saw Three Ships
I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And what was in those ship all three?
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And what was in those ship all three?
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Our Savior Christ and His Lady,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Our Savior Christ and His Lady,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Pray whither sailed those ship all three?
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Pray whither sailed those ship all three?
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Oh they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Oh they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the angels in heav’n shall sing
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the angels in heav’n shall sing
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice, amain,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
Then let us all rejoice, amain,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I heard the bells on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet, the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

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!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to me

Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the hills we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight
Chorus:
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
What fun it is to ride
On a one horse open sleigh, hey

A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot. Chorus

Wexford Carol
Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending his beloved Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep;
To whom God’s angels did appear,
Which put the shepherds in great fear.
“Prepare and go,” the angels said,
“To Bethlehem, be not afraid;
For there you’ll find, this happy morn,
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born.”

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find,
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Savior Christ behold.
Within a manger he was laid,
And by his side the virgin maid,
Attending on the Lord of life,
Who came on earth to end all strife.

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending his beloved Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born.

Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Sweet little Jesus boy,
They made you be born in a manger.
Sweet little holy child,
Didn’t know who you were.

Didn’t know you’d come to save us Lord,
To take our sins away,
Our eyes was blind, we couldn’t see,
We didn’t know who you were.

Long time ago, you was born,
Born in a manger Lord,
Sweet little Jesus boy.

The world treat you mean, Lord,
Treats me mean, too,
But that’s how things are down here,
We don’t know who you is.

You done showed us how
We is a tryin’.
Master you done showed us how –
Even when you were dying.

Just seems like we can’t do right,
Look how we treated you,
But please, sir, forgive us Lord,
We didn’t know ‘twas you.

Sweet little Jesus boy,
Born long time ago.
Sweet little holy child,
And we didn’t know who you were.

Festival First Noel
Audience sings along on Verse 1 and 3

The first Nowell the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep:
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

They look-ed up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heav’nly Lord,
That hath made heav’n and earth of nought,
And with His blood mankind hath bought:
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

Wassail! Wassail!
Wassail! wassail! all over the town,
Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown;
Our bowl it is made of the green maple tree;
In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee.

Here's health to the ox and to his right horn,
Pray God send our master a good crop of corn:
A good crop of corn as e'er I did see,
In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Here's health to the ox and to his long tail,
Pray God send our master a good cask of ale:
A good cask of ale as e'er I did see,
In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Here's health to the ox and to his left ear,
Pray God send our master a happy New Year!
A happy New Year as e'er I did see,
In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Come butler, come fill us a bowl of the best
Then pray that your soul in heaven may rest
But if you do bring us a bowl of the small
May the devil take butler, bowl and all.

Then here’s to the maid in the lily white smock,
Who tripp’d to the door and slipp’d back the lock;
Who tripp’d to the door and pulled back the pin,
For to let these jolly Wassailers walk in.

Wassail!

Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind,
Should auld acquaintance before,
For auld Lang Syne.

Chorus:
For Auld Lang Syne ma dear,
For Auld Lang Syne,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For Auld Lang Syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup,
And surely I’ll buy mine,
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For Auld Lang Syne?  Chorus

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
but seas between us broad have roared,
since Auld Lang Syne.  Chorus

And there’s a trusty hand my friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
We’ll take a right good will draght,
For Auld Land Syne.  Chorus

Joy to the World!
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart
Prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing.

Hallelujah Chorus!
Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world is become
the kingdom of our Lord,
and of His Christ:
and He shall reign for ever and

Joy to the World / We Wish You a Merry Christmas
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of his love,

We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy New Year!

We wish you a merry Christmas,
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin.
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year!

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns;
Let us our songs employ,
While field and floods
Rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy!