Christmas Carols

The word 'carol' comes from the ancient Greek choros, meaning 'dancing in a circle' and from the old French word 'carole' which means 'a song to accompany dancing'.

Originally the carol was not particularly associated with Christmas, and in fact, was not even a religious song. It may well have started as a song and dance performed at festivals - non-religious celebrations like the coming of spring, midsummer, or harvest time. And it is the association with joyful celebration that links this original carol to our modern Christmas carol.

In early medieval times the Church did not encourage the singing of carols, believing that Christmas should be celebrated in a solemn way. Carols, in any case, were linked to festivals that were a bit too close to the old pagan religions. From about 1400 the Church relaxed its attitude a little, and in the fifteenth century there was a great increase in the writing and singing of Christmas carols.

There were two great ages of carol writing, the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is believed the oldest carol is 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel'. The words date from the twelfth century written in Latin, not translated into English until the early nineteenth century.