Like this:

Every year when Christmas season rolls around, we sing Christmas carols, which are essentially Christian hymns that celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Christmas carol season is brief,  just a few weeks each year. So, it’s understandable that the playlist is limited.  Most everybody knows the usual suspects: Joy to the World; The First Noel; Silent Night; Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; O Come, All Ye Faithful.

But there are other beautiful carols, less familiar to most people, that deserve to be known,  learned and sung.  Over the next few days, I want to share a few.

The Wexford Carol originated in Ireland, and dates to the 12th century, making it one of the oldest European carols.  There are many tradtions about it, including one that insisted that it should be sung only by men.

The text:

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.

 

The night before that happy tide

The noble Virgin and her guide

Were long time seeking up and down

To find a lodging in the town

But mark right well what came to pass

From every door repelled, alas

As was foretold, their refuge all

Was but a humble ox’s stall.

 

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep

Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep

To whom God’s angel did appear

Which put the shepherds in great fear

Arise 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 Saviour Christ behold

Within a manger he was laid

And by his side a virgin maid

Attending on the Lord of Life

Who came on earth to end all strife.

 

There were three wise men from afar

Directed by a glorious star

And on they wandered night and day

Until they came where Jesus lay

And when they came unto that place

Where our beloved Messiah lay

They humbly cast them at his feet

With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Enjoy this version by Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krause:

Or this from The King’s Singers:

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