Carols to be sung at our December night. Some are the same as previous years – some are different. If you can, please print off and bring along.

HERE WE COME A-WASSAILING
Here we come a-wassailing, among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand’ring, so fair to be seen.

Refrain
Love and joy come to you, And to you your wassail too
And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

We are not daily beggars, That beg from door to door;
But we are neighbours’ children, Whom you have seen before.
Refrain

Call up the butler of this house / Put on his golden ring.
Let him bring us a glass of beer / And better we shall sing.
Refrain

We have got a little purse / Of stretching leather skin;
We want a little money / To line it well within.
Refrain

God bless the master of this house / Likewise the mistress too,
And all the little children / That round the table go.
Refrain

Good master and good mistress / While you’re sitting by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children / A-wandering in the mire.
Refrain

 

 

SWEET CHIMING CHRISTMAS BELLS
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around

Refrain
Sweet bells, sweet chiming Christmas bells   x 2
They help us on our heavenly way, Sweet chiming bells x 2

“Fear not!” said he; for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind
Refrain

To you in David’s house this day
Is born of David’s line
The Saviour who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be the sign
Refrain

The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands
And in a manger laid”
Refrain

“All glory be to God on high
And to the earth be peace
Good will henceforth from God to man
Begin and never cease”
Refrain
 

 

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 ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day in the morning.

Our Saviour Christ and his lady, On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Our Saviour Christ and his lady, On Christmas day in the morning.

INSTRUMENTAL

Pray whither sailed those ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Pray whither sailed those ships 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.

INSTRUMENTAL

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing, On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And all the Angels in Heaven 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.

INSTRUMENTAL

 

 

SUSSEX CAROL
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad?
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the new-born King.

All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
“Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore, Amen!”

 

 

 

SANS DAY CAROL
Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk.
Chorus
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly.
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross:
Chorus

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all:
Chorus

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood it is red,
Then trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead:
Chorus

 

 

SILENT NIGHT
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.

Silent Night. Holy Night. Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing alleluia.
Christ the Saviour is born. Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent Night. Holy Night. Son of God loves pure light.
Radiance beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace.
Jesus Lord at thy birth. Jesus Lord at thy birth.

 

 

NOWELL AND NOWELL
Nowell and Nowell, the angels did say,
While shepherds there in the fields did lay,
Laying in one night and folding their sheep,
On a winters night both cold and bleak.
Chorus
Nowell and Nowell, Nowell and Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel,
Nowell and Nowell, Nowell and Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

And then there did appear a star,
To wise men three in country far,
And to the earth it gave a great light,
And there it continued a day and a night.
Chorus

The star it shone all in the north west,
O’er Bethlehem City it took its rest,
And there it did both stand and stay,
Right over the house where our Lord lay.
Chorus

There entered in those wise men three,
With reverence upon their knee,
And offered up in rich portent,
Both gold and Myrrh and Frankincense.
Chorus

Betwixt an ox manger and an ass,
There our blessed Messiah was,
To save our souls from sin and thrall,
He is the Redeemer of us all.
Chorus

 

 

ROLLING DOWNWARD
Rolling Downward through the midnight
Comes a glorious burst of heavenly song
‘Tis a chorus full of sweetness
And the singers are an angel throng

Chorus
Glory! Glory in the highest!
On the earth good will and peace to men!
Down the ages send the echo
Let the glad earth shout again!

Wond’ring shepherds see the glory
Hear the word the shining ones declare
At the manger fall in worship
While the music fills the quiv’ring air.
Chorus

Christ the saviour, God’s Anointed
Comes to earth our fearful debt to pay
Man of Sorrows, and rejected,
Lamb of God that takes our sin away
Chorus

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS
We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Refrain
Good tidings we bring to you and your king
We wish you a merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Now bring us some figgy pudding, now bring us some figgy pudding,
Now bring us some figgy pudding, and bring some out here
Refrain

For we all like figgy pudding, we all like figgy pudding,
For we all like figgy pudding, so bring some out here
Refrain

And we won’t go until we’ve got some, we won’t go until we’ve got some
We won’t go until we’ve got some, so bring some out here
Refrain

We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Refrain