10 Popular Christmas Songs that Serenades You into the Festive Mood

If we could live to see a zillion Christmas, we would never get tired of these songs. They are songs that make the Christmas spirit in us come alive. If you are here in Lagos, then these are familiar Christmas songs that have always rocked on the streets, radio and on Television.

1.   Joy to the world

It is composed by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on the second half of Psalm 98 in the Bible. He wrote the words of "Joy to the World" as a hymn glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a song celebrating his first coming. The nations are called to celebrate because God's faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world.

2.   Ding Dong Merrily on High

"Ding Dong Merrily on High" is a Christmas carol. The song calls angels, priests, people and ringers to sing “Gloria…Hosanna in excelsis!” at the end of each stanza. The tune first appeared as a secular dance tune known under the title "Branle de l'Official" in Orchésographie.

3.   The Twelve Days of Christmas

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are twelve verses, each describing a gift given by "my true love" on one of the twelve days of Christmas. There are many variations in the lyrics.

4.   Silent Night

"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011. The song has been recorded by a large number of singers from every music genre. The version sung by Bing Crosby is the third best-selling single of all-time.

5.   All I want for Christmas is You

"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a song written and produced by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey and composer Walter Afanasieff. It was released by Columbia Records on November 1, 1994 as the lead single from her first holiday album and fourth studio album, Merry Christmas. Just as the title as the song implies, she expresses her desire to have “someone” she called “You” instead of presents.

6.   O Holy Night

"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by a wine merchant and poet, Placide Cappeau. In both the French original and in the two familiar English versions of the carol, the text reflects on the birth of Jesus and of humanity's redemption.

7.   Jingle Bells

"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung American Christmas songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857. Even though it is now associated with the Christmas and holiday season, it was actually originally written for American Thanksgiving. It has been claimed that it was originally written to be sung by a Sunday school choir; however, historians dispute this, stating that it was much too "racy" to be sung by a children's church choir in the days it was written.

8.   The Little Drummer Boy

"The Little Drummer Boy" originally known as "Carol of the Drum" is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. In the lyrics the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the nativity where, without a gift for the infant Jesus, he played his drum with the Virgin Mary's approval, remembering "I played my best for Him" and "He smiled at me."

9.   Santa Claus is Coming to Town

The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934 featuring Tom Stacks on vocal, the version shown in the Variety charts of December 1934.

In 1970 Rankin-Bass produced an hour-long animated television special based on the song, with narrator Fred Astaire telling the original story of Santa Claus.

    10. O Come, All Ye Faithful

"O Come, All Ye Faithful" is a Christmas carol which has been attributed to various authors, including John Francis Wade, with the earliest copies of the hymn all bearing his signature, John Reading and King John IV of Portugal.

The original four verses of the hymn were extended to a total of eight, and these have been translated into many languages.