Christmas Carols

Appendix 7.

Appendix 6.

“What Do You Come For?” (a horror story)

There was old woman who lived all by herself, and she was very lonely. Sitting in the kitchen one night, she said, “Oh, I wish I had some company.” No sooner had she spoken than down the chimney tumbled two feet form which the flesh had rotted. The old woman’s eyes bilged with terror.

Then two legs dropped to the hearth and attached themselves to the feet.

Then a body tumbled down, then two arms, and a man’s head. As the old woman watched, the parts came together into a great, tall man. The man danced around and around the room. Faster and faster he went. Then he stopped, and he looked into her eyes.

“What do you come for?” she asked in a small voice that shivered and shook.

“What do I come for?” he said. “ I come for YOU!!! ” (The narrator shouts and jumps at the nearest person.)

Many carols sung today were born in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, though carols date back to ancient Greeks and Romans and were brought to England by the latter. The word “carol”, like “choral” and “chorus”, referred originally not to song but to dance. Ring dances performed to flute music, were popular in the ancient world and in England till medieval times. By the 13^th century “carol” had come to mean not just the dance, but the music that was sung to accompany the dance. Today only the second meaning of the word remains.

Children and some adults enjoy carol-singing from door to door, which is done on Christmas Eve. The group of singers is called carol-singers. It is a custom to give them some presents for their singing.

Example of a carol:

Once in royal David’s city

Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby

In a manger for a bed.

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ her little child.

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISYMAS

Traditional

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a happy New Year.

Good tidings to you wherever you are

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a happy New Year.

Good tidings we bring to you of good cheer

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

What child is this

Who lay to rest

On Mary’s lap asleeping.

Whom angels sing their anthems sweet

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King!

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.

Haste, haste to bring him, Lord.

The babe, the son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh

Come peasant, King, to owe him.

The King of Kings salvation brings

Let loving hearts enthrone him.

Raise, raise the song on high!

The Virgin sings her Lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born

The babe, the son of Mary.

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