SHAURYA SINGH THAPA
5 Things You Need To Know About Christmas Carols
From Jingle Bells to Feliz Navidad , carols are a quintessential element of Christmas and are sang all over the world in Christian households . As it is the wintry month of December , fans of carols can glance through these facts that would give them more context behind these Christmas classics .
THE REFORMATION PROMOTED CAROLS Following the event known as the Reformation , the Protestant sect of Christianity was born . Among the many changes that Protestantism introduced , this form of Christianity actively welcomed the use of music . In fact , the Reformation leader Martin Luther himself wrote carols and encouraged their usage as modes of worship .
THE FIRST-EVER CAROL Before Christmas songs gained currency , pagan songs marked the advent of a festival around Winter Solstice ( that was supposed to resemble Christmas ). But if one were to point their fingers at a particular song as ‘ the first Christmas carol ’, it would be Angels Hymn , all the way back from 129 AD . Given its date , no one knows the tune of this archaic song . The lyrics probably dealt with the reactions of heavenly angels after Jesus ’ s birth .
A JEWISH CONNECTION One does not have to be essentially Christian to author some of the most iconic Christmas carols . Just take the case of Johnny Marks , a Jew by religion , who wrote Holly Jolly Christmas , and Rockin ’ Around The Christmas Tree . Similarly , another Jewish man called Irving Berlin was the creative force behind Let It Snow and White Christmas .
RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED- REINDEER Was Born In A Department Store Based in Chicago , the department store known as Montgomery Ward used to distribute free colouring books to children in the early 20th century . This campaign not only spread the festive cheer but also increased sales . With copywriter Robert L May working on an assignment for one such book in 1939 , he ended up writing Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer ( drawing on his childhood experiences with bullying ). The poem was an instant hit and evolved into a musical carol . The rest , as they say , is history .
JINGLE BELLS AND ITS VARIOUS MEANINGS Even though Jingle Bells is constantly associated with Christmas vibes and Santa Claus , the carol was initially written in a whole different context . Legend has it that songwriter James Lord Pierpont wrote it to describe the sleigh races in 19th century . As the song grew in popularity , it became a popular pick for the Sunday choir in American churches as well as a drinking song in bars !
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