(history.com)
Whether or not you think about it, music does unite a wide variety of people. This is especially true around the Christmas season. Even though there seems to be an endless number of Christmas songs that are being played around this time of year, each of the songs has a different story behind it. Not only this, but where they come from can also be quite interesting. Even if it seems rare to hardly ever hear a song that is not popular in the United States, they are certainly out there. Feliz Navidad is a great example, as it has gone global over the years and it would be hard to find an American that has never heard of the song. Even though that is the only Christmas song that many have any recollection of hearing that is not based in the United States, there are certainly many more. Included in this article will be ten Christmas carols that are sung around the world and a short description of how they each came to be!
1. Australia: Aussie Jingle Bells
Much different from the traditional Christmas song, this version includes warmer weather features such as flip-flops and coolers. Sounds like summer, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. The Christmas season falls during the Australian summer. In this, this song adds a fun cultural twist to the original Jingle Bells song.
2. Canada: Huron Carol
Thought of as Canada’s oldest Christmas song, there is a deep history that this song carries with it. The lyrics were written in the language of a Native American tribe and tell the story of the birth of Jesus. This song isn’t just a historic one, however. To this day, many churches around Canada play this song during the Christmas season. In addition, the meaning of the song has not been lost, as several recent music stars such as Burl Ives have recorded their versions of the song.
(youtube.com)
3. Czech Republic: Narodil se Kristus Pán
Written during the 15th century, this song is still known as the most popular carol in the Czech Republic. Performed during many Catholic masses near Christmastime, its lyrics translate to phrases such as God willed it so, let’s all be merry. The story of this song is quite incredible when understanding how it lasted throughout the entire religious conflict that the country endured during its leadup to modern days.
4. France: Petit Papa Noël
Also known by many as “Little Father Christmas”, this song is not nearly as ancient as many of the other songs as it was recorded in 1946. To this day, over 30 million copies of the song have been sold, and it is therefore recognized as one of the most popular French Christmas songs of all time. The lyrics of the song tell a story of how a young child sings to Santa Claus. This song has been covered by many television shows such as The Smurfs and The Chipmunks.
(frenchmoments.eu)
5. Germany: O du fröhliche
With more of a deep backstory than many Christmas carols, this song was written in 1815 as a tribute to the children of the original songwriter. Four of his children had died of typhoid fever, and this song was his way of honoring their lives. Not only does this song serve its purpose as a Christmas carol, but Easter and Pentecost are other times of the year when this song becomes popular to listen to.
6. Ireland: The Wexford Carol
This traditional Irish Christmas carol is thought to date back to the 12th century. While the exact history has been hard to track, many believe that the lyrics of the song were added much later and weren’t even originally in the Irish language. The lyrics themselves highlight the journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. The most popular version of the song has been sung by an American country singer, Alison Krauss.
7. Lebanon: Talj, Talj
Translated to “Snow, Snow”, this song became popular in the 1960s when a famous Lebanese singer released her version of the song. In its reference to snow, the song relates to the storyline of the birth of Jesus. The ending line of the song is that friendship, prosperity, and love are falling like snow.
8. New Zealand: A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree
This is New Zealand’s version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Instead of including the traditional gifts that are given each of the Twelve Days, different gifts are present in the song that better represent New Zealand and its traditions. Included in the song are ponga trees (fern trees native to New Zealand) and kumeras (sweet potatoes). In the case of the ponga trees, they served as the replacement for the traditional pear trees.
(mightyape.co.nz)
9. Nigeria: Betelehemu
This song is sung in Yoruba, which is one of the languages of West Africa. The lyrics put a strong focus on Betelehemu (Bethlehem) and are jubilant in doing so. Having roots that date back to tribal drumming rhythms, the performances of this song usually include drumming and dancing with a performing choir. Ever since a famous choir from Georgia performed this song in the 1960s, it has been a staple for choirs all around the world.
10. Venezuela: El Burrito de Belén
Translated to “The Little Donkey from Bethlehem”, this Venezuelan hit was written in 1972. As the title indicates, it tells the story of the journey to Bethlehem by way of a donkey to see Jesus. The most popular version of the song was done by the Venezuelan Children’s Choir and has since been a Christmas classic all around the country. Out of all of the songs that were covered, this song is probably the easiest to dance and sing along with!
(discogs.com)
With all of these, I hope you are feeling inspired to expand your horizon with Christmas music. Even though the United States is the center of the music industry, many unique and interesting carols were written outside of the country that are worth a listen. While they might not have the same level of popularity as Mariah Carey’s glass-shattering notes or Burl Ives classic hits, they are unique in each of their special ways. If you would like to give any of the ten songs a listen, click on the attached links below.
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