The Christmas Carrolls: The perfect Christmas gift for fans of Pamela Butchart, Sibeal Pounder's Tinsel and Matt Haig: Book 1

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A Christmas book about kindness and cheer to make even Scrooge's heart melt' Dame Jacqueline Wilson

In older times, caroling children asked for and were given edible gifts such as dried fruit, eggs, nuts or sweets; during the 20th century this was gradually replaced with money gifts – ranging from small change in the case of strangers to considerable amounts in the case of close relatives. Caroling is also done by marching bands, choirs, school students seeking to raise funds for trips or charity, members of folk societies, or merely by groups of well-wishers. Many internationally known carols, e.g. " Silent Night" and " O Tannenbaum", are also sung in Greek translation. Before carol singing in places like churches became popular, there were sometimes official carol singers called 'Waits'. These were bands of people led by important local leaders (such as council leaders) who had the only power in the towns and villages to take money from the public (if others did this, they were sometimes charged as beggars!). They were called 'Waits' because they sang on Christmas Eve (This was sometimes known as 'watchnight' or 'waitnight' because of the shepherds were watching their sheep when the angels appeared to them.), when the Christmas celebrations began. Giorza, Paulo (12 March 1888). Jesu, Redemptor omnium: Christmas anthem. New York: G. Schirmer – via Trove. Christmas, remembering the birth of Jesus, then started to be celebrated at the same time as the solstice, so the early Christians started singing Christian songs instead of pre-Christian/pagan ones. In 129, a Roman Bishop said that a song called "Angel's Hymn" should be sung at a Christmas service in Rome. Another famous early Christmas Hymn was written in 760, by Comas of Jerusalem, for the Greek Orthodox Church. Soon after this many composers all over Europe started to write 'Christmas carols'. However, not many people liked them as they were all written and sung in Latin, a language that the normal people couldn't understand.Ukrainian Christmas carols are named kolyadka ( Ukrainian: колядки). [45] They were originally sung to celebrate the birth of the Sun (winter solstice). [46] After the incorporation into Christianity, their theme has been shifted to Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The words to this carol were written by an American clergyman called Philips Brooks in 1868 following a visit to Bethlehem. His organist, Lewis Redner, wrote a tune for it which is still used in the United States. In the UK, Forest Green, which was adapted by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, is used instead. In the Bleak Mid-winter This week I found myself with a few extra hours and finally read the novella. Wow. I’m very glad I did. Here are some thoughts: The joyous themes for many traditional Christmas carols were banned in England by the staunch Protestant Oliver Cromwell and many of the very old Christmas carols and songs were subsequently lost for all time. Christmas carols were only fully popularised again during the Victorian era when they again expressed joyful and merry themes in their carol lyrics as opposed to the normal, more sombre, Christian lyrics found in hymns. As religious observances in the United States and England were closely linked the popularity of Christmas carols grew in both countries in the 19th century. This carol was written by Edward Caswall in 1858, who was also the translator of many popular hymns. The music Humility was written by John Goss in 1871. O Holy Night

And even the phrase "Merry Christmas" only became popular following the appearance of this novella.

In the Bleak Mid-winter

This reflective Christmas song describes an imaginary conversation between the singer and the Virgin Mary. It humanises the Christmas story, and marvels at the immense responsibility placed on the shoulders of the holy family. It was originally released by Michael English in 1991. The optimist says that maybe the Christmas spirit can be contagious, like a benign virus, and that the goodness of the season, or even just the day, can spread. Though Scrooge is a bit hesitant of this deal, he is ultimately given little choice on the matter, and those three visits comprise the unforgettable spine of this book. Silent Night is one of the world's most popular Christmas carols. Read about its history Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Finally, I have taken it upon myself to read the source material! Did I like it? Two words: BAH, HUMBUG!Many Christmas traditions are relatively recent such as Santa Claus and reindeer and bear no relation to Christmas carols. We have reflected this in the unusual and beautiful Victorian Angel Pictures we have included for your pleasure and enjoyment. Today Christmas songs and carols are also fast becoming a tradition. The editors of The English Hymnal have noted that ‘it would be impossible to print all of the tunes which are traditionally sung to this hymn’. This may be because for a significant period of the 18th century this was the only Christmas hymn that was permitted to be sung in church. His commentary on Victorian life and his social criticisms are known to be key aspects of his books, and I can now attest to that fact!