A Holly Jolly Yuletide

Words and Music by Johnny Marks

Adapted by Susan M. Shaw

Have a holly jolly Yuletide
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
But have a cup of cheer

Have a holly jolly Yuletide
And when you walk down the street
Say hello to friends you know
And ev'ryone you meet

Oh, ho, the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me

Have a holly jolly Yuletide
and in case you didn't hear
Oh, by golly have a holly jolly Yuletide
This year!

~


All Hail Ye, Simple Pagans

Tune:  Adeste Fideles
(Oh Come, All Ye Faithful)

Author Unknown

All hail ye, simple pagans
Gather round the Yule fire
Oh come ye Oh come ye
To call the Sun!
Fires within us
Call the fire above us
Oh come let us adore him!
Oh come let us adore him!
Oh come let us adore him!
Our Lord, the Sun!

Yea Lord, we greet thee
Born again at Yuletide!
Yule fires and candle flames
Are lighted for you!
Come to thy children
Calling for thy blessing!
Oh come let us adore him!
Oh come let us adore him!
Oh come let us adore him!
Our Lord, the Sun

~


Angels We Have Heard

Tune:  Angels We Have Heard On High
(Gloria)

words adapted by Blake TaylorMixon

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, see the sun reborn today.

Angels know that winter’s nigh
Turning seasons of the year
See the old is passing by
Bring the new one in with cheer.

Gloria, celebrate the new year.

~


Away From the Harvest

Tune:  Away in a Manger

words adapted by Blake TaylorMixon

Away from the harvest the seasons have turned
The nights have grown colder and fire’s we’ve burned
The stars in the heavens look down where we stand
Neighbors and friends with candles in hand.

The warmth is returning, the sun and the light
Will brighten our days and shorten our nights
Come gather around the Solstice is here
The old one is passing, begins the new year.

~


Bring a Torch

To: Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella

[I'm told this doesn't scan too well]

Bring a torch, O brothers and sisters
Bring a torch, light Yule fires bright
We gather this night to wait for the dawning
come Quickly; I see the first rays of light
Ah, Ah, How radiant the  Mother
AH, ah, How brightly shines the Sun

Sing in praise of our gracious Lady
sing in Praise of her glorious Son
The Wheel has turned
tis time for the new year
Dance gaily; we shall welcome the Sun
Ah, Ah, How radiant the  Mother
AH, ah, How brightly shines the Sun

~


Carol of the Bells

Traditional Ukranian Carol

words adapted by Hilda Marshall

Hark!  How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, "Throw cares away."
Yuletide is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong, that is their song,
With joyful ring, all caroling
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere, filling the air
O, how they pound, raising the sound
O'er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Yuletide is here!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Yuletide!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Yuletide!
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone to every home
Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, "Throw cares away."
Yuletide is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong, that is their song
With joyful ring, all caroling.
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere, filling the air
O, how they pound, raising the sound
O'er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Yuletide is here!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Yuletide!
Merry, merry, merry, merry Yuletide!
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone to every home.

~


Chanukah/Solstice

Written by Linda Hirschhorn

Recorded on 'Gather Round:  Songs of Celebration And Renewal'

Turning turning spirits yearning
Reaching for the night
Colors going, shadows growing
Darkening the night
Ancient story told, renewed with the cold
Mystery of light, burnt into the night

~


Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Words by Robert Wells
adapted by Susan M. Shaw

Music by Mel Torme

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all a glow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And ev'ry mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
"Merry Yuletide to you!"

~


Christmas Day in the Morning

Tune:  I Saw Three Ships

Children's laughter in the air
The Smell of pine is everywhere
With all the love that we can share
On christmas day in the morning

Thank the Lord and Lady then
For that warm peace we feel within
When we gather once again
On Christmas Day in the Morning

The wonder of the virgin birth
The child who brought us love and mirth
Giving all of his souls's worth
On Christmas Day in the Morning

Yet so many years before
We knew the one we still adore
The Lady guiding us to shore
On Christmas day in the morning

The yonder standing stones impart
Awakening a hidden part
Longing deep within our hearts
On Christmas day in the morning

With the ancient ones give voice
Dance together is our choice
Share the mysteries and rejoice
On Christmas day in the morning

Children's laughter in the air
The Smell of pine is everywhere
With all the love that we can share
On christmas day in the morning

~


Christmas Time Is Pagan

Tune: Gloria in Excelsis Deo
(Angels We Have Heard On High)

Christmas time is here again,
Decorations everywhere.
Christmas carols ringing out,
Gentle pagans, we don't care.

Chorus:

Glorious!
Christmas time is pagan!
Glorious!
Christmas time is pagan!

Modern folks all celebrate
What they learned in Sunday School.
In December, they don't know
They are celebrating Yule!

Chorus

Let them have their Christmas trees,
Decked in red and green and blue.
We rejoice at every one!
Christmas trees are pagan, too.

Chorus

Bowls of bubbly Christmas cheer,
Fill your cup and quench your thirst.
They think the tradition's theirs.
Wassail bowls were pagan, first.

Chorus

Every door and window bears
Wreaths of holly, wreaths of pine.
Circles represent the Sun.
Every wreath is yours and mine.

Chorus

Christmas lights on Christmas trees,
Candle flames burn higher and higher,
Let us cheer along, my friends,
As they light their Yuletide fire.

Chorus

There's a possibility
That this song is yours and mine
'Cause the tune was known to all
Back in A.D. one-two-nine.

Chorus

~