Songs for the Christmas season (inc Thanksgiving)

K-N

Kings came riding

Kolyada

Let’s all do a little clapping

Let’s all do some happy clapping

Let’s be thankful

Lift up lightly the stable bar

Little angel all alone

Little star shining in the darkling sky

Little donkey trotting down the road

Mama, bake the Johnny cake

Mary had a baby

Merry bells of Christmas ring

Mister Turkey’s tail

Mother Mary gently walking

Nine happy reindeer

Nine little reindeer

Also: Mister Turkey and Mister Duck

Christmas songs: A-E 📦 🔔 O-S 🔔 T-Z 🎅

Last updated: 11/14/2022 10:30 AM

The songs below are part of ‘Away we go’ compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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Kings came riding 🔊

A poem written by Charles Williams from ‘Rhyme and Rhythm’ published by Macmillan in 1965.

Kings came riding,

One, two, three,

Over the desert

And over the sea.

One in a ship

With a silver mast;

The fishermen wondered

As he went past.

The air filled with incense as he passed.

One on a horse

With a saddle of gold;

The children came running

To behold.

One came walking

Over the sand,

With a casket of treasure

Held in his hand.

All the people

Said “Where go they?”

But the kings went forward

All through the day.

Night came on

As those kings went by;

They shone like the gleaming

Stars in the sky.

Kolyada 🔊

A simple cheerful Russian carol; Kolyada is the diminutive of Saint Nicholas.

Traditionally he leaves cakes on the windowsill on Christmas Eve, similar to our tradition of Father Christmas filling the children’s stockings.

Kolyada, Kolyada

Walks about on Christmas Eve;

Kolyada, Kolyada,

At our window cakes he’ll leave.

Kolyada, Kolyada

Come this holy night, we pray.

Kolyada, Kolyada

Come and bring us Christmas Day.

Let’s all do a little clapping 🔊

A cheerful action song for Christmas and any other day (bring us good cheer).

Adaptation by Dany Rosevear.

You’ll find a slightly different version of this song below.

1. Move as suggest, encourage children to think of other movements. Can be done in ‘follow the leader’ lines weaving in and out of other groups.

2. Skip around in a circle.

Let’s all do a little clapping,

And spread Christmas cheer.

With ivy and holly,

We’ll make this house jolly,

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year!

Let’s all do a little stretching…

Let’s all do a little bending…

Let’s all do a little jumping…

Let’s all do a little twirling…

Let’s all do some happy clapping 🔊

A cheerful action song for Christmas and any other day (bring us good cheer).

Move as suggest, encourage children to think of other movements.

Older children can do the actions in pairs, link arms for hopping.

Let’s all do some happy clapping,

To bring Christmas cheer.

Let’s all do some happy jumping,

To bring Christmas cheer.

Let’s all do some happy hopping,

To bring Christmas cheer.

Let’s all do some happy dancing,

To bring Christmas cheer.

Let’s be thankful 🔊

For Thanksgiving, Christmas and any other day.

Let's be thankful for this day,

For our friends and our play.

Let's be thankful; let's be glad,

For our food and the things we have,

Let's give thanks for you and me,

And our home and family.

Lift up lightly the stable bar 🔊

A beautiful Nativity play classic.

I used this carol many times over my teaching years when I produced the Infant Nativity. It always felt so gentle and reverent.

Words and music by Lord Maybray-King. Adapted here and arranged by Dany Rosevear.

Lift up lightly the stable bar,

Weary wise men come from afar

Led by the little king’s bright new star,

Is the little king sleeping?

Golden gifts for a baby king,

Cloth of gold and a golden ring,

Set by this cradle this gift I bring,

Is the little king sleeping?

Frankincense for a baby fine,

Born on this first Christmas time,

Set by the cradle this gift of mine,

Is the little king sleeping?

Myrrh I set by your lowly stall,

Fragrant dreams for the baby small;

Come to the manger come one and all,

Is the little king sleeping?

Little angel all alone 🔊

A Nativity story with a happy ending to dramatise. This song encourages children to look out for each other, especially when someone is feeling alone and sad.

An original song by Dany Rosevear based on the song ‘See the little Sandy girl’.

This can be played just like the circle game: ‘See the little Sandy girl’ or be more specific to include the other Nativity characters.

A little angel all alone,

Is sitting on a cloud,

Weeping, wailing,

So very, very loud.

Your friends have flown but jump up now,

And wipe those tears away,

For down on earth a shepherd child

Needs helping out today.

See the little shepherd child,

Sitting on a stone,

Crying, weeping,

Like you he’s all alone;

He’d slept that night the angels came,

With news from lands afar

And woke to find his friends were gone,

A-following a star.

“Jump up little shepherd child,

Come along with me,

Together we shall travel

And merry we shall be!

Hold my hand, the road is long,

To Bethlehem we’ll go;

We’ll find a baby lying there.

Sweet whispers tell me so!”

In Bethlehem they found the babe,

The shepherds and three kings,

“You’re not too late,” the angels sang,

“Come in, come in, come in!”

Mary said, “Draw closer now,

Stay here for a while,

Sing your songs and lullabies;

Just look! My baby claps and smiles!”

Tra la la la la la la la,

Tra la la la la.

Little donkey trotting down the road 🔊

This is song I’ve used in several Nativity plays over the years. It is from ‘Round about the seasons’ by Monica Shelton, a delightful collection of seasonal plays with music for young children published in 1984.

Little donkey trotting down the road,

Happy that you bear your precious load,

Never mind the rough and stony bends,

Bethlehem is at your journey’s end.

Stars shine above you, lighting your way,

Soon you’ll be safe with a manger of hay.

Little donkey trotting down the road,

Happy that you bear your precious load,

You will share your stable and your hay,

With a baby born on Christmas Day.

Little star shining in the darkling sky 🔊

A carol with a delightful calypso rhythm.

Words and music by Cynthia Raza. From a well used book of Nativity songs ‘The Christmas Search’ published in 1989.

Chorus:

“Little star shining in the darkling sky,

Little star tell me o why?”

“I’m shining on a mother and her baby boy.”

“Little star now I know why.”

Chorus

“I’m shining on the shepherds as they watch their sheep.”

“Little star now I know why.”

Chorus

“I’m shining on the Wise Men as they come from afar.”

“Little star now I know why.”

Chorus

“I’m shining on the children everywhere tonight.”

“Little star now I know why.”

Mama, bake the Johnny cake 🔊

A folk song from the Bahamas. You can find Blind Blake (Blake Alphonso Higgs) version based on a traditional melody in ‘Calypso folk sing’ published by Ludlow Music Inc. 1963. Find out more about Johnny Cakes at: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/mama-bake-that-johnny-cake-christmas.html

‘You find milk and I’ll find flour; And we’ll have pudding in half an hour’ Mother Goose.

Mama, bake the Johnny cake, Christmas comin’!

Christmas comin’! (clap) Christmas comin’! (clap)

Papa, hang the pretty lights, Christmas comin’!

Christmas comin’! (clap) Christmas comin’! (clap)

Mama bake that Johnny cake, New Year comin’!…

Papa bake that Johnny cake, birthday comin’!…

Merry bells of Christmas ring 🔊

A cheerful song for the festive season.

By Satis N. Coleman and Alice G. Thorn from ’Music for living through the day’ published in 1956.

This song can be played lightly and high as children ring small bells or slowly and heavily at a lower pitch with children responding by tugging rhythmically at imaginary bells.

The merry bells of Christmas ring,

Ding dong, ding dong,

And joy to all the children bring,

Ding, dong, ding!

Mary had a baby 🔊

A St. Helena Island spiritual.

This can easily be adapted to tell the rest of the Christmas story.

Mary had a baby, Yes, Lord,

Mary had a baby, Yes, my Lord,

Mary had a baby, Yes, Lord!

The people keep a-comin’ but the train done gone!

What did she name him? Yes, Lord…

Mary named him Jesus, Yes, Lord…

Where was he born? Yes, Lord…

Born in a stable, Yes, Lord…

Where did she lay him? Yes, Lord…

Laid him in a manger, Yes, Lord…

Mister Turkey’s tail 🔊

The tale of a turkey. A festive hand play.

Set to music by Dany Rosevear.

1. Fan out fingers of hand. Move hand from side to side. 2. Raise forearm, fashion hand into turkey head.Squeeze wrist. Open and close fingers. 3. Stretch neck, move head from side to side. Make two fingers dance. 4. Rub tummy.

Mister Turkey's tail is big and wide,

He swings it when he walks.

His neck is long, his chin is red,

He gobbles when he talks.

Mister Turkey is so tall and proud,

He dances on his feet,

And on each Thanksgiving Day

He's something good to eat!

Mother Mary gently walking 🔊

A gentle carol and lullaby for any mother and child.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

Mother Mary, gently walking

Through the stars she makes her way.

Wondrous stars so brightly shining,

Greet my child on Christmas day.

Wondrous stars, they see her coming,

Bow their heads and bid her stay:

“Take from us a crown of starlight

For your child on Christmas day.”

Mother Mary, gently walking,

In the sun she makes her way:

“Golden sun so brightly shining,

Greet my child on Christmas day”.

Golden sun, it sees her coming,

Bows its head and bids her stay:

“Take from me a golden sunbeam,

For your child on Christmas day”.

Mother Mary, gently walking,

‘To the moon she makes her way:

“Silver moon, so brightly shining,

Greet my child on Christmas day.”

Silver moon, it sees her coming,

Bows its head and bids her stay:

“Take from me a silver girdle

For your child on Christmas day.”

Mother Mary, gently walking,

Down to earth she makes her way,

Bearing gifts of heavenly splendour,

For her child on Christmas day.

Father Joseph walks beside her,

Close at hand to show the way:

As she bears those gifts of splendour,

For her child on Christmas day.

Loving children see her coming

Bow their heads and bid her stay:

“Take our love, Oh, Mother Mary

For your child on Christmas day.”

Nine happy reindeer 🔊

Rudolph saves the day! Learn the names of Santa’s reindeer.

Music and words by Dany Rosevear.

“Come Dasher and Dancer, come Prancer and Vixen,

Come Comet and Cupid, come Donner and Blitzen!"

Eight little reindeer ready to go,

Out in the dark and the falling snow;

“Oh dear!” said Santa, “What a terrible night -

We’ll never get going without a good light!”

Then Rudolph appeared and he pawed at the ground

His red nose a-shining, a light had been found!

Nine happy reindeer away they soon sped,

To visit good children, all tucked up in bed.

Nine little reindeer 🔊

Count Santa’s reindeer.

One little, two little, three little reindeer,

Four little, five little, six little reindeer,

Seven little, eight little, nine little reindeer,

Pulling Santa's sleigh across the sky, sky, sky!

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