It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Known as one of the first carols composed by Americans, this song combines an 1849 poem by Massachusetts minister Edmund H. Sears and an 1850 melody created by Boston musician Richard S. Willis.
Go Tell It on the Mountain
This popular American carol was created around the turn of the 19th century. Some historians have linked it to a Nashville composer, Frederick J. Work.
Away in a Manger
The words to this popular carol were first published anonymously in Philadelphia in 1885. The melody was later added by American composer James Ramsey Murray in 1887.
The First Noel
This piece originates from 16th-century England. The title was originally spelled "The First Nowell," reflecting its Anglo roots. It was changed to the French spelling of the word for Christmas, "Noel," when the song was published in an 1833 collection of carols.
What Child Is This?
The melody of this song is a popular English tune, "Greensleeves," which was written in the Elizabethan era. Englishman William Chatterton Dix wrote the lyrics to this particular carol in 1865.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
This song was created in England, and historians believe it originated in the 16th century.