Meaning of We Wish You a Merry Christmas & The Story Behind

Several centuries ago, in Foggy Albion, a custom arose on Christmas Eve to congratulate neighbors with holiday hymns. As a rule, this was done by poor people. They walked around the yards of the local rich, wishing them well-being, and they thanked the guests with traditional dishes.

Over time, Christmas traditions have undergone significant changes, but they still have a place for cheerful carols. Among the famous songs that have not lost popularity today is the composition We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

The story behind of We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Researchers believe that it was born in the sixteenth century, but very little is known about the early stage of the history of the song.

The phrase “a merry Christmas and a happy New Year” can be found in Roger de Coverly: Or, The Merry Christmas, dated 1740.

christmas mummers

The illustration for the short story The Christmas Mummers (1858) by Charlotte Yonge depicts boys singing a Christmas carol. Below the picture are the lyrics:

I wish you a merry christmas
And a happy New Year
A pantryful of good roast-beef,
And barrels full of beer

I wish you a Merry Christmas
And happy new year
A pantry full of roast beef
And barrels full of beer

In the nineteenth century, several collections of British song folklore were compiled in which there is not a word about We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

It was not included in the Oxford Book of Carols, published in 1928. The authors of the reprint, published under the title “The New Oxford Songbook” (1992), call the song “traditional English”, without citing any dates or sources in the article.

In 1935, Oxford University Press published an arrangement of the chorale A Merry Christmas by composer Arthur Warrell. Subsequently, the work was included in the anthology Carols for Choirs (1961), remaining for many years the most common version of the chorale.

Video of We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Listing all the performers is beyond the power of any expert or musical resource. A folksy version was recorded by John Denver and The Muppets.

It is impossible not to remember Bing Crosby (Bing Crosby) with his soulful voice.

Blackmore’s Night made a great recording.

Beautifully sang the composition of the girl from Celtic Woman.

Write in the comments about the versions of the Christmas carol that you like.

Interesting Facts

  • Although the lyrics of the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas refer to fig pudding, historians say that in reality it could be cooked with any fruit and berries.

Numerous versions of the words of the anthem are known. Below is the classic version.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas Lyrics

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring some out here

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
So bring some out here

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year

We Wish You a Merry Christmas Lyrics Alternate

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And happy new year

We have good news for you and your family.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

So bring us the fig pudding
So bring us the fig pudding
Let’s get it here

We have good news for you and your family.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We won’t leave until we get it
We won’t leave until we get it
We won’t leave until we get it
Let’s get it here

We have good news for you and your family.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And happy new year

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