Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. ‘Tis the season to be jolly. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. Don we now our gay apparel. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. Troll the ancient Yuletide carol. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.

One of the great classics of every Christmas season, this song made it’s debut in the early 1860s when Scotsman Thomas Oliphant penned English lyrics for an old winter Welsh tune from the sixteenth-century. The version we now know so well did not actually appear until at least a decade later.

Simple in its construction, this is a bouncy song that lends itself well to festive gatherings and caroling. Because ultimately it is about that most essential component of the season of Christmas – spending time with others, especially those we love.

So grab a Welsh brown ale and sing along!

Traditional Hymns & Carols – Dancing Day & What Child Is This? 

Lessons & Carols – Here We Come Awassailing