Please see definitions for Yule and Saturnalia. Two brief quotes: “Yule is a winter festival identified with Christmas in modern times. The pagan Germanic peoples celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. When the Julian calendar was adopted in northern Europe, Yule was placed on December 25 to correspond with the date of Christmas, but was originally on December 21. The word “Yule” come from the same root as the word “jolly.” Modern Yule traditions include decorating a fir or spruce tree, burning a Yule log, hanging mistletoe and holly branches, giving gifts, and general celebration and merriment.” and “Saturnalia is the feast with which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn, which was on 17 December. Over the years, it expanded to a whole week, to 23 December. Saturnalia became one of the most popular Roman festivals. It was marked by tomfoolery and reversal of social roles, in which slaves and masters ostensibly switched places.”
(I love that word, “tomfoolery.”)
traditional; see The Boar’s Head
The boar’s head in hand bring I, (Or: The boar’s head in hand bear I,)
Bedeck’d with bays and rosemary.
I pray you, my masters, be merry (Or: And I pray you, my masters, merry be)
Quot estis in convivio (Translation: As many as are in the feast)
CHORUS: Caput apri defero (Translation: The boar’s head I offer)
Reddens laudes Domino (Translation: Giving praises to the Lord)
The boar’s head, as I understand,
Is the rarest dish in all this land,
Which thus bedeck’d with a gay garland
Let us servire cantico. (Translation: Let us serve with a song)
(CHORUS)
Our steward hath provided this
In honour of the King of Bliss;
Which, on this day to be served is
In Reginensi atrio. (Translation: In the Queen’s hall)
traditional; see Here We Come a Wassailing
Here we come a wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a wandering
So fair to be seen.
CHORUS: Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year.
And God send you a happy New Year.
Our wassail cup is made
Of the rosemary tree,
And so is your beer
Of the best barley.
(CHORUS)
We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door,
But we are neighbours’ children
Whom you have seen before.
(CHORUS)
Good Master and good Mistress,
As you sit by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Are wandering in the mire.
(CHORUS)
We have a little purse
Made of ratching leather skin;
We want some of your small change
To line it well within.
(CHORUS)
Call up the Butler of this house,
Put on his golden ring;
Let him bring us a glass of beer,
And the better we shall sing.
(CHORUS)
Bring us out a table,
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese,
And some of your Christmas loaf.
(CHORUS)
God bless the Master of this house,
Likewise the Mistress too;
And all the little children
That round the table go.
(CHORUS)
traditional; see Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
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.
Toll the ancient Yule tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la, la gay la, la la la.
While I tell of Yule tide treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
traditional; see We Wish You A Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
CHORUS: Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding; (recipe for figgy pudding)
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
(CHORUS)
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
(CHORUS)
(Repeat Verse 1)
traditional; see An English Drinking Song from Henry VIII’s Songbook
Tyme to pas with goodly sport
Our spryts to revyve and comfort;
To pype, to synge,
To daunce, to spryng,
With pleasure and delyte
Following sensual appetyte.
Note: All the pictures in this post were taken in Rome.
One more free selection from my pipe organ mp3 album on Amazon of one of the carol arrangements of mine published by Concordia, the rousing good tune, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” Hope you enjoy it. Just click on the rightward-pointing triangle in the icon below and it should play automatically. It’s free and there’s nothing to download.
IF PLAYER DOESN’T WORK, PLAY OR DOWNLOAD MP3 FOR FREE HERE
to play, left click; to download, right click on link and select “Save link as…” or “Save target as…”
This is a lower resolution mp3. If you’re interested in the highest resolution recording, that’s available on the Inkwatu store.
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