We wish you a merry Christmas

Most of our traditional Christmas carols hold deeply religious meaning, but some like "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," have a more humorous twist. The song itself has quite a history, which reflects the wit of the Victorian Era carolers and their love for a traditional Christmas dessert.

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a popular secular sixteenth-century English carol from the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition where wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on Christmas Eve such as 'figgy puddings' that were very much like modern day Christmas puddings. It is one of the few English traditional carols that makes mention of the New Year celebration. It is often the last song carolers sing to people.

The author of the beloved Christmas carol is unknown as is the composer but that hasn't stopped carolers and others from singing it over the decades.

The lyrics themselves are funny and the meaning's behind them. Like "We wish you a Merry Christmas" was simply put a line to greet the household the carolers were singing at. And "Oh, bring us some figgy pudding, we won't go until we get some" was saying that basically the carolers were there to sing and would keep singing until they got paid.

From 1647-1660 Christmas carols were banned by the church, specifically Protestant Oliver Cromwell who thought that the songs made a mockery of the holiday and made it less somber than it should be. Churchgoers then started going door-to-door singing so that the traditional songs could be kept alive. It wasn't until the 19th century that Christmas carols became popular once again.

The fun and humorous song has been recreated quite a few times over the decades. The most notable singers are John Denver and the Muppets, James Belushi in the movie Jingle all the Way, William Studwell, Carol Mueller and country legend Johnny Cash.

Regardless, of the origins or the singer We Wish you a Merry Christmas has been and will continue to be one of the favorite carols to sing during the holiday season for us all.

 Lyrics:

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us some figgy pudding
Please bring it right here!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for 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 it out here!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for 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
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!