Christmas carols: Where did they come from and which is your favourite?

What are Christmas Carols?

"Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright"

Do you recognise the Christmas carol? Is it your favourite?

It's silent night - one of the most popular and well known Christmas carols.

But why do we sing at carols at Christmas? We spoke to BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus director Neil Ferris to find out more...

Where did Christmas carols come from and why do we sing them?

Traditionally people travelled door to door to sing Christmas carols

Christmas carols have been sung in towns and villages for hundreds of years.

Carols used to be written and sung during all four seasons, but only the tradition of singing them at Christmas has really survived.

BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus director Neil Ferris told us:

"The Victorians made a concerted effort to revive carolling and the first documented carol service was in Truro Cathedral in 1880. The tradition of singing carols in the street (Wassailing) comes from a long time before that!"

Carol singing on Christmas Eve at Hampton Court Palace, Victorian 1880s

Singing carols is an important part of many people's Christmas celebrations, Neil says: "Singing with other people brings a great sense of community and connection, but at Christmas time, singing carols brings a sense of joy and warmth at a special (and chilly!) time of year."

Who wrote Christmas carols and which is the oldest?

The Victorians were big fans of Christmas

Christmas carols have changed a lot over the years but they still hold on to their traditional roots.

During the Middle Ages, carollers would travel from house to house, singing songs to spread joy and celebrate the season.

"So many of them are so old (dating back to medieval times) that we don’t necessarily know who wrote them," says Neil.

"A number of carols sung today date from the Middle Ages and would have been sung in Latin, but the more familiar versions that we sing now have been arranged from Victorian times onwards."

Is there a difference between Christmas carols and Christmas songs?

Both carols and Christmas songs are sung and played at Christmas time, however carols tend to be more traditional and sometimes religious

A carol is defined in the dictionary as “traditional songs that are sung just before Christmas that celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ”.

Both carols and Christmas songs are sung and played at Christmas time, however carols tend to be more traditional and sometimes religious.

Often the two can get mixed up, especially because lots of pop singers like Beyoncé have released their own versions of carols.

Most choirs sing a mixture of Christmas carols and songs

However, at Christmas time you will often hear choirs singing both carols and Christmas songs at events.

"Most choirs sing a mixture of Christmas carols and songs," Neil says.

Many of the Christmas songs have themes from the non-religious aspects of Christmas and winter that match with the original non-Christian Yuletide festival, as well as more modern Christmas themes. "

So, what is your favourite Christmas carol?

What Christmas song or carol do you love?

We asked Neil what his favourite Christmas carol is...

"Am I allowed two? One carol and one song?!

My favourite carol is ‘Once in Royal David’s City‘ because in its first line ‘stood a lowly cattle shed’ it reminds us about the humbleness and simplicity of the original story. My favourite Christmas song is ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas’ as it makes me feel all warm inside!"

So, now you know all about them, let us know your Christmas carol in the comments below!