WHAT would Christmas be without carols? Whether sung in the streets or by a choir in church, they bring out the true spirit of the holidays. But, did you know that the custom of singing Christmas carols, which were originally communal songs, dates back to the 13th century? And that most of them were composed by Protestants? Today, carols are as much a part of the festive celebration as they are of religious services.

Inspiration

?O Come All Ye Faithful? (?Adeste Fideles?) is a popular 18th century hymn erroneously attributed to St. Bonaventure, a 13th century saint. It was actually written by John Francis Wade, a Catholic composer who lived with exiled English Catholics throughout most of his life.

?O Little Town of Bethlehem? was written by Phillips Brooks, an Episcopalian priest who drew inspiration from his visit to Bethlehem in 1865. The melody was added by Lewis Redner.

?Joy to the World? was written by Isaac Watts, a prolific English hymn writer credited with composing some 750 songs. The first known recording of this tune is an instrumental version recorded in 1954.

?Hark the Herald Angels Sing? was composed in 1739 by Charles Wesley, a Methodist. The tune for this carol was based on a chorus by Felix Mendelssohn, a German composer and pianist.

?O Holy Night? was composed in 1847 by Adolphe Adam, a French composer of operas and ballets. On the Christmas Eve of 1906, Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor, played this song on the violin over an AM radio program, thus making it the first piece of music over the airwaves.

The lyrics of ?Silent Night? (originally a six-stanza poem) were written in German in 1816 by Josef Mohr while serving as a young priest in a pilgrimage church in Austria. Its melody was created by Franz Xaver Gruber, an Austrian schoolteacher and church organist.

?It Came Upon a Midnight Clear? was penned by Edmund Hamilton Sears, a pastor of the Unitarian Church in Massachusetts. Appearing on the Christian Register in 1849, its melody was created 10 years later by Richard Storrs Willis.

Music and lyrics

John Henry Hopkins, an Episcopalian bishop and a stained-glass artist, wrote the music and lyrics of ?We Three Kings? in 1857. It was written for New York?s theological seminary during its Christmas pageant.

Translated into many languages, these carols have been sung by millions and handed down from generation to generation. A writer once observed that their composers could not have imagined the impact of their songs? lyrics, saying, ?Even when there is no celebrity to sing them, their powerful message of heavenly peace crosses borders and language barriers, and conquers the hearts of people everywhere!?