We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Many people sing this happy song at Christmas. It comes from a part of England.

The song talks about a sweet treat. This treat is called figgy pudding.

It is a pudding with raisins in it.

Long ago, people went from door to door. They sang to ask for treats. They might even ask for beer.

One man helped make the song famous. He wrote a new way to sing it. He used the word "I" at first.

Now, many people sing it together. It is a fun song to share.

Many people sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" at Christmas. This song comes from the West Country of England.

Long ago, people went from door to door. They were often called mummers. These townsfolk sang to ask for gifts. Some versions of the song even ask for beer. The song mentions a treat called figgy pudding.

In the West Country, figgy pudding is a sweet dish. It is a pudding made with raisins or plums. In the song, the singers ask for this treat. They even say they will not leave without it!

One man made this version very famous. His name was Arthur Warrell. He was a music teacher in Bristol. In 1935, he made a new way to sing it. He wrote it for a group called the Bristol University Madrigal Singers. He used the word "I" in the first line. Later, people changed it back to "we." Now, people all over the world sing this happy song together.

Many people sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" every year. This song is a famous English Christmas carol. It brings people together to share holiday cheer. Most people know the version from the West Country of England. This song is more than just a melody. It is a way to celebrate a special season. It carries a sense of joy and tradition.

In the song, the singers ask for a treat. This treat is called figgy pudding. In the West Country, this name refers to raisin or plum pudding. It might not always have real figs in it.

The singers in the song are very playful. They even say they will not leave until they get some! This shows how the song is meant to be fun. It captures the spirit of asking for holiday treats.

Long ago, people called mummers would go from door to door. These were townsfolk who went to houses to sing. They would often perform plays or ask for gifts. Some versions of the song from the 1830s mention beer. Mummers might visit homes to request small gifts or drinks. This was a common way to celebrate in different parts of England. It was a way for neighbors to connect during the holidays.

One man named Arthur Warrell made this version very popular. He was a composer and organist from Bristol. He lived from 1883 to 1939. In 1935, he created a special four-part arrangement for his choir. This group was the Bristol University Madrigal Singers.

His version was published by Oxford University Press that same year. He originally used the word "I" instead of "we." Later, the song was put in a book called Carols for Choirs in 1961.

Today, many different versions of this song exist. Some singers use the line "Good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year." In 1971, a man named George Dunn recorded a version. He used a different tune for the verses. Another singer, Amy Ford, sang a version in 1973.

Many recordings we hear now come from Arthur Warrell's work. The song connects us to old English traditions. It remains a favorite for choirs and families everywhere.

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a famous English Christmas carol. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 230 and 9681. This song is a part of the English tradition of holiday music. While many versions exist, the most well-known version comes from the West Country of England. The song is celebrated for its joyful spirit and its connection to old customs. It remains a staple of holiday celebrations around the world.

The song's lyrics include a playful demand for a specific treat. The singers ask for "figgy pudding" and threaten to stay until they receive it. In the West Country, "figgy pudding" refers to a raisin or plum pudding. It does not necessarily contain actual figs.

Historically, this term was used for baked batter puddings with raisins. In some parts of Devonshire, people called plum pudding or plum cake "figgy pudding." This demand for food reflects an old tradition of holiday visiting.

This tradition likely involves "mummers," who were townsfolk that traveled from door to door. These visitors would sing and sometimes perform plays to request gifts. In some nineteenth-century versions of the song, the lyrics even mention a "cellar full of beer." This suggests that mummers might visit homes to ask for small gifts or drinks. Such customs allowed neighbors to connect and share during the Christmas season. These visits were a way for the community to participate in the festivities together.

Arthur Sydney Warrell played a massive role in making this specific version popular. Warrell was a composer, conductor, and organist born in Farmborough in 1883. He lived until 1939 and worked in several Bristol churches. He also taught music at the University of Bristol. In 1909, he became a lecturer at the university. He founded the Bristol University Choir, Orchestra, and Madrigal Singers.

His work helped bring the West Country melody to a much wider audience.

In 1935, Warrell created an elaborate four-part arrangement for his Madrigal Singers. He performed this arrangement in a concert on December 6, 1935. Oxford University Press published his composition that same year. They titled it "A Merry Christmas: West Country traditional song." Interestingly, Warrell's original arrangement used the word "I" instead of "we." The first line was actually "I wish you a Merry Christmas." Later, the 1961 reprint in "Carols for Choirs" allowed singers to use the more common "We wish you a Merry Christmas."

Many different musical versions of the carol have been recorded over the years. In 1971, Roy Palmer recorded George Dunn from Staffordshire singing a version. This version used the song "Christmas Is Coming" for its verses. In 1973, Amy Ford of Somerset sang a version called "The Singers Make Bold." Some traditional recordings follow Warrell's famous arrangement very closely. Other versions use completely different tunes than the famous West Country melody. For example, folk collectors recorded versions from Gloucestershire and Staffordshire that used unique music.

The history of the song's specific phrases is also quite old. The greeting "a merry Christmas and a happy New Year" appears in a letter from Samuel Goodman. This letter was dated December 20, 1710. While the exact origins of the carol are not fully clarified, it has deep roots. Some editors describe it as the remnant of an "envoie" used by "wassailers." Wassailers were people who went around giving holiday greetings. Today, the song connects modern listeners to these centuries-old English traditions.