Celtic Christmas Song Lyrics

Now that I finally have my very own Celtic Christmas album, I thought I'd share the lyrics. These are all the lyrics from the album some are Celtic Christmas song lyrics others are just Christmas lyrics. But you can find them all on my greeting cards and CD, Celtic Christmas Greetings. The lyrics are written as I sang them on my album.

 

Let's Have a Celtic Christmas

words Rie Sheridan Rose, music Marc Gunn

The Holly, ivy, mistletoe…
The yew branch on the wall
All of these have Celtic roots—
We celebrate them all.

A candle in the window
To call the traveler home
A symbol of trad-ition
Wherever we may roam.

*The year is almost over,
Christmas is nearly here.
It’s time for celebration,
Let’s raise a glass, my dear—

The year is almost over,
Christmas is nearly here.
Let’s make a new tradition
And share our Celtic cheer!

The Yule log in the fire place
The new lit from the old
It burns for all the evening
And brings on luck foretold.

Decorations on a Yule tree,
The way we often do
Bright stars upon the pine boughs
Yes, that was Celtic too.

And even Father Christmas,
Our modern Santa Claus,
Was once a Celtic fellow—
Now, does that give you pause?

So hang a wreath upon your door
And set the Guinness out.
Let’s have a Celtic Christmas
That’s what it’s all about!

 

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
To which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

 

Celtic Christmas Elf

by Marc Gunn
originally known as the Celtic Christmas Elf Conscription Song

Ho ho! Merry Christmas with a rat-ta-ta-tum,
The presents we make will bring joy to children.
Santa’s smiling and stroking his beard with his thumb
Come celebrate Christmas with me, with me!
Come celebrate Christmas with me!

Twas a fortnight following St. Patrick’s Day
When across the thin veil the Leprechauns came
To Shebeg and Sheemore to dance with the fae
To join the fine craic until morning.

Ol’ Lucky was sitting and drinking stout brew
When in walked two elves with green hats and red shoes
He smiled and said, “Why! How do you do?
Pull a seat up and drink here with me.”

The larger elf said, “Let me buy you a beer.
T’was a great Paddy’s Day from all that I hear!”
The other elf added, “I’ve a secret to share.Gm
Just listen and the next round’s on me.”

Lucky drank his first pint while singing a song.
The second pint came as he was feeling quite strong.
But the shot of hot whiskey, made him feel all wrong.
That’s when the elves began to speak.

“Kris Kringle sent us to recruit by ourselves.
But the Keeblers are busy. S.P.E.W.’s freeing house elves.
I guess what we’re staying is we’ve chosen quite well.
Your going to the North Pole with me.”

They dragged him outside. Tied him to a reindeer
To the North Pole they flew to serve a full year.
You Leprechauns take note of Santa’s elves and beware
Don’t share in the craic of the fae.

 

Christmas in Scotland

by Marc Gunn

On a cold Glasgow eve,
We wandered brisk streets
Like a storybook romance from the past
From New Orleans to Scotland
With memories to spend
And you face lit up with a laugh

Happy Christmas, my sweet, you're the reason
I awake each morning joy on my face.
Warm covers we cast off
Like the cold Scottish frost
Our hearts warm us up each Christmas Day

Along Oban's sea wall,
Christmas snow is falling
Where you and I walked hand in hand
Now our wee baby wiggles
She's our tiny snow angel
Without you, my Christmas feels bland

 

Christmas in Killarney

by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon

The holly green, the ivy green,
the prettiest picture you've ever seen
It's Christmas in Killarney,
with all of the folks at home.
It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau,
while cuddling under the mistletoe,
and Santa Claus you know, of course,
is one of the b'ys from home.

The door is always open,
the neighbors pay a call.
And Father John, before he's gone,
will bless the house and all.

How grand it feels to click your heels
And join in the fun of the jigs and reels.
I'm handing you no blarney,
The likes you've never known
It's Christmas in Killarney,
With all of the folks at home.

Christmas in Killarney
Is wonderful to see
Listen to my story
and I'll take you back with me.

The holly green, the ivy green,
the prettiest picture you've ever seen
It's Christmas in Killarney,
with all of the folks at home.
It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau,
while cuddling under the mistletoe,
and Santa Claus you know, of course,
is one of the b'ys from home.

The door is always open,
the neighbors pay a call.
And Father John, before he's gone,
will bless the house and all.

How grand it feels to click your heels
And join in the fun of the jigs and reels.
I'm handing you no blarney,
The likes you've never known
It's Christmas in Killarney,
With all of the folks at home.

The Scottish King of Christmas

by Marc Gunn, Dec 2009

You've heard about three Kings of Orient are
But have you heard about the fourth from afar
He came down from the cold, windy north
To celebrate Jesus' holy birth

He followed the star across highlands and seas
Far to the South, across many coun-ter-ies
He wore blue paint and a kilt quite bold
That danced as he walked into the stable door

[scotland the brave melody]
Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Fa-la la-la

The wise men looked up at this stranger and stared
Who was this wild man who didn't comb his hair
A wool blanket he brought that looked like his kilt
He wrapped baby Jesus and by his side he knelt

The wise men smiled as he left the stable door
Thinking they like this man much more than before
Then they heard a sound that blared through the night
Baby Jesus awoke to those highland bagpipes.

Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Fa-la la-la la-la-la
Scotland the Brave

 

Jingle Bells

by James Lord Pierpont

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot.

A day or two ago,
This story I must tell
I went out on the snow,
And on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by
In a one-horse open sleigh,
He laughed as I lay sprawling there,
But quickly drove away.

Now the ground is white
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight
and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bobtail bay
Two forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you'll take the lead.

 

Frosty the Irish Snowman

lyrics Walter Rollins, Steve Nelson, add. lyrics Marc Gunn

Frosty the Snow Man, was a jolly craic'n soul
With a corn-cob pipe and a button nose
and two eyes made out of coal.

Frosty the Snow Man, belongs to the fae they say
He was made of snow but the wee folk know
how he came to life one day.

There must have been some magic in
that old tweed hat they found,
For when they placed it on his head
he danced a jig all 'round.

Oh, Frosty the Snow Man was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh and play
just the same as you and me.

Frosty the Snow Man,' knew the sun was out that day,
So he said, "Let's run and we'll have some fun
now before I melt away."

Down to the village, a shillelagh in his hand,
Running here and there all around the square,
saying "Catch me if you can."

He led them down old Galway town
right to the traffic cop,
And he only paused a moment when
he heard him holler, "Stop!"

Frosty the Snow Man had to hurry on his way,
But he waved good-bye, saying, "Don't you cry;
I'll be back again some day."

Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.
Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
over the hills of snow...Oh...Oh...over the [D7]hills of snow.

 

Snowfall

by Marc Gunn

There's a snowfall out-side my window
I dress for work and pull my shirt over my head
There's this quiet stillness all around me
I hear you whispering, "My darling, please, come back to bed."

The snow doesn't want you to go to work today
The snow bunting is singing ooooo stay home
I know you have a heavy load that you must bare
Lay it down for another day, my dear

The snow is falling outside my window
As I pull the warm covers over our heads
A warm smile is glowing with the sunrise
I hear you whispering, "Aren't you glad you stayed home instead?"

 

Silent Night

by Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child
Holy infant, tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake, at the sight
Glories stream from heaven above
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

 

Christmas in the Shire

lyrics Nancy Flynn, music Marc Gunn

I've wandered through this world of ours
For countless years on end.
Seen wonders that I can't describe
And troubles I could not mend.
Yet as the year comes to a close,
My heart begins to yen,
For days of old and folks long gone.
My thoughts go back to then…

Long ago the Yule Bells rang,
I still recall their chime.
Oh, to be back in the Shire again,
Now that it's Christmas time.

To find myself at home once more,
Where life was so slow and sweet,
Amongst the hobbits whom I adore,
Old friends I can't wait to greet.
The bell-ringer lads made their rounds
As the sun sank into bed.
Farthing to farthing echoed the sounds,
'Til the moon raised up his head.

In Buckland, Tuckborough, Bywater, and Bree,
Every fireside was alight.
Warmth and comfort provided for free,
Crackled loud and flickered bright.
With kith and kin gathered at side,
We gave thanks for all we had.
Where home and hearth, and peace abide,
Our hearts were ever glad.

I'd sit me down and name my pleasure,
Mug of beer or vintage rare,
Rings of smoke blown at leisure,
Sup o' favorite hobbit fare.
Six days of feasts and frolicking fun,
Songs and stories to delight.
Rich or poor, we all shared as one,
Danced and reveled long into the night.