The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-14
Stories Of The
Christmas Carols
Prepared for Community Service by
Pros. Peter w. Dykema, Uni
versity of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wis.

Christmas Carols is a term used to de
scribe a large variety of songs which are
to be used during the Christmas season
They are of two main types-the religious
and the convivial: the one celebrating the
birth of Jesus: the other exalting mIrth
and feastiug. Only lately has much atten-
ton been given to this material by serious
musicians. During the 18th century the
carol literature was of the humbest kind,
Such material as was available was
handed on by tradition. Many of the
older ones have doubtless been entirely
lost and many that we now hear have
been considerably mOderniZed Davis
Gilbert seems to have been the first per-
son who attempted to fix these vanishing
memories of the past.
The Reformer publishes herewith the
fifth of 81 list Of 10 Of the best Christmas
Carols which are to be used in Brattle-
bor0 duIing the Christmas season under
the inspiration of Community Service:
Deck the Hall.
Many nations have Christmas songs,
bat the gay carol is found principally in
the British Isles Before these island
people were Christianized they had a mid
winter festival called Nule which was a
season of merrymaking. Songs were used
which not only called forth lusty rollick-
ing singing. but also stimulated dancing
and fr0licking When Christianity was
established i'm England. the missionaries
instead of attempting to suppress the
carols. which were the popular music Of
the day. encouraged their use with the
new religious Interpretation Of Christmas.
Frequently the texts were slightly,
changed. or even entirely rewritten in or
der to present the Christian idea. but oc-
ca>iOnally. on the theory that "a ~princi-
pal point of charity, II Is to be merry.
the old pagan songs were preserved in
their original forms.
Deck the Hall is one of this type. 1t
comes from Wales, that land of hearty
singing. 1t wildly pictures the house
hold preparation for the joyful feast The
famous Christmas buildings mingle their
CdorS with those of the fresh evergreens
of holly and mistletoe which hang in gar
lands to deck the hall" The kitchen and
hall ring with the sound of happy voices
At midnight of Christmas Eve the Yule
log decorated with all kinds of devices
and garnished with evergreenS, Is brought
i'm with a procession of lights, banners and
songs and placed in the middle of the
room. Each one present was expected to
sit ON it and sing Nule song. Certainly
one that. they trolled Justify was this
carol beloved of old and young:
I.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa Ia la In Ia la Ia la In.
It's the season to be jolly,
Fa la la In Ia Ia Ia la Ia.
Don we now our gay apparel
Fa la Ia Ia la la In.
Troll the ancient Euletide carol
Fa Ia Ia la la la Ia Ia la.
See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa In Ia Ia Ia Ia Ia In Ia.
Strike the harp and join the chorus,
Fa Ia In In la Ia In In la.
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa Ia la Ia In Ia In.
While 1 tell of Yuletide treasure,
Fa Ia la Ia Ia la la la la.
3.
Fast away the old year passes,
Fa In Ia Ia Ia To Ia Ia la.
Hail the new. We lads and lasses,
Ia In la Ia Ia Ia Ia la Ia.
Sing we joyous all together.
Ia In la Ia In la In.
Needless of the wind and weather,
Fa la Ia Ia la Ia la Ia Ia.
Old Welsh Air.
Next Carol: Here We Come A-Carol-
ling.