The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO) - The Daily Beast Who Is Parson Brown? The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO) Who is Parson Brown? What is figgy pudding? And how, exactly, do you don gay apparel? A glossary of what all those strange phrases in classic Christmas songs really mean. Kevin Fallon 12.24.14 10:45 AM ET We happily hoist our egg nog in the air, embrace each other, and raise our out-of-tune voices in song. And we have no idea what in Santa’s name we’re singing. Each holiday season, the masses carol about “figgy pudding” and “gay apparel” and someone named Parson Brown, mostly ignorant to the meaning of these antiquated phrases and references to things long past. In the spirit of finding the true meaning of Christmas, we thought it best to find the true meaning of these befuddling Christmas song lyrics. Here, a glossary to the most confusing.

‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ ‘Oh, bring us a figgy pudding’ Whether carolers would truly like for someone to bring them some figgy pudding, as they demand in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” depends on their fondness for another classic holiday dessert. It’s “a little bit like fruitcake,” baking expert Dorie Greenspan told NPR’s Michele Norris on All Things Considered. “I was afraid to say it because fruitcake has such a bad reputation, but [figgy pudding] is steamed; it’s chockablock with dried fruits; it’s so boozy…it’s delicious.” It was popularized as a holiday dessert in 16th-century England and also is known as Christmas pudding or plum pudding. Over the years, its popularity has waned significantly. ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas’ ‘I don’t know if there’ll be snow but have a cup of cheer’ There’s a cute play on words going on here. It’s Christmas, bucko, so look happy! But as some of us know all too well, “cup of cheer” refers more specifically to a brimming cup of holiday happy juice. Booze.

Whether it’s spiked egg nog, mulled cider, or some other libation, the narrator here is inviting listeners to raise a glass, drink, and be merry. ‘Sleigh Ride’ ‘It’ll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Ives’ Currier and Ives was a printmaking firm based out of New York City from 1834 to 1907. Founded by Nathaniel Currier, who later partnered with James Merritt Ives, the firm described itself as “publishers of cheap and popular prints,” most of which were lithographs depicting the spectrum of American life. Extremely popular were the winter landscapes, which featured utopian winter scenes of couples riding horse-drawn carriages through the snow or families ice skating on picturesque ponds. In “Sleigh Ride,” the narrator is painting a scene so perfect that it could be featured on an iconic Currier and Ives print. ‘Winter Wonderland’ ‘In the meadow we can build a snowman then pretend that he is Parson Brown’ One line in “Winter Wonderland” has stopped countless people dead in their tracks. Who is Parson Brown, and why are these people making a snowman that looks like him?

Given that in 1934, when the song was written, the most famous Parson Brown was a Florida orange grower , lyricist Richard B. Smith was likely referring to a fictional pastor. During that period, Protestant ministers were called “parsons” and would travel from town to town to performing weddings for couples who didn’t have a local minister of their faith where they lived. So those lyrics are actually a bit flirtatious. The narrator is suggesting that they build a snowman that looks like a minister. The next lines, “He’ll say ‘Are you married?’ We’ll say ‘No, man, but you can do the job while you’re in town!’” could be considered a mock proposal. ‘Deck the Halls’ ‘Don we now our gay apparel fa la la, la la la, la la la’ Get The Beast In Your Inbox! Daily DigestStart and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast. Cheat SheetA speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't). By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Subscribe Thank You! You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet.

We will not share your email with anyone for any reason “Deck the Halls” was written back in the 16th century, when the English language was very different. Modern translation: “Put on your party clothes!” ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ ‘Make the Yuletide gay From now on your troubles will be miles away, oh’ As we just reviewed, “gay” means happy—Judy Garland was not singing about a Yuletide with homosexual leanings. “Yuletide,” etymologically, roots in the Old English word “ġéol,” which has since been translated to “Yule,” referring to the 12-day religious festival celebrated by Northern Europeans hundreds of years ago. Over the years, the meaning has evolved, essentially, to “Christmastime,” and describes the period between Dec. 24 and Jan. 6. Judy, as depressing as she sounds in this song, just wants your holiday season to be happy.

‘It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas’ ‘A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots is the wish of Barney and Ben’ A pair of hopalong boots” kicks off the list of Christmas presents for pairs of children that are rattled off in “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” The boots in question have no particular spring or bounce—the song refers to popular costume boots from the ’40s and ’50s modeled after the ones worn by the cowboy Hopalong Cassidy in a series of books and films. Originally conceived by author Clarence E. Mulford in 1904, Hopalong was crude, rough-talking, and dangerous. For the 66 (!) films starring William Boyd that came out in the ’30s and ’40s before re-running on TV and finding an even wider audience in the ’50s, Hopalong was rebranded a clean-cut, valiant hero—and his boots were the prize of little boys everywhere.

‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’ ‘Rooty toot toot and rummy tum tum Santa Claus is coming to town’ Amazingly, there are theories floating around that “rooty toot toot” refers a root beer-flavored candy whistle, and “rummy tum tum” refers to rum balls meant to soothe upset stomachs, with the idea that “Santa Claus is coming to town” and he’s bringing with him candies to help you feel better after too much partying on Christmas Eve. The real answer, however, is much simpler. The line right before this is “With little tin horns and little toy drums.” The “rooty toot toot” is simply the noise the horns make, while “rummy tum tum” is the drums. ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Urban Dictionary: Parson Brown Parson Brown "Parson Brown" is the term used to talk about a typical angelican priest of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. "Parson Brown" is not an actual person (though he might have been at some time), but a figure of speech, like "John Doe" is an unidentified male and "Charley" is a watchman. "Parson" by itself means minister.

The classic line from Winter Wonderland: "In the meadow we can build a snowman Then pretend that he is Parson Brown He'll say 'Are you married ?', We'll say 'No man, For you can do the job when you're in town.'" Sure, it sounds like some kind of sexual reference, but its not. It's just a priest asking a couple if they are married. They reply that they are not and that they will wait for him to "do the job" of marrying them when he comes to their town. Parson Brown Parson Brown is the reference in the christmas song "Winter Wonderland". There is much controversy as to who this person is. Parson Brown is a distant relative to Charlie Brown, most unknown to the majority of Peanuts fans. There is a lost reel featuring Parson Brown in the holiday special "Charlie Brown and the great christmas tree caper". You can only find this episode on EBAY. So that settles the age old dispute as to who is Parson Brown and why are we pretending that he is our snowman?? ...in the meadow we can build a snowman and pretend that he is Parson Brown...

by jenn December 06, 2004 Christmas Day Quiz - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums Christmas Day Quiz 25th Dec 07, 9:26 PM Christmas Day Quiz 25th Dec 07 at 9:26 PM #1 1.In the song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas", what did my true love give to me on the 12th day? 2.Who wrote the Christmas story, "The Snowman"? 3.What colour is Santa Claus' belt? 4.In the TV show "The Simpsons", who or what is Santa's Little Helper? 5.What is the connection between "Comet", "Cupid" and "Vixen"? 6.In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", how many different ghosts visited Scrooge? 7.Which country traditionally provides Britain with a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square in London? 8.Who were Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar? 9.From the Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas", where was Good King Wenceslas the King of? 10.In which famous Christmas Song is a snowman pretended to be "Parsons Brown"?

11.According to tradition, eating at least one what on each of the 12 days of Christmas is thought to bring luck for the coming year? 12.Which country is the largest exporter of Christmas trees? 13.Which Christmas movie was centred around the mishaps of the Griswold family? 14.In the famous Christmas carol, what line follows “God rest ye merry Gentlemen”? 15.Who had a top ten hit single in 1956 with I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas? 16.A special Christmas episode of which TV show saw Santa's reindeer killed and replaced by new reindeer called Steven, Fluffy, Horace, Chantel, Skippy, Rainbow, Patches and Montel? 17.In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, how many children does Bob Cratchit have? 18.According to the lyrics of the famous Christmas song, what was Frosty The Snowman's nose made from? 19.Christmas Island is a territory of which country? 20.What was the title of Cliff Richard's last Christmas number one single? Last edited by Glad; 25-12-2007 at 9:29 PM.

I'm a Board Guide on the Money Savers Arms , Discussion Time , Wales , Competitions , Marriage Relationships & Families , Health and Pet Care boards. However, please do remember, board guides don't read every post. if you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with reportable posts). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com 25th Dec 07, 10:30 PM “ 1.In the song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas", what did my true love give to me on the 12th day? divorce papers 2.Who wrote the Christmas story, "The Snowman"? Frosty 3.What colour is Santa Claus' belt? pink 4.In the TV show "The Simpsons", who or what is Santa's Little Helper? the dog 5.What is the connection between "Comet", "Cupid" and "Vixen"? planets 6.In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", how many different ghosts visited Scrooge?

155 7.Which country traditionally provides Britain with a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square in London? Saudi Arabia 8.Who were Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar? The Devils Advocates 9.From the Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas", where was Good King Wenceslas the King of? Barnsley 10.In which famous Christmas Song is a snowman pretended to be "Parsons Brown"? Fairy Tale of New York 11.According to tradition, eating at least one what on each of the 12 days of Christmas is thought to bring luck for the coming year? brussel sprout 12.Which country is the largest exporter of Christmas trees? Iceland 13.Which Christmas movie was centred around the mishaps of the Griswold family? A Christmas Carol 14.In the famous Christmas carol, what line follows ï¿½God rest ye merry Gentlemenï¿½? Come get your socks repaired 15.Who had a top ten hit single in 1956 with I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas?

Donald Duck 16.A special Christmas episode of which TV show saw Santa's reindeer killed and replaced by new reindeer called Steven, Fluffy, Horace, Chantel, Skippy, Rainbow, Patches and Montel? Newsnight 17.In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, how many children does Bob Cratchit have? 19 18.According to the lyrics of the famous Christmas song, what was Frosty The Snowman's nose made from? a rabbits tail 19.Christmas Island is a territory of which country? Finland 20.What was the title of Cliff Richard's last Christmas number one single? 25th Dec 07, 11:41 PM “ 1.In the song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas", what did my true love give to me on the 12th day? Everything in the song - 78 gifts in total. 2.Who wrote the Christmas story, "The Snowman"? Raymond Briggs 3.What colour is Santa Claus' belt? Black 4.In the TV show "The Simpsons", who or what is Santa's Little Helper?

Useless greyhound 5.What is the connection between "Comet", "Cupid" and "Vixen"? They are all reindeer with five letter in their names. 6.In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", how many different ghosts visited Scrooge? 4 7.Which country traditionally provides Britain with a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square in London? Norway 8.Who were Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar? Magi 9.From the Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas", where was Good King Wenceslas the King of? 10.In which famous Christmas Song is a snowman pretended to be "Parsons Brown"? Winter Wonderland 11.According to tradition, eating at least one what on each of the 12 days of Christmas is thought to bring luck for the coming year? Mince pie 12.Which country is the largest exporter of Christmas trees? Denmark 13.Which Christmas movie was centred around the mishaps of the Griswold family? Santa Clause 14.In the famous Christmas carol, what line follows ï¿½God rest ye merry Gentlemenï¿½?

Let nothing you dismay 15.Who had a top ten hit single in 1956 with I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas? Goons 16.A special Christmas episode of which TV show saw Santa's reindeer killed and replaced by new reindeer called Steven, Fluffy, Horace, Chantel, Skippy, Rainbow, Patches and Montel? South Park 17.In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, how many children does Bob Cratchit have? 3 18.According to the lyrics of the famous Christmas song, what was Frosty The Snowman's nose made from? Frost 19.Christmas Island is a territory of which country? UK 20.What was the title of Cliff Richard's last Christmas number one single? Saviours Day Christmas Jeopardy Template What is A Partridge in a Pear Tree? On the First day of Christmas, my true love gave me this item 100 Jesus was born in this city 100 His famous line was "God Bless Everyone" in the famous adaption of A Christmas Carol. 100 What is North Star/ A Star?

This ornament is usually reserved for the top on the tree 200 They pretended that the snowman was this priest in the song "Winter Wonderland" 200 This is the number of kings who came bearing gifts at Jesus' birth 200 Who is the Ghost of Christmas Future? He was the last ghost to visit Ebeneezer Scrooge 200 What is Milk and Cookies? Kids usually leave these two items for Santa 300 This song talks about the baby Jesus on a quiet and dark night 300 Mary was going to get this punishment from her peers for adultery 300 What is Halloween town? Jack Skellington is from this town before he accidentally stumbles upon Christmas town in The Nightmare Before Christmas 300 This flower is mostly known as The Christmas Flower 400 What is "And Heaven and Nature sing"? This the last line of the first verse of Joy to the World 400 Grammar Girl : Was Parson Brown from "Winter Wonderland" a Real Person? :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™ Was Parson Brown from "Winter Wonderland" a Real Person? While listening to "Winter Wonderland," Ashley started wondering about the mysterious Parson Brown.

By Grammar Girl December 7, 2013 The other day, while humming “Winter Wonderland,” these two lines started to make me wonder: Who was Parson Brown? “In the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he is Parson Brown” Was he someone of cultural significance at the time the carol was written? At first glance, and looking at the lyrics that follow, it seems as if “Parson Brown” would be a minister: “He’ll say, ‘Are you married?’ We’ll say, ‘No, man! But you can do the job when you’re in town.' ” During the time when the song was written, parsons (a term for Protestant or Anglican ministers) would travel from town to town, performing wedding ceremonies for those who did not have a local minister of their own faith. But is there any significance to “Parson Brown”? It seems it could either have been a specific parson the couple knew came to their town or a placeholder title similar to “John Doe.” As far as I can tell, there was no famous Parson Brown in the 1900s.

As a side note, have you noticed that there are two versions of the bridge in “Winter Wonderland”? A 1953 version replaces “Parson Brown” with “circus clown”: “In the meadow we can build a snowman, And pretend that he’s a circus clown.” This was done, apparently, to make the song more child-friendly. Wikipedia also suggests that the change occurred because traveling parsons were no longer part of the American culture scene. Now it’s your turn. What do you know about “Parson Brown”? Sources Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers - Winter Wonderland (1946) - YouTube Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers - Winter Wonderland (1946) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Nov 26, 2010 "Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmas time pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard (composer) and Richard B. Smith (lyricist).

Richard was reportedly inspired to write the song after seeing Honesdale's Central Park covered in snow. Mr. Smith had written the lyrics while in the West Mountain Sanitarium, being treated for tuberculosis. The original recording was by Richard Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra on RCA Bluebird in 1934. At the end of a recording session with time to spare, it was suggested that this new tune be tried with an arrangement provided by the publisher. This excellent "studio" orchestra included many great New York studio musicians including the legendary Artie Shaw. Due to its seasonal theme, "Winter Wonderland" is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere, although the holiday itself is never mentioned in the lyrics. There is a mention of "sleigh-bells" several times, implying that this song refers to the Christmas period. Parson Brown The bridge of the song contains the following lyrics: "In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say 'Are You Married?' We'll say 'No man, but you can do the job when you're in town!" In the period when this song was written, parsons (now known as Protestant ministers) often traveled among small rural towns to perform wedding ceremonies for denominational followers who did not have a local minister of their own faith. Children's Lyric The original bridge, about a couple who make a spur-of-the-moment decision to get married, was supposedly considered inappropriate for children. A 1953 version of the sheet music contains the following replacement bridge: In the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he's a circus clown. We'll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman, until the other kiddies knock 'im down! When it snows, ain't it thrillin'? Tho' your nose, gets a chillin' We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland. In addition, the fact that (as noted above) the circuit-traveling country Parson trekking from village to village is no longer part of the American cultural scene has also contributed to the circus clown replacing Parson Brown.

However, some musicians have performed and even recorded the song with both stanzas - Parson Brown and Circus Clown. Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, In the lane, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, Walking in a winter wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird, Here to stay is a new bird He sings a love song, As we go along, Walking in a winter wonderland. In the meadow we can build a snowman, Then pretend that he is Parson Brown He'll say: Are you married? We'll say: No man, But you can do the job When you're in town. As we dream by the fire To face unafraid, The plans that we've made, Walking in a winter wonderland. In the meadow we can build a snowman, And pretend that he's a circus clown We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman, Until the other kids knock him down. When it snows, ain't it thrilling, Though your nose gets a chilling We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, Walking in a winter wonderland. Walking in a winter wonderland, Walking in a winter wonderland.

Category Bing Crosby - Winter Wonderland (Warner Brothers Records 1962) - YouTube Bing Crosby - Winter Wonderland (Warner Brothers Records 1962) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Oct 27, 2010 "Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmas time pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard (composer) and Richard B. Smith (lyricist). Richard was reportedly inspired to write the song after seeing Honesdale's Central Park covered in snow. Mr. Smith had written the lyrics while in the West Mountain Sanitarium, being treated for tuberculosis. The original recording was by Richard Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra on RCA Bluebird in 1934. At the end of a recording session with time to spare, it was suggested that this new tune be tried with an arrangement provided by the publisher.

This excellent "studio" orchestra included many great New York studio musicians including the legendary Artie Shaw. Due to its seasonal theme, "Winter Wonderland" is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere, although the holiday itself is never mentioned in the lyrics. There is a mention of "sleigh-bells" several times, implying that this song refers to the Christmas period. You may find yourself asking who is Parson Brown? One can assume that "Parson" is used as a title, instead of a first name. In the period when this song was written, parsons (now known as a Protestant minister) often travelled among small rural towns to perform wedding ceremonies for denominational followers who did not have a local minister of their faith. Therefore, the children are most likely pretending that their snowman is a Parson with the surname "Brown," which would be visiting the town again in the future. Parson Brown The bridge of the song contains the following lyrics: "In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say 'Are You Married?' We'll say 'No man, but you can do the job when you're in town!" In the period when this song was written, parsons (now known as Protestant ministers) often traveled among small rural towns to perform wedding ceremonies for denominational followers who did not have a local minister of their own faith. Children's Lyric The original bridge, about a couple who make a spur-of-the-moment decision to get married, was supposedly considered inappropriate for children. A 1953 version of the sheet music contains the following replacement bridge[2] In the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he's a circus clown. We'll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman, until the other kiddies knock 'im down! When it snows, ain't it thrillin'? Tho' your nose, gets a chillin' We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland. In addition, the fact that (as noted above) the circuit-traveling country Parson trekking from village to village is no longer part of the American cultural scene has also contributed to the circus clown replacing Parson Brown.

However, some musicians have performed and even recorded the song with both stanzas - Parson Brown and Circus Clown.

Send Ringtones to your Cell Sleigh bells ring, are you listening In the lane, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight Walking in a winter wonderland Gone away is the bluebird Here to stay is a new bird He sings a love song, as we go along Walking in a winter wonderland In the meadow we can build a snowman Then pretend that he is Parson Brown He'll say, "Are you married?" We'll say, "No man" But you can do the job, when you're in town Later on, we'll conspire As we dream by the fire To face unafraid, the plans that we've made Walking in a winter wonderland Sleigh bells ring, are you listening In the lane, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight Walking in a winter wonderland Gone away is the bluebird Here to stay is a new bird He sings a love song, as we go along Walking in a winter wonderland In the meadow we can build a snowman And pretend that he's a circus clown We'll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman Yes, until the all the kids knock him down And later on,we'll conspire As we dream by the fire To

 face unafraid, the plans that we've made Walking in a winter wonderland Walking in a winter wonderland Category this funky junky: it's been driving me crazy.

who the hector is parson brown? Friday, December 17, 2010 it's been driving me crazy. who the hector is parson brown? i do not know who "Parson Brown" is from that Christmas song. so i googled it. here is what i found out and i feel SOOO much better. and i also used to think that the song went, "later on we'll PERSPIRE, as we dream by the fire." MY GOOGLE: PARSON BROWN what popped up: from wikipedia Who is Parson Brown and why are they making snowmen like him??? Best Answer - Chosen by Asker The following lyrics compose the musical bridge of the song: "In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is Parson Brown. He'll say 'Are You Married?' We'll say 'No man, but you can do the job when you're in town!" Being that a Floridan orange grower was the only well-known person by the name of "Parson Brown" at the time the song was composed, one can assume that "Parson" is used as a title, instead of a first name.

In the period when this song was written, parsons (now known as a Protestant minister) often travelled among small rural towns to perform wedding ceremonies for denominational followers who did not have a local minister of their faith. Therefore, the children are most likely pretending that their snowman is a Parson with the surname "Brown," which would be visiting the town again in the future. Posted by Top 10 Most Misunderstood Christmas Song Lyrics ~ Pamela's Blog Top 10 Most Misunderstood Christmas Song Lyrics Ah, Christmas carols. Every year the same tunes bless us with their overwhelming presence, getting lodged firmly in our brains until sometime mid-July. And though many brave souls have attempted (successfully or not) to add to them over the years with more modern entries, most of the songs you’ll hear this season hark from the days of yore. While tradition is great and everything, not everything stays entrenched in our collective psyches as well as an unbearably catchy ditty. And so it has come to pass that there are a few interesting, often mistaken, commonly misunderstood lyrics in our favourite seasonal melodies. In fact, the situation is so common that there is even a term for misunderstood lyrics.

So when you hear your friend hum along about a “proud young virgin” you can call them on their…“ mondegreen ”. Tis the season to hear Christmas carols everywhere you go, 24hrs a day, for the weeks on end until every shopper drops, bank account drains, and belt pops. Whether you revel in belting out the omnipresent, undeniably catchy tunes from October to January, or cringe at the very jingle of a bell, these songs will be a big part of your life for the next few weeks. Best to get those lyrics nailed down then. 1. Good King Wenceslas Pick up thy rolls before I toss ye in yon snowbank The Confusion: Who was King Wenceslas? Why do we sing a carol about a King no one has heard of or can pronounce? Just who was this King Wenceslas anyway? Well, this traditional carol was written in its current form in 1852 by a gentleman named John Jason Neale.

The popularity and endurance of the song is owed largely to its catchy melody that was lifted directly from a 13th century Easter carol (yes Easter carols were a thing) rhapsodizing about the coming of spring. So Neale decides to write about “King Wenceslas” (can be pronounced Wens-ess-loz or Wensless to make things more confusing) who is based on the historical 10th century Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia . In life Wenceslaus was a noble, not a king, who was known for being a charitable fellow after several legendary biographies were written after his death. “Good King Wenceslas” was based on the legend that he would awake in the night and bring alms to the poor. He was posthumously elevated to kingly status by the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I because why not, and declared a saint for good measure. 2. Here WeCome A-Wassailing Wassailing tip: bring cups or instruments that can be used as cups The Confusion: How does one go Wassailing ? The simple answer is wassailing = caroling.

To go into more detail, wassailing is an ancient tradition most likely dating back to Anglo-Saxon times when people would go door to door singing Christmas carols. The term "wassail" derives from the Saxon toast of "Wæs þu hæl" meaning “Be thou hale” or “Be in good health”. In old middle English this was said "waes hael". In the middle ages wassailing was done on Twelfth Night when peasants would visit their feudal lords and sing in exchange for charitable giving. Perhaps dropping King Wenceslas's name wouldn't hurt. 3 & 4. Jingle Bells The Confusion: Why do Bells on Bobtails ring Bonus! How does one get Upsot? Jingle Bells 2nd verse: The horse was lean and lank Misfortune seemed his lot We got into a drifted bank And then we got "upsot" Jingle Bells; what a delightful old carol full of whimsy, getting hammered and falling on your arse.

If you’ve ever taken the time to sing and/or take in the full 4 verses of Jingle Bells you’ll know that it is about taking a fast-paced sleigh ride with your lady friend, getting quite drunk in the process, falling down a lot and getting laughed at by passers-by. The second verse features the above line about driving a malnourished horse into a snow bank and getting "upsot" which is an obscure, olden times past-participle of “upset” AND/OR a popular slang term for being duly inebriated. Jingle Bells 4th verse: Just get a bobtailed bay Two forty as his speed Hitch him to an open sleigh And crack! you'll take the lead You may have assumed (rightly so) that a bobtailed bay is a type of horse. Indeed - " Bobtail " refers to the method of tying or cutting the horse’s pony tail so that it doesn't get caught in the harness. A sleigh being pulled through the snow made very little noise so bells would be attached to the harness to avoid collisions with other sleighs at blind intersections. Hence, "bells on bobtails ring". Hope that clears it up for you.

"Two forty as his speed" refers to a mile in 2 minutes 40 seconds while trotting. This is considered an excellent speed, therefore suggesting the horse is of good quality. In case you were wondering. 5. Silent Night Soon The Confusion: What's going on with the Virgin? Round young virgin? Proud young virgin? This is a simple case of olden day language and modern day laziness. The confusion comes from this line: Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright 'Round yon virgin mother and child. It means, my friends, that all is calm and all is bright AROUND YON (yonder….ok, yonder: at some distance in the direction indicated) virgin, mother and child (that’s Jesus!). Yes, old English is tricky. 6. We Wish You a Merry Christmas Yum! A steaming pile of figgy pudding! The Confusion: Tell us about this supposedly delicious 'Figgy Pudding' Arguably the most fun part to sing in this Christmas carol staple is the verse demanding “figgy pudding” at threat of a sit-in.

O Bring us some figgy pudding O Bring us some figgy pudding O Bring us some figgy pudding And bring it right here And we won’t go until we’ve got some We won’t go until we’ve got some We won’t go until we’ve got some And bring it right here Not a good lesson in manners. Figgy pudding was an early version of the ever-present Christmas cake or Christmas pudding that was flavoured mainly with figs. It can be baked, steamed, boiled or fried and looks just as tasty as the stuff you can break your teeth on every year. Earliest references to figgy pudding date back to 16th century England. Mmmm figgy. 7. Walking in a Winter Wonderland I'm legally qualified! The Confusion: Who on earth is Parson Brown? In the meadow we can build a snowman then pretend that he is Parson Brown. He'll say 'Are You Married?' We'll say 'No man, But you can do the job while you're in town!' The explanation for this is simple, really. The characters in the song have built a snowman, pretended it was a traveling clergyman and decided to spontaneously get hitched. Just your average snow day.

When “ Walking in a Winter Wonderland ” was written, back in 1934, it was common for Protestant ministers to travel from town to town to perform wedding ceremonies and other religious services in rural areas where they did not have a local minister or “ parson ”, as they were then called. Brown was inserted as a common last name. Thus, Parson Brown, the travelling clergyman made of snow – equipped to declare those crazy kids hitched. 8 & 9. The 12 Days of Christmas 9 and 10 are hosting this year's office party The Confusion: Why would I want Turtle Doves? Calling Birds? Or a Partridge in a Pear Tree for that matter? OK, so what gives here? Why would my true love give me all these birds I’d never heard of over a 12 day period? “ The 12 Days of Christmas ” has been suggested to be full of symbolism and meaning. I could go on for pages on the significance of all 12 gifts but I’m thinking at this point you've been awfully patient to stay with me this far into the article. Let’s keep it simple and start with the 12 days thing.

For the uninitiated, Christmas was traditionally celebrated over a period of 12 days , beginning with Christmas day, Dec 25, and ending on January 7 or “Twelfth Night”, ergo, one gift per day. So why would someone give me two turtle doves? Turtle doves , a species found in most parts of the world, have evolved to embody devoted love. They form strong pair bonds and have a mournful call that is considered romantic. Crucially, they are featured in the bible, a pair of them being sacrificed for the birth of Jesus. Two turtle doves it is. These two turtle doves are currently not speaking to each other That true love of mine also gives me 4 Calling Birds or is it Colly Birds? The original version of the song, written in 1780, features 4 Colly Birds as the fourth. Colly being an archaic way to say black – referring to soot or grime like coal dust. The Colly Bird the song refers to is the common blackbird. Over time “colly birds” has morphed to “calling birds” because that just makes more sense to our modern-time brains.

So what is the significance of a partridge in a pear tree? No one knows. 10. Auld Lang Syne Friends Forever! The Confusion: Auld Lang Huh? With lyrics taken from a poem written in old Scots by legendary Scottish poet Robbie Burns , it’s no wonder this New Year’s Eve favourite is one of the most gleefully misunderstood songs in the Carol books. It could be argued that part of the charm of Auld Lang Syne is the fact that it’s sang with such (often inebriated) gusto. As people give themselves over to the general sentiment of the song, the words in particular are of little importance. However, for the curious let’s do a bit of translating. So what/who/where is Auld Lang Syne? The Scots words translate into English literally as “old long since” or as you would say “long, long ago” or “once upon a time”. Alright, that part of the mystery solved, what are we really singing about?

Well you might have gotten the feeling, being that the song is sang rather emotionally at the turn of the new year, at funerals and other important occasions, that the song is about honouring the good old days and remembering every “auld acquaintance”. Sometimes the sentiment of a song speaks louder than it’s confusing misheard Scottish lyrics. The main part of the song we sing today goes like this: Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance

Question: In which famous Christmas Song is a snowman pretended to be Parsons Brown?
Answer: Winter Wonderland