Hymns for the church year
Christmas carols: free lyrics, printable and ready to sing
Christmas is the one time of year when almost everyone sings. Neighbors who never open a hymnal know every word of “Silent Night,” and a room full of children will happily shout the chorus of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The carols on this page are the ones congregations, choirs and families come back to every December, gathered in one place so you can plan a carol service, a Christmas Eve candlelight service or an evening around the piano.
Every carol here is in the public domain in the United States. The words come from hymnals printed before 1931, and we cite the source on each carol's page. That means you can print them in a bulletin, put them on the screen, copy them for a nursing-home visit or record them without asking anyone's permission. Some carols have chord charts you can transpose to any key, and many have a free play-along accompaniment for piano, organ or guitar, which is useful when there is no musician on hand.
The carols are grouped the way most services use them: the ones everyone knows, which work best for congregational singing; carols that tell the story of the angels and shepherds; hymns for Epiphany and the visit of the wise men; and quieter Christmas hymns for reflection or a choir. Use “Print all lyrics” to make a single carol sheet with every carol on this page, or open any carol to choose the verses you want.
Still in Advent? The Advent hymns page has the songs of waiting and preparation many churches sing in the four Sundays before Christmas.
Print all lyricsBuild an order of service
The carols everyone knows
Start here for congregational singing: well-known tunes, easy to sing without rehearsal.
- Joy to the World — Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
- O Come, All Ye Faithful — O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing — Hark! the herald angels sing,
- Silent Night, Holy Night — Silent night! Holy night!
- O Little Town of Bethlehem — O little town of Bethlehem!
- Away in a Manger — Away in a manger, no crib for His bed,
- What Child Is This — What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
- It Came Upon the Midnight Clear — It came upon the midnight clear,
- The First Nowel the Angel Did Say — The first Nowell the angel did say
Angels and shepherds
Carols that tell the story of Luke 2 — good between the readings of a lessons-and-carols service.
- Angels From the Realms of Glory — Angels from the realms of glory,
- While Shepherds Watched their Flocks — While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
- There's a Song in the Air — There's a song in the air! there's a star in the sky!
- Once in Royal David's City — Once in royal David's city,
- See Amid the Winter's Snow — See amid the winter's snow,
- Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming — Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
Epiphany and the wise men
For the Sunday after New Year's and Epiphany on January 6.
Christmas hymns for reflection
Quieter hymns on the meaning of the incarnation — for a choir, a communion service or personal devotion.
- Of the Father's Love Begotten — Of the Father's love begotten,
- Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne — Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown
- Christians, Awake — Christians, awake, salute the happy morn,
- All My Heart This Night Rejoices — All my heart this day rejoices,
- From Heaven Above to Earth I Come — From heav'n above to earth I come,
- A Great and Mighty Wonder — A great and mighty wonder
Questions about christmas carols
Are these Christmas carol lyrics free to use in church?
Yes. Every carol on this page is taken from a hymnal published before 1931, so the words are in the public domain in the United States. You can print them, project them, copy them for a service sheet or record them without a license. Modern arrangements and newer translations can still be under copyright, so this applies to the words as printed here.
Which carols work best for a Christmas Eve candlelight service?
Many churches open with a strong, familiar carol such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” or “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” between readings, and sing “Silent Night” as the candles are lit, finishing with “Joy to the World.” Choose carols your congregation knows well, since visitors often join in on Christmas Eve.
Can I print all the carol lyrics at once?
Yes. Use the “Print all lyrics” button on this page to make one carol sheet with every carol in order, or open a single carol and print just that one. You can also build a full order of service with readings and prayers using the order of service builder.
Do the carols have guitar or piano chords?
Carols marked “♪ Chords” have a chord chart you can transpose to any key, with capo suggestions for guitar. Carols marked “▶ Play along” have a free accompaniment you can play in the browser. If a carol you need has no chords yet, open it and ask us to chart it.
What is the difference between Advent hymns and Christmas carols?
Advent hymns look forward to Christ's coming and are sung in the four Sundays before Christmas; Christmas carols celebrate his birth. Many churches save the carols for Christmas Eve and the twelve days of Christmas, which run until Epiphany on January 6.