Carols

Carols are songs, typically festive and associated with the Christmas season, though they can appear in other celebrations. Traditionally they combine narrative verses with a chorale-like refrain and are designed to be sung by congregations or groups. The word carol derives from the Old French carole, a circle-dance song, and early carols were written in Latin or vernacular languages and performed in churches, processions, and public squares.

Carols originated in medieval Europe, with significant development in England and France. They often mixed sacred subjects, such as the nativity, with secular imagery and social themes. Musically, earlier carols could be polyphonic, but many later versions favor simpler, homophonic textures and memorable refrains. The Protestant Reformation, the rise of hymnody, and later folkloristic collecting reduced some practices, but the Christmas carol revived in the 19th century through renewed interest in traditional tunes and published anthologies.

Two broad types persist: religious carols that tell the Nativity or devotional stories, and secular carols that celebrate winter, wassail, or communal merriment. Carols are characteristically built around short phrases, a chorus or repeated refrain, and easy tunes suitable for group singing. They have been translated and adapted across languages and cultures; well-known examples include 'The First Noel', 'God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen', and 'O Tannenbaum', though the latter is a secular/seasonal song as widely performed in caroling contexts.

Today, carols are performed in churches, concerts, schools, and door-to-door caroling during the Christmas season. They appear in hymnals, songbooks, and popular media, with numerous arrangements ranging from simple quartet to full orchestral versions. The carol tradition also includes regional repertoires and non-English-language carols that reflect local musical styles.