19 Popular and Simple English Christmas Songs

Have you checked what's on your Christmas wishlist with that trending TikTok effect? Of course, we won't disclose all we got, but one of the things we truly desire is fluency for every English learner out there. And when it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas again, we must remind you that learning English through songs is actually a real thing. 

Back in the day, you already got the 10 most beautiful and easy English songs to learn. So, we decided to come up with a Christmas edition of simple songs to help you improve your English. And before going in for holiday break for rockin' around the Christmas tree, make time for the fun English practice with Christmas songs. So, have a holly, jolly studying time!

Positive Aspects Of Learning English With Christmas Songs

One of the best methods for learning new foreign words and phrases is spaced repetition. Have you ever heard the saying "Practice makes perfect"? That's what this method is about. Scientists say people better memorize and learn vocabulary in the long term if they repeat words and phrases for quite some time with different intervals between attempts. But it can be a pretty monotonous activity if you struggle to find a fun approach. But in the winter holiday season, you can try to benefit from the spaced repetition method by learning a new lexicon with English Christmas songs. 

To get the best experience, we recommend you sign up for an English tutoring course on the Promova platform. Our tutors are certified native-level professionals in English with years of teaching experience. So, they know how to make your lessons the most wonderful time of the day. 

If you begin your learning journey or proceed with classes with the Promova tutors this December, you can work on your English using Christmas songs. Tutors would be happy to dive into the magical holiday atmosphere with you by interacting through simple Christmas songs. Together you will analyze the grammar structures in tracks, make a vocabulary list of their lyrics and work on your pronunciation. 

The List Of English Christmas Songs With The Best Holiday Vibe

If you are wondering what Christmas songs are suitable for learning matters, don't worry. We created a list for you to choose from. Disclaimer: yes, they will get stuck in your head after reading this article.

All-Time Favorite Easy Christmas Songs

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Frank Sinatra

This iconic Christmas song was written in 1943 for the movie "Meet Me in St. Louis ."The authors are Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. Today "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is associated with Frank Sinatra because he made the most touching recording of the song with slightly modified lyrics.

There are several unique phrases in the song that people don't use today. But they are crucial for understanding the lyrics fully. For instance, the line "Make the Yuletide Gay" means "make the Christmas time happy ." Yuletide is a Germanic winter celebration that became a synonym for Christmas. And the word "gay" is a traditional adjective that means happy. Also, the term "yore" in the song means "past." 

"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby

Irving Berlin wrote the holiday song "White Christmas" for the musical film "Holiday Inn ."It was released in 1942, and the Bing Crosby version became one of the all-time favorite Christmas classics. The song even won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943. 

"White Christmas" is about a snowy traditional Christmas celebration and nostalgia for good old times. The word "glisten" in the lyrics "Where the treetops glisten and children listen" is a verb that means "to shine" or "to sparkle ."And the term "sleigh," which appears later in the song, means a vehicle for traveling over snow and ice. Santa Claus uses it to bring presents to every home. 

"Jingle Bells" 

If you ask people all over the world what song is the most Christmasy one, the answer will be "Jingle Bells ."James Lord Pierpont wrote it in 1857. Initially, it had zero connection with Christmas, and the title was different - "The One Horse Open Sleigh ."The association with winter holidays came only in the 1860s and 1870s. "Jingle Bells" as a Christmas song was first recorded by Will Lyle in 1889. 

The lyrics are extremely simple, so you can practice your pronunciation effortlessly. The best thing is that the singer occasionally emphasizes the spelling of the song's name, "Jingle Bells ." So, you won't forget how to write the title of the best Christmas song. 

“Winter Wonderland” 

There is no single mentioning Christmas in this song. However, it became one of the most popular English Christmas songs. Written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith, it was originally recorded by Richard Himber in the same year. Later in 1947, the lyrics transformed a bit to make the song more seasonal and less romantic. 

The song mentions Parson Brown, who wasn't an existing person. But, according to Collins dictionary, the name symbolizes "a priest in the Church of England with responsibility for a small local area ."Knowing that makes the following lyrics about getting married clearer. 

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" by Andy Williams

The authors of the 1963 song are Edward Pola and George Wyle. But it was released by pop singer Andy Williams as a part of his first Christmas album. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is a song about winter holiday celebrations and spending time with friends and family on Christmas. 

"Be of good cheer" in the song means "be happy," "caroling out" means "singing special Christmas songs joyfully," and "mistletoeing" refers to a tradition of kissing your partner under the mistletoe during the holiday season. 

Viral English Christmas Songs On TikTok

Notice: Any Christmas song that went viral on TikTok is an old goodie with a trend that Gen Z created using it. 

"All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey's song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is the most popular sound on TikTok among all winter holiday tracks. People made more than 11 million videos created with it. Written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, the song was released in 1994. It gained popularity worldwide because of its simple lyrics, catchy melody, and theme – romance during Christmas.  

"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee

Johnny Marks is the author of the song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" that everyone remembers from the fake party in Kevin's house. In 1958, Brenda Lee recorded it when the singer was only 13 years old. The main feature of the track is that it's a rockabilly song. 

"Rockin' around" in the title means to move back and forth from side to side. And the adjective "merrily" in the song is a synonym for "cheerfully."  

"Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helmes

This American Christmas song was released in 1957. It was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe. For the first time, "Jingle Bell Rock" was performed by Bobby Helms. But since then, so many famous singers have done covers, so it's impossible to remember all of them. 

Among simple vocabulary in the lyrics, you can find some interesting words. For instance, "bushels" can mean "many," "around the clock" meaning "for an entire day," and "prancin'" definition to which is "walk, move or dance in an energetic way to make everybody watch." 

"It's Begging To A Lot Like Christmas" 

With this song, people on TikTok usually show how they decorated their homes for Christmas. It's always magical to observe. The author of 1951 "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is Meredith Willson. It became a hit sung by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters. But kids on TikTok use the Bing Crosby recorded version.

"Sturdy" in the lyrics is the synonym for "strong," and "glistening" means "shining with a sparkling light." 

"The Christmas Song" by Nat "King" Cole

It's not Christmas if "The Christmas Song" isn't playing at least once in a while. Robert Wells and Mel Tormé 1945 wrote the Christmas classic. And the Nat King Cole Trio made the first recording in 1946. It's one of the simple Christmas songs that can calm you down and relieve stress. The lyrics "Although it's been said many times, many ways Merry Christmas to you" help memorize the correct phrase for Christmas wishing. 

Simple Christmas Songs: Carols Edition

"Carol Of The Bells" 

A popular Christmas carol, "Carol of the Bells," is actually a 1914 Ukrainian song. Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych wrote the melody for the initial song, and the lyrics were taken from a Ukrainian national song. It is based on the Ukrainian folk chant "Shchedryk" and originally associated with Malanka, the eve of the Julian New Year. 

In 1919, the song was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus at a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. Then the American composer with Ukrainian roots, Peter J. Wilhousky, came up with new lyrics for NBC radio network's symphony orchestra in 1936. He copyrighted the new lyrics and published the song "Carol Of The Bells." 

"Meek" from the English lyrics means "quiet or shy," and the line "O'er hill and dale" means "all over the area, everywhere." 

"Silent Night"

"Silent Night" is originally an Austrian Christmas carol translated into English in 1859. It was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in 1818. The author of the English translation of this carol is the Episcopal priest John Freeman Young, who served at Trinity Church, New York City, back then.  

Listening to "Silent Night," you can hear some useful words. One is "infant," which means a baby up to one year old. The other word is "mild ."So the definition of it would be "gentle and kind in behavior ."And the phrase "quake at sight" could be explained as "shaking in fear."

"Joy To The World"

Finally! The first Christmas carol on this list was initially written in English. "Joy to the World" was created by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts in 1719. The carol is about the joy brought to the people with the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Because the lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98, they are full of the words related to religion, such as sin, sorrow, blessing, grace, etc. 

"Deck the Halls"

The song dates back to 1862. The English lyrics were written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant. But the melody dates back to the sixteenth century and has Welsh origins. 

"Deck the Halls" is the easiest carol to sing since it doesn't include many words, and the chorus is all about sounds. The title of the carol means "decorate for the Christmas season ." "Lads and lasses" in the lyrics are "ladies and gentlemen." 

Simple Songs For Christmas: Movies Soundtracks

"Somewhere In My Memory" from "Home Alone" 

It is impossible to imagine the Christmas season and playlist without the main theme song from the film "Home Alone ." The signature tune "Somewhere in My Memory," was created by composer John Williams as a part of the movie's soundtrack in 1990. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

The lyrics in "Somewhere in My Memory" are extremely simple. It gives this warm feeling that everything will be okay. You can hear the song in a different part of "Home Alone," but it touches the soul the most in the finale. 

"Make It Jingle" from "Office Christmas Party"

This song is all about having the best time at a Christmas party. "Make It Jingle" was written by American rapper Big Freedia for the 2016 film "Office Christmas Party ."The track would be perfect for practicing pronunciation through the fun Christmas beat. The name of the song "Make It Jingle" is a wordplay that refers to the term "jiggle." 

 "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"

The song was originally written for the animated movie "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" in 1966 by Theodor Geisel and Albert Hague. Later it was used in more films about Grinch. One of the most successful is "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," where Jim Carrey sang the song. 

The lexicon in "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is simple but full of creative comments, put-downs, and metaphors. 

"Last Christmas" from "Last Christmas"

"Last Christmas" is a 1984 popular song by the British pop duo "Wham!" Written and produced by George Michael, it won the audience's love immediately. After years of playing the song on the radio, it became one of the Christmas symbols. The only thing that may confuse you in the lyrics is the phrase "once bitten, twice shy," which indicates when someone won't do something again because of a previous bad experience.

"Be Your Santa Claus" from "A Bad Moms Christmas"

We can't call this song a classic Christmas song. But since it's from the Christmas movie and Santa Claus is mentioned there, we had to include it on the list. It's so relaxing and easy that you slide right into the mood. The song was written by Willie Morris, Dennis Bettis, and Carl Days and performed by Charles Jones feat. Chief WaKil.

Conclusion

The Winter holiday season is a perfect opportunity for English learners of any level to improve their English skills with simple Christmas songs. Because English Christmas songs are playing on every corner during the whole of December (this year, even earlier for some reason), you can quickly memorize its lexicon and improve your pronunciation in lipsyncing. 

The best thing about Christmas songs for English learners is that all the tracks have a very simple vocabulary, and lyrics are written with words and phrases from day-to-day life. So, when Christmas is over, you will use the lexicon from the songs in real life. 

Also, simple Christmas songs will improve your listening skills. After listening to them for the whole month on social media, on the radio, in movies and series, and on Spotify or Apple Music on repeat, you won't be able to ignore the lyrics` meaning. Plus, singing Christmas songs will set the right mood for the holidays. 

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