We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Practice joyful English carol style
Develop waltz-like 3/4 meter
Master ascending melodic patterns

About This Song

Origin: Traditional English carol (16th century)

Difficulty: Intermediate

Notes Used: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C (high), D (high)

Time Signature: 3/4

Key: D Major

Fingering Review

Full Song

A cheerful English wassailing song. Play with joy and celebration!

Practice Tips

3/4 waltz time: Feel the lilting triple meter
Joyful character: This is a celebration song - play with enthusiasm
Wassailing tradition: This was sung door-to-door asking for figgy pudding!
Clear eighth notes: The quick passages should be even and bright

Practice Exercises

Practice the opening ascending pattern with eighth notes.

Master the repeating ascending patterns.

Practice the closing "good tidings" pattern.

Practice the scale pattern used in the carol.

Put together the full song with joyful energy.

Historical Context

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is a traditional English Christmas carol from the West Country of England, dating back to the 16th century. It originated as a "wassailing" song - wassailers would go door-to-door singing carols in exchange for food and drink, particularly figgy pudding. The song's insistent request for figgy pudding ("and we won't go until we get some") reflects this tradition. The cheerful melody and direct message made it a favorite among carolers. The song has remained popular as a general expression of Christmas good wishes and is now sung worldwide as a friendly holiday greeting.

Performance Goal: Play this with joyful, celebratory energy. The 3/4 meter should lilt and dance, and the eighth note passages should sparkle. Make it festive and fun!

Next Steps

Once you can play this confidently, try:

Playing it at a brisk tempo to match the enthusiastic character
Adding slight accents on downbeats for waltz character
Learning "Joy to the World" for a majestic holiday song