Christmas caroling at God’s Acre—a beloved local tradition that dates back to 1916 and was started by the Civic League, according to the historical record—starts at 6:30 p.m. each year on Christmas Eve.
Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1976. John Bukovick photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society
What follows is the traditional lyrics list and order of songs from the terrific New Canaan Town Band, which will lead the non-commercialized festivities. (If organizers alter the traditional song list for some reason, we’ll update it here before the caroling, so your phone is all you need.)
Happy Christmas and happy caroling to all:
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Chorus:
Hark! the herald angels sing.
Glory to the newborn King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ, the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the God-head see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Please, as man with men to dwell
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hail! the heaven born Prince of Peace
Hail! the son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth.
-
Caroling at God’s Acre. December 28, 1972. Syd Greenberg photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
Peace on the earth, good will to men
From Heaven’s all gracious King;
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their Heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years,
Shall come the time foretold
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the song,
Which now the angels sing.
-
God’s Acre, 2015. Credit: Terry Dinan
3. The First Noel
The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay- keeping their sheep
On a cold Winter’s night that was so deep.
Chorus:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
(Repeat Chorus)
This star drew nigh to the northwest
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
(Repeat Chorus)
Then entered in there Wisemen three
Fell reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
(Repeat Chorus)
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Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1958. Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
Oh little town of Bethlehem!
How still we see thee lie,
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth,
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
Oh, morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God, the King,
And peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessing of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
Oh, holy child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us we pray,
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell;
Oh, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
- Silent Night
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia
Christ, the Savior is born!
Christ, the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming’ grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
- Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh, come all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant
Oh, come ye, Oh come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels;
Oh, come let us adore Him,
Oh come let us adore Him,
Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
Glory to God in the highest:
Oh, come let us adore Him,
Oh come let us adore Him,
Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Yea Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
Oh, come let us adore Him,
Oh come let us adore Him,
Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
- Joy To The World
Joy to the world! The Lord has come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart
Prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
He makes the nations prove
The glories of
His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders of His love.
- Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way—ha ha ha
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
(Repeat Chorus)
New Canaan’s greatest tradition. Merry Christmas, all!
We are traveling from Carlisle, PA to join our family in New Canaan for Christmas. Looking forward to participating in caroling! Merry Christmas, Everyone!