Scripture Verse

Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10

Introduction

portrait
George Cooper (1840–1927)

Words: George Coop­er, The Chap­let of Or­ig­in­al Hymns and Songs (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: G. D. Rus­sell, 1873), page 59.

Music: Wa­co Har­ris­on Mil­lard, 1873 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a better pic­ture of Coop­er,

portrait
Harrison Millard (1830–1895)

Lyrics

Christmas bells are gai­ly ring­ing,
Singing, ring­ing on the air;
Sweet the mes­sage they are bring­ing,
Chiming, rhym­ing ev­ery­where.
Peace, they ut­ter, Love and glad­ness,
Bless the heart up­on this morn!
Banish ev­ery care and sad­ness,
Christ our Lord to­day was born.

Refrain

Ringing, sing­ing, chim­ing, rhym­ing,
Christmas bells, how fair are they;
Loudly swell­ing, fond­ly tell­ing
Of the Sav­ior born today,
Of the Sav­ior born today.

Living voic­es join their cho­rus,
Singing, ring­ing loud and high;
Joyfully the an­gels o’er us
Waft to earth their glad re­ply.
Love, they echo, Love un­end­ing
Crown your hearts up­on this morn,
For the Lord, to earth des­cend­ing,
On this bless­èd day was born.

Refrain

Christmas bells, so gai­ly ring­ing,
Singing, ring­ing glad and free,
Peace and good-will ever bring­ing,
Wrap the world in me­lo­dy!
Joy inc­reas­ing, love and glo­ry
Unto ev­ery heart for­lorn:
This your sweet and gen­tle sto­ry
On the day that Christ was born!

Refrain