Just for fun, here’s a list of carols written during or around the mid-19th century.
Angels We Have Heard on High (1862)
Come Buy my Nice Fresh Ivy or
O’Carolan’s Lament (1849)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1833)
Good King Wenceslas (1853)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (1855)
Jingle Bells (1857)
Joy to the World (1839)
O Christmas Tree (1824)
O Holy Night (1847)
Silent Night (1859)
We Three Kings (1863)
What Child is This (1865)
Is your favorite traditional carol on the list? Whether it is or isn't, please share your favorite carol with your CWT friends! I'll start us off. My favorite is
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." This carol is based on the 1863 poem "
Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It reflects the despair of hearing Christmas bells during the American Civil War. I love that it ends with the bells ringing renewed hope for peace among men.