Learn English With These Classic Christmas Songs

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It's the holiday season once again! In many English-speaking countries, this means you'll be hearing Christmas songs in stores, in cafes and on the streets.

So today, we'll introduce ten classic songs and explain some lyrics from each of them. In addition to understanding the songs better, you can also use some of these phrases in your holiday greeting cards. Let's get started!

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (1934) – Harry Reser

This song tells children to be nice so they get presents from Santa Claus. The chorus goes like this:

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

"Pouting" is when children push out their lips to show that they are not happy.

You'll often hear parents telling their kids to "stop pouting. For example: "Stop pouting and do your homework!" or "Stop pouting and go to bed!"

“White Christmas” (1941) – Bing Crosby

In "White Christmas," a person happily looks back on Christmases he experienced in the past.

I said, I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

"Glisten" means "to look wet and shiny." For example, ocean waves glisten in the sun and a nice shampoo might make your hair glisten.

"Sleigh bells" isn't a useful phrase in daily life, but you'll hear it in many Christmas songs, like "Jingle Bells." They refer to the bells on Santa's sleigh. According to Oxford University Press, sleighs were "unable to stop quickly enough so they needed a warning sound."

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (1944) - Judy Garland

This song simply tells people to enjoy the holiday season.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on your troubles will be out of sight

Native English speakers don't usually say that their "heart is light," but there is the phrase "light-hearted." Something that's light-hearted is not meant to be serious. For example, light-hearted movies have funny scenes and happy endings. Most Christmas songs (like the ones in this post) are light-hearted too!

By the way, the "little" in "Merry Little Christmas" doesn't refer to size. English speakers sometimes include this word to add a casual, friendly feeling to their speech.

For students, learning when to use "little" in this way naturally may take some time, so be sure to listen for it in songs, movies and everyday conversations.

“The Christmas Song” (1946) – Nat King Cole

This song describes the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of Christmas.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose

"Frost" is a thin layer of ice that appears when the weather is very cold. You may have heard it in the phrase, "frostbite."

In the past, people said that frost was caused by an imaginary spirit called "Jack Frost."

"Nipping" means "lightly biting." It's uncommon to hear someone say "the cold is nipping my nose" these days. However, you might hear them describe the weather as "nippy" when it's chilly.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1949) - Gene Autry

This song is about a reindeer named Rudolph who has a bright red nose, which the other reindeers make fun of. However, they start to respect him when his bright nose allows him to lead Santa's sleigh through the fog.

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows

If something glows, it produces a soft and steady light. We usually use "glow" to talk about things that gently light up in the dark, like fireflies at night and stars in the sky. You'll see more examples of "glow" a little later on this list.

"Frosty the Snowman" (1950) - Gene Autry

This song is about a magical snowman who plays with the children. Like Rudolph in the previous song, Frosty is also a very famous symbol of Christmas.

Frosty the Snowman
Is a fairytale they say
He was made of snow
But the children know
How he came to life one day

In the song, "come to life" describes how Frosty changed from a pile of snow into a living, dancing snowman. You can use this phrase to describe other things that become active or alive. For example, here's a Daily News article about a volcano that "came to life" in March of 2021.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (1952) - Jimmy Boyd

This is a song about a boy who sees his mother kissing Santa Claus on Christmas night. However, he doesn't realize that Santa is actually his father in a costume!

I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night

"Mistletoe" is a type of plant that is hung on the ceiling as a Christmas decoration. This word is not used much in daily life, but everyone knows that when two people stand under a mistletoe, they're supposed to kiss. When you watch Christmas movies this season, make sure to look out for this!

By the way, you can learn more vocabulary related to Santa in the following post: How to Talk About Santa Claus

"Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" (1958) - Brenda Lee

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is about people dancing and enjoying Christmas.

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree

Have a happy holiday
Everyone dancing merrily

In a new old fashioned way

"Merrily" is the adverb form of "merry." "Merry" is like "happy" but with a more cheerful and lively feeling. Just think of a merry-go-round and you'll get the idea.

These days, we rarely use the word "merry" except during the Christmas season.

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (1963) - Andy Williams

This song talks about all the things that make Christmas great.

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year

Native English speakers don't usually say that their hearts "glow." However, it is used to describe people when they look especially happy or healthy, so the writer of this song probably wanted to express that people "glow" with happiness during Christmas.

A more common phrase is "glow with pride." For example: "Tom's parents glowed with pride when he won first place in the contest."

Another popular English expression that appears in this verse is "loved ones," which means the people you love. It's often used in Christmas greetings: "Happy holidays to you and your loved ones!"

"All I Want for Christmas is You" (1994) - Mariah Carey

This song is about someone who doesn't need presents for Christmas; instead, she just wants to be with her lover.

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you

"Come true" means "become real." Wishes, hopes and predictions are all things that can come true, but this phrase is most often used to talk about fantasies becoming reality. For example, someone might say, "My dream of moving to Hawaii finally came true."

This phrase is also used as a noun with "a" in a figurative way to describe a situation that is perfect or excellent. For example: "After living in a small apartment for many years, moving into this big house is a dream come true."

Happy Holidays!

All of the songs on this list are popular classics, but if you'd like to hear some Christmas songs that aren't as well known, check out this list next: 10 Great Christmas Songs You May Not Know

Finally, for more English phrases you can use this Christmas season, take a look at our free lessons on holiday foods and traditions around the world.