Little Donkey

Little donkey, little donkey
On a dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards
With the precious load.
Been a long time little donkey
Thro’ the winter’s night.
Don’t give up now little donkey
Bethlehem’s in sight.

Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
Follow the star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey carry Mary
Safely on her way.

Little donkey, little donkey
Journey’s end is near
There are wisemen waiting for a
Sign to bring them here.

Do not falter, little donkey
There’s a star ahead
It will guide you, little donkey
To a cattle shed
Ring out those bells tonight

Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey carry Mary
Safely on her way.
Little donkey carry Mary
Safely on her way.

Christmas Bells

I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

Our Saviour Christ and His lady,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Our Saviour Christ and His lady,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice again,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Then let us all rejoice again,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Tune: English Traditional
Words: English Traditional

Angels

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Chorus:http://allspiritchristmas.co.uk/
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:

Chorus

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.

Chorus

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Chorus

(additional verse by Isaac Greg­o­ry Smith)

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Chorus

Though an Infant now we view Him,
He shall fill His Father’s throne,
Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:

Chorus

Tune: French Traditional
Music: French Traditional

Shepherds

While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
And glory shone around

“Fear not,” he said,
For mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind,
To you and all mankind.”

“To you in David’s
Town this day
Is born of David’s line
The Savior who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be the sign
And this shall be the sign.”

“The heavenly Babe
You there shall find
To human view displayed
And meanly wrapped
In swathing bands
And in a manger laid
And in a manger laid.”

Thus spake the seraph,
And forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song
Addressed their joyful song

“All glory be to
God on high
And to the earth be peace;
Goodwill henceforth
From heaven to men
Begin and never cease
Begin and never cease!”

Tune: ‘Este’s Psalter’/ Words: Nahum Tate

Noel

The First Noel, the Angel 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.

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.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star
Three Wise men came from country far
To seek for a King was their intent
And to follow the star wherever it went.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

This star drew nigh to the nort-hwest
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

Then entered in those wise men three
Full reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

Tune: English Traditional / Words: English Traditional

Nativity Scene

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 Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour 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

Stable Scene

Once in royal David’s city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby,
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

And, through all his wondrous childhood,
He would honor and obey,
love and watch the lowly maiden
in whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as he.

For He is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day, like us, He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles, like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And he shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Is our Lord in heaven above:
And He leads His children on,
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing round,
we shall see Him; but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high;
when like stars His children crowned,
all in white shall wait around.

Tune: H. J.Gauntlett / Words: C. F. Alexander

Bethlehem

O 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

O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

Tune: English Traditional / Words: P Brooks

Christmas Angels

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!

God of God, Light of Light
Lo, He abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father,
Begotten, not created;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds,
Summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with fear;
We too will thither
Bend our joyful footsteps;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heav’n above:
Glory to God
In the highest
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory giv’n -
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Tune: unknown / Words: unknown

Christmas Angel

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 th’ angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord.
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail th’ incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n 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.
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.

Tune: Mendelssohn Words: C Wesley