Who Is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: The animals in the stable prepare for the arrival of baby Jesus.

Song

	Mary, Did You Know? by Mark Lowry Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Picture book version of popular Christmas song.

Song

	The First Noel by Jan Pienkowski Age Level: Toddler and up
Synopsis: Book opens into three dimensional pop-up scenes of the nativity. Wonderful to use while singing the hymn for which it is titled.

Song

	Silent Night illustrated by Susan Jeffers Age Level: Toddler and up
Synopsis: An illustrated version of the well-known German Christmas hymn celebrating the birth of Christ.

Films

	The Clown of God by Tomie de Paola Age Level: Preschool-3
Synopsis: In this retelling of the old French legend, a juggler offers to the Christ Child the only Christmas gift he has.

---

More Books to Read On Your Own

Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers
by Andrew Clements
Age Level: Kindergarten and up
Synopsis: An angel who was present at the birth of Jesus remembers that very special night, graced by heavenly light and an angelic song like the smile of God.

This is the Star
by Joyce Dunbar
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A cumulative presentation which uses rhyme to describe the night of the birth of Christ.

---

More Songs for at Home

Adestes Fideles

Adeste fideles
Laeti triumphantes
Venite, venite in Bethlehem
Natum videte, Regem angelorum

Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Dominum

Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
Traditional French Carol

Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella
Bring a torch, come swiftly and run
Christ is born, tell the folk of the village
Jesus is sleeping in His cradle
Ah, ah, beautiful is the Mother;
Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son.

Hasten now, good folk of the village
Hasten now, the Christ-Child to see
You will find him asleep in the manger
Quietly come and whisper softly
Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers
Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps

Fum, Fum, Fum!
Traditional Catalan Carol

On December twenty-fifth,
Sing fum, fum, fum!
On December twenty-fifth,
Sing fum, fum, fum!
On that night a child was born,
Pink and white, at break of morn,
In a stable dark and dreary,
Lay the Son of Virgin Mary,
Fum, fum, fum!

Holidays the good Lord gave us,
Fum, fum, fum!
Holidays the good Lord gave us,
Fum, fum, fum!
Summer feasting suits us best,
Yet, withal His name be blest.
He who doth our needs remember,
Sent us Christmas in December,
Fum, fum, fum!

The First Noël

The first Noël, 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
Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël
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
Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël
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.
Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël
Born is the King of Israel!

This star drew nigh to the northwest
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right o'er the place where Jesus lay
Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël
Born is the King of Israel!

Then entered in those Wise men three
Full rev'rently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense
Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël
Born is the King of Israel!

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

"Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Written by: Henry W. Longfellow
Music by: J. Baptiste Calkin

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th' unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bow'd my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

I Saw Three Ships
Traditional English Carol

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?

The Virgin Mary and Christ were there,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
The Virgin Mary and Christ were there,
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 amain,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

I Wonder as I Wander

I wonder as I wander
Out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior
Did come for to die
For poor on'ry people
Like you and like I
I wonder as I wander
Out under the sky

When Mary birthed Jesus,
'Twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers
And shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven,
A star's light did fall
And the promise of ages
It then did recall

If Jesus had wanted
For any wee thing
A star in the sky
Or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's angels
In heav'n for to sing
He surely could have it,
'Cause He was the King

I wonder as I wander
Out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior
Did come for to die
For poor on'ry people
Like you and like I
I wonder as I wander
Out under the sky

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Written by: Edmund H. Sears
Music by: Richard S. Willis

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heav'n'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 unfurl'd;
And still their heav'nly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov'ring wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hast'ning on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heav'n and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Joy to the World
Written by: Isaac Watts
Music by: George F. Handel

Joy to the world!
The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev'ry heart
Prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n, 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.

No more let sin
And sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world
With truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of
His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Written by: Dr. Th. Baker
Music by: M. Praetorius (1571-1621)

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah, 'twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind.
With Mary, we behold it,
The Virgin Mother kind.
To show God's love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

O Holy Night
(Cantique de Noël)

O Holy night,
The stars are brightly shining.
It is the night
Of the dear Saviour's birth;
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining,
Till He appeared
And the soul felt His worth.
A thrill of hope,
The weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees!
Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine,
O night, when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night,
O night divine!

Led by the light
Of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts
By His cradle we stand;
So led by light
Of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men
From Orient land.
The King of Kings
Lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials
Born to be our friend;
He knows our need,
Our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King!
Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King!
Before Him lowly bend!

Truly he taught us
To love one another,
His law is love
And His gospel is peace;
Chains shall He break,
For the slave is our brother,
And in His name
All oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us
Praise His holy name;
Christ is the Lord,
Oh praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory
Evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory
Evermore proclaim!

O Come, All Ye Faithful
(Adeste Fideles)

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.

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
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.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Written by: Phillips Brooks
Music by: Lewis H. Redner

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

For Christ is born of Mary
And gather'd all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond'ring love
O 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 giv'n!
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

Silent Night
Written by: Joseph Mohr (Translated)
Music by: Franz Gruber

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
Heav'nly 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

What Child Is This?
Traditional English Air
Written by: William C. Dix

What Child is this,
Who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet
With anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ, the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies He in
Such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear:
For sinners here,
The silent Word is pleading:
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne, for me, for you:
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

So bring Him incense,
Gold and myrrh,
Come, peasant king, to own Him;
The King of Kings,
Salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Said the night wind to the little lamb,
"Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite."

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
"Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the the sea,
With a voice as big as the the sea."

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
"Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold--
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold."

Said the king to the people everywhere,
"Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light,
He will bring us goodness and light."

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
Music by: George Frederick Handel

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!"

Carol of the Bells

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away

Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold,

Oh how they pound,
raising the sound,
o'er hill and dale,
telling their tale,

Gaily they ring
while people sing
songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here,

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
On on they send ,
on without end,
their joyful tone to every home
Dong Ding dong ding, dong Bong

The Little Drummer Boy

Come they told me,
pa rum pum pum pum;
A new born King to see,
pa rum pum pum pum;
Our finest gifts we bring,
pa rum pum pum pum;
To lay before the King,
pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum;
So to honor Him,
pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby,
pa rum pum pum pum;
I am a poor boy too,
pa rum pum pum pum;
I have no gift to bring,
pa rum pum pum pum;
That's fit to give our King,
pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum;
Shall I play for you?
pa rum pum pum pum;
On my drum.

Mary nodded,
pa rum pum pum pum;
The ox and lamb kept time,
pa rum pum pum pum;
I played my drum for Him,
pa rum pum pum;
I played my best for Him,
pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum;
Then He smiled at me,
pa rum pum pum pum;
Me and my drum.