A Few Favorite Books
About Christmas Carols

Sponsored links that open at Amazon.com except as noted.

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The Best Christmas Guitar Fake Book Ever (Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1992)

Bradley, Ian: (Recommended.)

• The Penguin Book of Hymns (London: Penguin, 1989)
• The Penguin Book of Carols (London: Penguin, 1999)

Bramley, Rev. Henry Ramsden and Sir John Stainer, eds., Christmas Carols New and Old (London: Novello Ewer & Co., ca. 1871). A scanned copy can be found at Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Burt, Alfred, Wihla Hutson, and Bates G. Burt, The Alfred Burt Christmas Carols : 50th Anniversary Edition (TRO - The Richmond Organization, 2004). Contains all fifteen of the Burt carols. Also see the Alfred Burt Carols web site. Also see This is Christmas: Complete Collection of Alfred Burt Carols

Carols of Today: Seventeen Original Settings for Mixed Voices (London: Oxford University press, 1965)

Charleton, Jim  and Jason Shulman, eds., The Family Book of Christmas Songs and Stories (New York: Perigee Books, 1986).

Clancy, Ronald M. and William E. Studwell.  The Christmas Classics series promises to be an excellent series.

• Best-Loved Christmas Carols (Christmas Classics, Ltd., 2000)
• American Christmas Classics (Christmas Classics, Ltd., 2001)
• Children's Christmas Classics (Christmas Classics, Ltd., 2002)

Note: Includes one or more music CDs. However, be sure that you order a new, shrink-wrapped volume; my first copy of America Christmas Classics came without the 3 CDs that were included in the shrink-wrapped copy! We didn't save any money by buying a "used but new" copy. Caveat Emptor ("Let A Buyer Beware," Black's Law Dictionary, Revised 4th Edition, 1968).

Collins, Ace (Andrew)

• Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001)
• Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003)

Cuellar, Carol, ed., 100 Great Christmas Songs (Miami, FL: Warner Bros. Publications, 1995). Carol has edited several Christmas music books; this link will search Amazon.com: Carol Cueller Christmas

Dearmer, Percy., R. Vaughan Williams, Martin Shaw, eds., The Oxford Book of Carols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1928). A major work; recommended.

Duchin, Peter, ed., A Musical Christmas With Peter Duchin (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976). Excellent book with great graphical design.

Ehret, Walter, and George K. Evans, eds., The International Book of Christmas Carols (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Walton Music Corp., 1963). Recommended.

Keyte, Hugh and Andrew Parrott, eds.,

• The New Oxford Book of Carols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992). Recommended.
• The Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993) ["…the performers' edition of the massive New Oxford Book of Carols is a selection of 120 carols in 173 different settings."]

Michael McLean, The Forgotten Carols (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Co., 1991, rev. 2003).  Because this book is under copyright, none of the songs are reproduced on this site. Grab a copy; it's worth the read (and listen).

Menendez, Albert J. and Shirley C. Menendez, Christmas Songs Made in America: Favorite Holiday Melodies and the Stories of Their Origins (Nashville, TN: Cumberland House Publishing, 1999). By the same authors is Joy to the World: Sacred Christmas Songs Through the Ages.

Nobbman, Dale V., Christmas Music Companion Fact Book (Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publishing, 2000)

Osbeck, Kenneth W., Joy to the World!: The Stories Behind Your Favorite Christmas Carols (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1999)

Poston, Elizabeth (Recommended.) Click here for a search of works by Elizabeth Poston.

• The Penguin Book of Christmas Carols (London: Penguin, 1965)
• The Second Penguin Book of Christmas Carols (London: Penguin, 1970)

Poston, Elizabeth and Malcolm Williamson, eds., A Book Of Christmas Carols (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1988). Excellent work.

Remson, Al, A Christmas Celebration in Song and Story (New York: Perigree, 1999). Also by Al Remson is Where Did Christmas Come From?

Routley, Erik, The English Carol (New York: Oxford University Press, 1959). Significant work; recommended.

Sevig, Mike and Else, Mike and Else's Norwegian Songbook (Bloomington, MN: Skandisk, 1985). Contains Christmas songs, as well as folk songs and children's songs. Excellent for the Lutefisk lovers among us ;)

Simon, Henry W., ed., A Treasury of Christmas Songs and Carols (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1955). Recommended.

Simon, William L., ed., The Reader's Digest Merry Christmas Songbook (Pleasantville, NY: Readers Digest Association, revised 2003).

Studwell, William E. (All Recommended.)

• Christmas Carols: A Reference Guide (New York: Garland Publishing, 1985)
• The Christmas Carol Reader (New York: Harrington Park Press, 1995)
• The End Of The Year: Twelve Original Holiday Songs (Kingsville, TX: The Lyre of Orpheus Press, 1999)

Studwell, William E., and Dorothy E. Jones, Publishing Glad Tidings: Essays on Christmas Music (New York: Haworth Press, 1998). Recommended.

The Ultimate Series: Christmas (100 Seasonal Favorites; Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, No Date)

Ultimate Christmas Fake Book (Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, 1992). More than 200 Songs.

Weller, Shane, ed., Christmas Carols : Complete Verses (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1992)

Wilcox, Glenn, ed., Early American Christmas Music (Pacific, MO: Mel Bay Publications, 1995)

Willcocks, David, and John Rutter, eds.:

Carols for Choirs: Fifty Christmas Carols (London, Oxford University Press)
Carols for Choirs 2: Fifty Christmas Carols for Christmas and Advent (London: Oxford University Press, 1970)
Carols for Choirs 3 (Carols for Choirs) (London: Oxford University Press, 1978)
Carols for Choirs 4: Fifty Carols for Sopranos and Altos (London, Oxford University Press)
100 Carols for Choirs (London: Oxford University Press, 1987)

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