聖誕到新年這段時間優美的聖誕頌歌在各個地方響起，寧靜溫暖地告別即將走完的一年，迎接即將到來的新的一年的曙光。
根據Wikipedia的定義，a Christmas carol (also called a no?l) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, and which is traditionally sung on Christmas itself or during the surrounding holiday season.
在這告別2014和迎接2015的節日裏，和大家分享一首Christmas carol，God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. 這首歌曲旋律優美動聽。由於這首歌是基督的頌歌，視頻裏用了70張13多座富麗堂皇的攝影精品並配上了教堂的名稱。讓你一飽眼福這些輝煌神聖的建築物。
Carols頌歌這個詞起源於中世紀，被用於舞蹈歌曲或圓圈舞的伴唱。It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance. In any case the dancing seems to have been abandoned quite early.
四世紀的羅馬時代，第一首carol誕生了。但直到13世紀，法國，德國和意大利才有了一定規模的用本地語言唱的聖誕歌曲。用英語演唱的聖誕歌曲是在1426年開始的。Wikipedia有一段文字說明了這個事實，Christmas carols in English first appear in a 1426 work of John Awdlay, a Shropshire chaplain, who lists twenty five "caroles of Cristemas", probably sung by groups of 'wassailers', who went from house to house. The songs we know specifically as carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols begun to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas. 所以聖誕歌曲在早期是在聖誕及其他的豐收節日以及聖誕節臨近的其他節日唱的。大約1350至1550年是英國頌歌的黃金時代。到了14世紀，頌歌成為了一種流行的宗教歌曲的形式，主題往往圍繞著基督或者聖母瑪利亞。15世紀的頌歌廣為普及，到了16世紀，頌歌的發展又步履蹣跚，而18世紀中葉的文藝複興，又使頌歌獲得了新生而且使其發展達到了一個新的高峰。Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services. 下麵是幾首well known的Christmas Carols。
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Joy To The world
The First Noel
I Saw Three Ships
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Good King Wenceslas
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
。。。。。。
有關更多Carol的信息請看：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol
下麵是The Mormon Tabernacle Choir演唱的大合唱：
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is dedicated to the universal language of music that has the power to bring joy, peace, and healing to its listeners. Made up of hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life, this unique music organization transcends cultural and generational boundaries and brings together people from around the world through stirring music. The Choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, and the Bells on Temple Square act as goodwill ambassadors for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
