“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is a popular secular sixteenth-century English carol from the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition wherein wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on Christmas Eve, such as figgy puddings that were very much like modern day Christmas puddings. It is one of the few English traditional carols that makes mention of the New Year celebration and is often the last song carolers sing, wishing all good tidings and happy spirits at Christmastime.
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Lyrics
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won’t go until we get some;
We won’t go until we get some;
We won’t go until we get some, so bring some out here
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New