Missing Letters -- Christmas Carols Quiz

Answer: Joy to the World

'Joy to the World' is the correct answer.

The ever-popular Christmas carol was written by Englishman Isaac Watts in 1719. According to Wikipedia, Watts based the carol on the second half of Psalm 98. "The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody." Wikipedia reports.

Wikipedia also states as of the late 20th century, 'Joy to the World' was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.

Here are the words to 'Joy to the World':

"Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her king;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! 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 sins and sorrows 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, wonders, of His love."

Answer: Silent Night

When it comes to Christmas carols, 'Silent Night' is one of the best known. It was written by Josef Mohr, cir­ca 1816-1818. Mohr was born at Salzburg, Austria, on Dec. 11, 1792 and was ordained a priest in 1815. He wrote other hymns as well, but 'Silent Night' is the only one that was translated into English.

Often when I hear 'Silent Night' I am reminded of a story by Lester B. Pearson, former prime minister of Canada. Pearson, speaking in a documentary broadcast many years ago on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, recalled being in London during the Second World War. One particular night there was intensive bombing of the city by the German air force and after the raid, Pearson said he turned on the radio in his apartment to soothe his nerves. He turned the dial and ended up hearing a German boys' choir singing impeccably the words 'Silent Night'. With the classic Christmas hymn being performed so beautifully in German, it was in stark contrast to the carnage the Luftwaffe had just wreaked on the city.

Here are the words to 'Silent Night':

"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 Savior is born,
Christ the Savior 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.

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!"

Answer: We Three Kings

'We Three Kings' is the correct answer. The ever-popular Christmas carol was written by John P. Hopkins in 1857. Hopkins was born in Pittsburgh in 1820 and served as a journalist for a brief while before attending General Theological Seminary in New York, according to Wikipedia.

"He wrote words and music to his most famous hymn, 'We Three Kings', as part of a Christmas pageant for his nieces and nephews," Wikipedia reports. "It is suggested to have been written in 1857 but did not appear in print until his 'Carols, Hymns and Songs' was published in 1863."

Here are the words to 'We Three Kings':

"We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

[Refrain]

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshiping God on high.

[Refrain]

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

[Refrain]

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.

[Refrain]"

Answer: Away In a Manger

'Away In a Manger' is the correct answer. It's almost a given that whenever children present a Christmas concert, there will be a rendition of 'Away in a Manager'. According to Wikipedia, the lyrics were first published in the May 1884 issue of 'The Myrtle', a periodical of the Universalist Publishing House in Boston, Massachusetts.

Here are the words for the classic:

"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there."

Answer: Angels We Have Heard on High

'Angels We Have Heard on High' is the correct answer. It is of French origin, but no one knows who wrote the words to the ever-popular carol.

Wikipedia explains things this way: "The words of the song are based on a traditional French carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes (literally, 'Angels in our countryside') composed by an unknown author in Languedoc, France. That song has received many adjustments or alignments including its most common English version that was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, northeast England. The carol quickly became popular in the West Country, where it was described as 'Cornish' by R.R. Chope, and featured in Pickard-Cambridge's Collection of Dorset Carols.
There is also a Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) translation of the carol which is known as Ainglean chuala sinn gu h-ard (literally, 'Angels We Have Heard on High'). This was translated into Gaelic by Iain MacMilan from James Chadwick's English translation.

Here are the words to the Christmas carol 'Angels We Have Heard on High':

"Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o'er the plains
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song?

[Refrain]

Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.

[Refrain]"

Answer: The First Noel

The correct answer is 'The First Noel'. Although the Christmas carol is extremely popular, no one knows for certain who wrote the words. According to Wikipedia, the carol is of Cornish origin and it was first published in Carols Ancient and Modern in 1823. According to Hymnary.org, the carol has been published in 333 different hymn books over the years.

Here are the words to the Christmas carol 'The First Noel':

"The First Noel, 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.

Refrain:
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.

[Refrain]

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.

[Refrain]

This star drew nigh to the northwest
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both Pause and stay
Right o'er the place where Jesus lay.

[Refrain]

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

[Refrain]

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.


[Refrain]"

Answer: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear', written by Edmund H. Sears in 1849, is the correct answer. (The hymn is also known in some circles as 'It Came Upon A Midnight Clear'.) Sears was born in Berkshire, Massachusetts, in 1810 and graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, in 1834 followed by graduation from the Theological School of Harvard University in 1837.

"Sears is said to have written these words at the request of his friend, William Parsons Lunt, pastor of United First Parish Church, Quincy, Massachusetts for Pastor Lunt's Sunday School," Wikipedia reports. "One account says the carol was first performed by parishioners gathered in Sears' home on Christmas Eve."

Here are the words to the Christmas carol 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear':

"It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
'Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven'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 unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.

And 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.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing."

Answer: The Little Drummer Boy

'The Little Drummer Boy' is the correct answer. The Christmas carol, originally known as 'Carol of the Drum', was written by American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941, according to Wikipedia.

The carol has been recorded by everyone from Johnny Cash to Gladys Knight and the Pips, and from Diana Ross and the Supremes to Justin Bieber, collaborated with Busta Rhymes, Wikipedia states.

Here are the words to the Christmas carol 'The Little Drummer Boy':

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

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

I play my drum for Him
So to honor Him

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

Me and my drum."

Answer: O Little Town of Bethlehem

The correct answer is 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'. The Christmas carol was written by Phillips Brooks in 1868. Brooks was born December 13, 1835, in Boston, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College in 1855. Four years after his graduation, he was ordained as an Episcopal minister. According to Hymnary.org, Brooks spent Christmas in 1866 in Bethlehem and wrote 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' for his Sunday school class in 1868.

Here are the words to the Christmas carol 'O Little Town of 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.

For Christ is born of Mary,
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth.

How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to man hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear 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 in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel."

Answer: O Holy Night

'O Holy Night' was written by Placide Cappeau in 1847 in France and titled 'Cantique de Noël'. The music for the 'O Holy Night' was composed by Adolphe Adam and John S. Dwight translated the carol into English. According to Hymnyary.org, Cappeau wrote the words to the carol while traveling in a stagecoach to Paris, between Macon and Dijon.

Sharefaith.com reports Cappeau had his hand surgically amputated at the age of eight years following a tragic gunshot accident. In spite of Cappeau's handicap he went on to win awards as an artist and a journalist.

Here are the words to 'O Holy Night':

"O, holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh, night divine, oh, night when Christ was born!
Oh, night divine, oh, night, oh, 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-to 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!"