Quick answer: most classic carols are in the public domain and need only G, C and D (or D7). Start with Silent Night, Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and Away in a Manger, then add Em for O Come, All Ye Faithful and The First Noel. Use a capo to fit the family's singing range. Modern Christmas pop songs (Rudolph, Frosty, Jingle Bell Rock, White Christmas) are still under copyright, so we don't arrange them.
Chords are FretCompare's own simple arrangements in G of public-domain carols; public-domain status checked against the sources below. Note: modern arrangements and recordings of old carols can be copyrighted even when the song isn't. Not hands-on testing.
| Song | Chords (in G) | Public domain | How to play it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silent Night | G, D, C | Mohr/Gruber, 1818 | 3/4; bass on 1, soft strums. |
| Jingle Bells | G, C, D7 (A7 optional) | James Lord Pierpont, 1857 | Bouncy D DU; kids' favourite. |
| Deck the Halls | G, C, D7 | Welsh melody; English words 1862 | Steady 4/4; everyone sings the fa-la-las. |
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas | G, C, D7 (A7, Em in fuller versions) | Traditional English | 3/4; quick changes - slow it down. |
| Joy to the World | G, C, D | Words Isaac Watts 1719; tune arranged 1836-39 | Strong, simple; good for groups. |
| O Come, All Ye Faithful | G, C, D, Em | John Francis Wade, 1751 | Majestic 4/4; let chords ring. |
| Away in a Manger | G, C, D7 | Words 1885; Murray tune 1887 | Gentle 3/4 lullaby. |
| The First Noel | G, C, D, Em | English carol, printed 1823/1833 | 3/4; long verses, simple chorus. |
| O Christmas Tree | G, C, D7 | German, 1824 | 3/4; good for kids. |
| Up on the Housetop | G, C, D7 | Benjamin Hanby, 1864 | Bouncy; fun with kids. |
| Good King Wenceslas | G, C, D, Em | Words J. M. Neale, 1853 | Steady 4/4. |
| We Three Kings | Em, B7, D, G, C | John Henry Hopkins Jr., 1857 | 3/4 in E minor; a nice contrast. |
| O Little Town of Bethlehem | G, C, D, Em | Words 1868 | Slow and gentle. |
| It Came Upon the Midnight Clear | G, C, D, A7 | Words 1849 | 3/4; slow. |
| Auld Lang Syne | G, D, C, Em (optional) | Burns / traditional | For New Year's Eve. |
New to these chords? Our first chords guide has G, C, D, D7, Em and A7. Hard changes? See clean chord changes.
More patterns: strumming patterns.
Silent Night, Away in a Manger, The First Noel, O Christmas Tree, We Three Kings and We Wish You a Merry Christmas are in 3/4. Play a bass note on beat 1 and two light strums on 2 and 3 ("boom-chick-chick"). Count "1-2-3" out loud the first few times.
Our campfire song leading tips work just as well indoors.
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Jingle Bells, Up on the Housetop, O Christmas Tree and Jolly Old St. Nicholas are short and repetitive. Let kids shake bells on beats 2 and 4. Young players can strum along on a 3/4 guitar with only G and D7.
These are still under copyright in the US, so we don't publish chords or lyrics: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song 1949), Frosty the Snowman (1950), Jingle Bell Rock (1957), White Christmas (1942), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1944) and It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (1951). Licensed songbooks and lesson platforms include them - see tab books and best online lessons.
| Week | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | G, C, D7 changes daily; Silent Night and Away in a Manger (3/4) |
| 2 | Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls; add Em; O Come All Ye Faithful |
| 3 | Five songs back-to-back; practise starting and ending; pick capo keys |
Short daily sessions work best - see practice routine and, if your fingertips are sore, sore fingers from guitar.
Silent Night and Away in a Manger use three chords in a slow 3/4; Jingle Bells is easy too with G, C and D7.
Most traditional carols are, because they were published long ago. Modern arrangements, translations and recordings can still be copyrighted.
Yes. James Lord Pierpont published it in 1857 as The One Horse Open Sleigh.
Yes, for yourself - but they're copyrighted, so we don't publish their chords. Use a licensed songbook or lesson.
Not hands-on testing: FretCompare summarises official instructions and published facts. Steps and terms change, so follow the official page if it differs.
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