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FUN SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS

(Ideal for group singing sessions)

• Suitable for all agegroups & for group singing sessions

• Sheet music & recorded music can be found on the internet

• The history of these songs can also be found on the internet

ESL/EFL ideas by Bibi Baxter

• Activity-1:     ESL/EFL Practice: Pronouns & Possessive Adjectives
• Activity-2:     Group singing for pronunciation, intonation & stress in a musical context

• Activity-1:       Whistling (pairwork)

• Activity-2:       Tricky Tongue Twister (S/TH)

• Activity-3:       Group singing for pronunciation, intonation & stress in a musical context

• Activity-4:       Class discussion and/or composition

• Activity-1:      Milling & Matching to practice clauses
• Activity-2:       Group singing for pronunciation, intonation & stress in a musical context
• Activity-3:        Discussion and/or composition:  Bullying & Bullied Types

• Prepositions:   Gapped worksheet
• Discussion and/or composition:     
  • Snowy conditions: snow fun & snow dangers

  • Snow Sports

  • Santa Claus' journey by sleigh on Christmas Eve

• Gerund v Past Participle v Infinitive (with/without TO)

Return to Christmas Index

We Wish You A Merry Christmas 

• ESL/EFL Practice:        Pronouns & Possessive Adjectives

• Level:                           Beginners +

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Listen to the song & complete the gaps

• Make this exercise more difficult by completing the gaps before listening

The missing words

• Subject Pronouns:         you, we

• Object Pronouns:           you, us

• Possessive Adjective:   your

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

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Good tidings ................. bring

To ................. and ................. kin

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

<>()<>

Now bring ................. some figgy pudding

Now bring ................. some figgy pudding

Now bring ................. some figgy pudding

And a cup of good cheer

<>()<>

Good tidings ................. bring

To ................. and ................. kin

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

<>()<>

................. won't go until ................. get some

................. won't go until ................. get some

................. won't go until ................. get some

So bring some out here

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Good tidings ................. bring

To ................. and ................. kin

................. wish ................. a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

The Answer Key

Further Practice

This song is ideal for:

• a coach song at Christmas time

• carol singing

• group singing  (try singing it and leaving out specific words, or getting different people to sing different lines)

THE FULL LYRICS ANSWER KEY

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

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Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

<>()<>

Now bring us some figgy pudding

Now bring us some figgy pudding

Now bring us some figgy pudding

And a cup of good cheer

<>()<>

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

<>()<>

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

<>()<>

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

figgy pudding = Christmas pudding

All I Want For Christmas  

EFL/ESL PRACTICE:  

• Activity-1:       Whistling (pairwork)

• Activity-2:       Tricky Tongue Twister (S/TH)

• Activity-3:       Group singing for pronunciation, intonation & stress in a musical context

• Activity-4:       Class discussion and/or composition

INSTRUCTIONS

• As this song involves whistling & a tricky tongue twister ("Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!"),  practice both with the students before introducing the song.

• Many students may not be able to whistle, so other students can teach them.  Pair the students accordingly.  Try to get the class to whistle a song.

• The English pronunciation of F, V, TH, S, requires the top front teeth, poor pronunciation results when these teeth are missing.

• Pre-teach any new vocabulary and encourage students to sing along with the song.

• Subjects for discussion, or composition:  

  • Unusual gifts

  • The gift I would most like for Christmas.

ALL I  WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Every body stops and stares at me;

These two teeth are gone as you can see.

I just don't know who to blame for this catastrophe,

But my one wish on Christmas Eve

Is as plain as it can be!

<>()<>

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth,

my two front teeth, see my two front teeth!

Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth,

then I could wish you "Merry Christmas."

<>()<>

It seems so long since I could say,

"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!"

Gosh oh gee, how happy I'd be,

If I could only whistle (thhhh)

<>()<>

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth,

my two front teeth, see my two front teeth!

Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth,

then I could wish you "Merry Christmas."

Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer

ESL/EFL 

• LEVEL:                      Pre-intermediate +

• ACTIVITY:                 Milling & Matching

• PRACTICE:                Clauses

• SKILLS:                     Reading, Speaking

INSTRUCTIONS

• Copy the exercise and enlarge the print to A4 size before printing.

• Cut along the lines.

• According to numbers in your class, issue each student with one or more pieces of paper (one beginning & one ending)

• Students circulate amongst classmates, saying their beginning of the sentence and then listen to the ending.  They must must then decide whether it matches their sentence or not.  DO NOT HELP THEM AT THIS STAGE.  TELL THEM IT IS THEIR DECISION.

• When they are satisfied they have completed their task, they must sit down.  The ones left standing can then see who to target.  Impress on them that they must be satisfied that they have the correct answer before sitting down.  Instruct them NOT to take the corresponding piece of paper.

• Check the answers by calling out 1, 2, 3 etc.  They read out the beginning and the corresponding one reads out their ending.  The class listens and decides whether it is right or wrong.  ONLY TELL THEM WHETHER THEY ARE RIGHT OR WRONG.

• Ask them to line up in the order of their answers, then play the song for them to check where they should be.

• Do not be surprised if someone sits down with the wrong answer.  This will mean either  that others will also have wrong answers, or no answers.  There will then be light-hearted bantering with the one who was initially wrong.

Beginners & 1:1 students can do this a matching exercise.

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer ....

Scroll down for the full lyrics

• LEVEL:          Beginners +
• PRACTICE:    Group singing for pronunciation, intonation & stress in a musical context

FOLLOW UP SUGGESTION

This is a little story of bullying and rejection, then acceptance, followed by a happy ending.  It illustrates that everyone can have a place and be  useful for the good of society.  You may wish to exploit these points and possibly open a discussion on reasons for bullying:  physical deformities, lack of self-confidence, over-confident, too much ability, too little ability, learning difficulties, poor background, etc.

Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer 

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer  had a very shiny nose

And if you ever saw him,  you would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer  used to laugh and call him names.

They never let poor Rudolph  join in any reindeer games.  

Then one foggy Christmas Eve  Santa came to say: 

"Rudolph with your nose so bright,  won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" 

Then all the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee, 

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,  you'll go down in history!

Jingle Bells

• Level:         Pre-intermediate +

• Activity:     Gapped

• Practice:    Prepositions

INSTRUCTIONS:

• (FOR WEAK STUDENTS) Listen to the song slowly and complete the gaps.  Repeat as necessary.
• (FOR MORE EXPERIENCED STUDENTS) Complete the gaps, using the words given below, then play the song (at an appropriate speed) to check your answers.  

THE MISSING PREPOSITIONS

by, in, into, on, over, through, to

Dashing ................... the snow

................... a one horse open sleigh

................... the fields we go

Laughing all the way

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Bells ................... bob tails ring

Making spirits bright

What fun it is ................... laugh and sing

A sleighing song tonight

<>()<>

Chorus (x2)

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is ................... ride

................... a one horse open sleigh

<>()<>

A day or two ago

I thought I'd take a ride

And soon Miss Fanny Bright

Was seated ................... my side

<>()<>

The horse was lean and lank

Misfortune seemed his lot

We got ................... a drifted bank

And then we got upset

<>()<>

[Repeat The Chorus (x2)]

Subjects for Discussion or Composition

• Snowy conditions: snow fun & snow dangers

• Snow Sports

• Santa Claus' journey by sleigh on Christmas Eve (USEFUL RESOURCE:  The Night Before Christmas)

JINGLE BELLS

The Answer Key

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way

Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Chorus (x2)
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upset

[Repeat The Chorus (x2)]

I Saw Mummy ................ (kiss) Santa Claus

• Level:      Intermediate +

• Activity:   Gapped

• Practice:  Gerund v Past Participle v Infinitive (with/without TO)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• (FOR WEAK STUDENTS) Listen to the song slowly and complete the gaps.  Repeat as necessary.
• (FOR MORE EXPERIENCED STUDENTS) Complete the gaps, using the words given below, then play the song (at an appropriate speed) to check your answers.  

THE MISSING VERBS

be, believe, go, get, have, kiss, see, tell, tickle, tuck

I saw Mummy ............... Santa Claus

Underneath the mistletoe last night

She didn't ............... me creep

Down the stairs to ............... a peep

She thought that I was ............... up

In my bedroom, fast asleep

<>()<>

Then I saw Mummy ............... Santa Claus

Underneath his beard so snowy white

Oh, what a laugh it would ...............   ...............

If Daddy had only ...............

Mummy ............... Santa Claus last night

I saw Mummy ............... Santa Claus

<>()<>

I did! I really did ............... Mummy ............... Santa Claus

And I'm ............... to ............... my Dad

That I saw Mummy ............... Santa Claus

Underneath his beard so snowy white

Oh, what a laugh it would ...............   ...............

If Daddy had only ...............

Mummy ............... Santa Claus last night

<>()<>

Oh, what a laugh it would ...............    ...............

If Daddy had only ...............

Mummy ............... Santa Claus last night

I did! I did! I really did ............... Mummy ............... Santa Claus

You've ............... to ............... me! You've just ............... to ............... me!

Come on, fellas, ............... me! You've just ............... to ............... me!

THE FULL LYRICS ANSWER KEY

I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus

Underneath the mistletoe last night

She didn't see me creep

Down the stairs to have a peep

She thought that I was tuck up

In my bedroom, fast asleep

<>()<>

Then I saw Mummy tickle Santa Claus

Underneath his beard so snowy white

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Daddy had only seen

Mummy kissing Santa Claus last night

I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus

<>()<>

I did! I really did see Mummy kissing Santa Claus

And I'm going to tell my Dad

That I saw Mummy tickle Santa Claus

Underneath his beard so snowy white

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Daddy had only seen

Mummy kissing Santa Claus last night

<>()<>

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Daddy had only seen

Mummy kissing Santa Claus last night

I did! I did! I really did see Mummy kissing Santa Claus

You've got to believe me! You've just got to believe me!

Come on, fellas, believe me! You've just got to believe me!

Return to Christmas Index