Christmas carols & songs for all levels

As Christmas and New Year approach, festive carols become a staple in our celebrations. 

Most of these songs are in English, offering a fantastic opportunity to bring them into the classroom. 

Today, we’ll discuss how to use them effectively in your lessons.

This carol contains basic festive greetings, making it easy to understand and repeat. 

It’s perfect for younger students who can quickly learn phrases like “We wish you a Merry Christmas” and “We wish you a Happy New Year”. 

For example, the line "We won't go until we get some" can be used to explain the future tense in negative sentences (will not = won’t) and show how contractions are used in practice.

The phrase "Good tidings we bring to you and your kin" uses the word tidings, which is an old-fashioned term for "news" or "good wishes." 

This is a great opportunity to introduce students to this older vocabulary and explain how it was commonly used in English in past centuries.

Almost every line is repeated several times, making it easy for students to memorise.

To make it even more engaging, you can create a game where students write a letter to their parents with holiday wishes, using phrases from the song: "Dear Mum and Dad, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope this year...". 

Let them write their own holiday letters and use Christmas vocabulary.

This song works well for Intermediate level students and above, thanks to its more complex vocabulary and rhythm. 

It’s also a great way to set a festive mood during the lesson, and its popularity ensures most students will recognise it. 

After discussing the lyrics and key vocabulary, you can engage students with a dynamic group activity. 

Print the song lyrics and cut them into individual lines (one line per slip of paper). 

Shuffle them thoroughly and place them face down on the table. 

Each student picks a slip of paper with a line from the song.

They will need to communicate, collaborate, and discuss to figure out the proper arrangement. 

Once they believe they have the order right, ask them to read or sing their lines in turn to verify the sequence. 

If they make any errors, guide them to reassess the order and try again.

A beautiful carol that works wonderfully for a class activity. 

It also provides an opportunity to explore its historical background and understand why it remains one of the most cherished Christmas carols globally.

During the activity, students listen attentively to the song and try to fill in the blanks with the missing words.

Afterward, have them compare their answers in pairs and discuss how confident they feel about their choices. 

Conclude the activity by reviewing the correct answers as a group, encouraging a discussion about the song’s vocabulary, phrasing, and meaning.

This Christmas song is perfect for engaging lower-intermediate students. It tells the charming story of a snowman brought to life by a magical hat.

Once they understand the plot, challenge them to write their own version of a magical story. 

Ask them to create a new character who experiences something extraordinary, using 5-7 sentences or slightly more. 

Encourage them to incorporate new vocabulary from the song or other winter and festive expressions.

Let students search for it one at a time. 

The student who finds the hat puts it on and describes what they would do if they were Frosty and came to life.

These activities, combined with the song, add a festive and lively atmosphere to your lesson while encouraging creativity and language practice.

Using the song “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” in your lesson is a fantastic idea, especially for younger and intermediate-level students.

Start by asking each student to write down what they think it means to be naughty or nice and reflect on their own behaviour this year. 

Then, give them a task to write a list of good deeds they can do over the holidays to ensure they make it onto Santa’s “nice” list. 

For example:

With the right approach, any Christmas song can serve as a fantastic teaching tool. 

Integrate festive songs into your lessons, encourage creative activities, and create that joyful holiday atmosphere your students will look back on with a smile.