Words of the Moment – Christmas Carol Edition

Around this time of year, we have been inundated with Christmas songs in stores, on the radio, and at parties.  Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, the songs are difficult to evade. 

This year I have been realizing how extensive the vocabulary in the songs actually is.  Aside from the ever-present words such as “merry,” “bells,” “snow,” “Christmas,” “tree,” etc, there are some interesting gems.  These are only a few I heard the last time I had the radio on.  There are plenty more good ones out there.  I hope you will listen to these carols a bit differently after thinking about a few of the words:

Cloven – adjective – split; divided

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

“Still through the cloven skies they come.  With peaceful wings unfurl, and still.”

Laud – noun – a song or hymn of praise

“What Child is This?”

“Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring him laud.”

Lowing – noun – the calling sound made by bovine animals, such as cows

“Away in a Manger”

“The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby wakes.”

Noel – noun – is an alternate word for “Christmas”

“The First Noel”

“The First Noel, the Angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.”

Wassailing – verb – engaging in the act of drinking; toasting

“Here We Come A-Wassailing”

“Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green.  Here we come a-wand'ring so fair to be seen.”

Yore – noun – time long past

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

“Here we are as in olden days.  Happy golden days of yore.”

Yuletide – noun – a religious festival that has been absorbed into and equated with the celebration of Christmas

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas.  Make the Yuletide gay.”