圣诞到新年这段时间优美的圣诞颂歌在各个地方响起，宁静温暖地告别即将走完的一年，迎接即将到来的新的一年的曙光。

根据Wikipedia的定义，a Christmas carol (also called a no?l) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, and which is traditionally sung on Christmas itself or during the surrounding holiday season.

在这告别2014和迎接2015的节日里，和大家分享一首Christmas carol，God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. 这首歌曲旋律优美动听。由于这首歌是基督的颂歌，视频里用了70张13多座富丽堂皇的摄影精品并配上了教堂的名称。让你一饱眼福这些辉煌神圣的建筑物。



Carols颂歌这个词起源于中世纪，被用于舞蹈歌曲或圆圈舞的伴唱。It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance. In any case the dancing seems to have been abandoned quite early.

四世纪的罗马时代，第一首carol诞生了。但直到13世纪，法国，德国和意大利才有了一定规模的用本地语言唱的圣诞歌曲。用英语演唱的圣诞歌曲是在1426年开始的。Wikipedia有一段文字说明了这个事实，Christmas carols in English first appear in a 1426 work of John Awdlay, a Shropshire chaplain, who lists twenty five "caroles of Cristemas", probably sung by groups of 'wassailers', who went from house to house. The songs we know specifically as carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols begun to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas. 所以圣诞歌曲在早期是在圣诞及其他的丰收节日以及圣诞节临近的其他节日唱的。大约1350至1550年是英国颂歌的黄金时代。到了14世纪，颂歌成为了一种流行的宗教歌曲的形式，主题往往围绕着基督或者圣母玛利亚。15世纪的颂歌广为普及，到了16世纪，颂歌的发展又步履蹒跚，而18世纪中叶的文艺复兴，又使颂歌获得了新生而且使其发展达到了一个新的高峰。Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services. 下面是几首well known的Christmas Carols。

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Joy To The world
The First Noel
I Saw Three Ships
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Good King Wenceslas
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
。。。。。。

有关更多Carol的信息请看：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol

下面是The Mormon Tabernacle Choir演唱的大合唱：



The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is dedicated to the universal language of music that has the power to bring joy, peace, and healing to its listeners. Made up of hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life, this unique music organization transcends cultural and generational boundaries and brings together people from around the world through stirring music. The Choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, and the Bells on Temple Square act as goodwill ambassadors for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.