Picture this: You're cozied up under a blanket, Christmas tree lit up with lights, cookies and eggnog next to you, and you're watching the snow falling down through the window. Then, you hear the soft rising of voices outside, and you'll know it's Christmastime.
We love carolers and their songs. The classics we all love to hear coming from our fellow man make the season so much more special. But did you ever wonder where some of these songs come from?
Silent Night
This popular song was composed by German teacher Franz Gruber in 1818 when he was asked by a priest to perform at Christmas eve mass.
Many legends have arisen about the church's organ breaking down just before Christmas eve, with Gruber writing the song to give the people something to sing without accompanying music.
A Holly Jolly Christmas
A more recent addition to our classic holiday line-up, A Holly Jolly Christmas came out in 1962, written by Johnny Marks, but was most famously performed by Burl Ives in the Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Jingle Bells
Probably the most well-known Christmas song in the world, it comes from American songwriter James Lord Pierpont, who released it as One Horse Open Sleigh in 1857.
Funnily enough, it was originally written as a Thanksgiving.
Read the full story on Shared.com.
Photo: Shared.com