We Wish You a Merry Christmas

For other uses, see We Wish You a Merry Christmas (disambiguation).

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a popular secular sixteenth-century English carol from the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition wherein wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on Christmas Eve, such as figgy puddings that were very much like modern day Christmas puddings. It is one of the few English traditional carols that makes mention of the New Year celebration and is often the last song carolers sing, wishing all good tidings and happy spirits at Christmastime.

Lyrics

Version 1

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)

and a Happy New Year.

REFRAIN
Good tidings we bring to you and your king
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Now bring us some figgy pudding (x3)
and bring some out here. (or, and bring it us here)

REFRAIN

For we all like figgy pudding (x3)
so bring some out here.

REFRAIN
And we won't go until we've got some (x3)
so bring some out here.

REFRAIN
It's a season for music (x3)
and a time of good Cheer.

REFRAIN

(Some versions print the refrain as "Glad tidings" instead of "Good tidings')

Version 2

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)
and a Happy New Year.

REFRAIN
Good tidings to you, where ever you are
Good Tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year

(The first line of the refrain can also be rendered as "Good tidings we bring, to you and to yours")

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding (x3)
and a cup of good cheer

REFRAIN

We won't go until we get some, (x3)
so bring it right here

REFRAIN

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)
and a Happy New Year

REFRAIN

See also

• List of Christmas carols
• Christmas carol
• Christmas music