On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me....

.....God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings

Rejoiced much in mind,

And left their flocks a-feeding

In tempest, storm and wind,

And went to Bethlehem straightway,

This blessed Babe to find:

O tidings of comfort and joy, 

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

  But when to Bethlehem they came,

Whereat this Infant lay,

They found Him in a manger,

Where oxen feed on hay;

His mother Mary kneeling,

Unto the Lord did pray: 

O tidings of comfort and joy 

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises

All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy 

Little is known about this traditional English carol, much of the fact about it is simply speculation and no more. The melody  was first published by William B. Sandys in 1833 although the author is unknown. However it came into being, the tune is beautiful, I couldn't find a video of it anywhere that did the tune justice. But the lyrics are beautiful as well so I posted them here, they truly capture the spirit of Christ's birth in the chorus, O tidings of comfort and joy! There would be no comfort, and no joy if Christ had not come to redeem us.  Praise be to God  we can now shout joyfully " O tidings of comfort and joy" !