Christmas song lyrics
We Wish You a Merry Christmas Lyrics
The words to We Wish You a Merry Christmas — wishes, good tidings and figgy pudding — with easy actions to do together and the story behind this very old carol.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas full lyrics
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year!
Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year!
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding
And a cup of good cheer!
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some,
So bring some out here!
A traditional English carol, centuries old and out of copyright — sing every verse or just the first one on repeat, which is what most toddlers vote for.
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Actions to do together
- Give a big wave each time you sing “we wish you” — like greeting carolers at the door.
- Count the three wishes on your fingers: one, two, three … “and a happy new year!”
- Rub your tummy on “figgy pudding” — yum!
- Stamp feet playfully on “we won’t go until we get some”.
- Finish with a big hug on the last “happy new year”.
What your child learns
- Kind greetings and well-wishing — lovely words to use with family and neighbours
- Repetition with one small change each verse, which builds memory and confidence
- New words: tidings, kin, cheer — easy to explain and fun to say
- Counting to three as the same line comes around again and again
Where does We Wish You a Merry Christmas come from?
This carol comes from the West Country of England and has been sung for hundreds of years. Carolers would go from door to door singing good wishes to their neighbours, who thanked them with treats — which is why the song cheekily asks for figgy pudding, a rich steamed fruit pudding, and promises not to leave until some appears. It remains one of the easiest carols for young children because the same warm wish repeats all the way through.
Questions parents ask
What is figgy pudding?
A rich, dark steamed pudding made with dried fruit — a cousin of today’s Christmas pudding. In the carol, door-to-door singers are playfully asking the household for a serving as thanks for their song.
What do “good tidings” and “kin” mean?
“Good tidings” means good news or good wishes, and “kin” means your family. So the line simply says: we bring good wishes to you and your family.
Is this carol suitable for toddlers?
Very — it’s short, repetitive and full of warm feelings. Most toddlers can sing the first verse by themselves after a few days of hearing it, and the figgy pudding verse always gets a laugh.