O Come O Come Emmanuel is my absolute favourite advent carol, and anticipates the birth of Jesus. It comes from a medieval chant, of the Roman Catholic liturgy, Veni Immanuel. The music found in hymn and carol books today was adapted by Thomas Helmore, and the text translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale.
The Ukrainian Bell Carol, also known as Carol of the Bells, was based on an old Ukrainian folk song, Shchedryk, adapted by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych, in anticipation of a plentiful year, and would be sung in Ukrainian villages on New Years Eve. The English lyrics are entirely different, and were written by Peter Wilhousky, an American with a Czech background; the melody had reminded him of bells, and the Slavic legend that bells rand out at midnight on the evening Jesus was born, and so the tune is now also associated with Christmas.
This year I was delighted to come across this concert band piece that brings the two carols together: Adventum, arranged by Jared Barnes.
Happy Christmas!
Wheat & Tares 
Our Ward is meeting Christmas Day for Sacrament Service only. With my Bishop’s approval (He’s GREAT) I have assembled 9 special song selections in various forms (soloists, groups, etc.) All but three come from outside the Hymnbook. Out Stake doesn’t have a Christmas Fireside, which is disappointing.
Thanks for this much-needed balm.
Oh Holy Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHdx77aAvkc
also, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dec9Jb_Ac4
I have wonderful memories of ‘O come,O come Emanuel’ from my daughter’s concerts, where one little girl would start the concert by singing the song solo from a distant part of the school from the concert hall, whilst walking closer and closer to the hall and being gradually joined by other girls who would then process in full voice into the hall. It was utterly magical, and opened the ‘nine lessons and carols’, with readings from the nativity starting from the gospel of John, thus putting the advent into context. A revelatory carol. I miss the context that medieval music brings into worship at advent, the continuity of millenia of simple belief and hope.
markag, that sounds great. In recent years we’ve had something similar on Christmas eve for those who wanted to attend, but this year there’s nothing Christmas eve because Christmas day is a Sunday, so everyone is expected to attend. I think it’s going to be a standard sacrament meeting, though I know other wards in the stake are doing something more like a carol service. Our stake does do a good Christmas Carol concert a couple of weeks before Christmas.
Naismith, so glad you like it. The school concert band, in which my daughter plays, performed the piece in this year’s Christmas concert. Wishing you a lovely Christmas.
Unusual second choice anon. Will you get your hippopotamus?
handlewithcare, your daughter’s concerts sound delightful. I too like the continuity brought by centuries old music still performed today.