We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Lore & Background

The carol's history is uncertain, but its origin likely lies in the English tradition of wealthy people giving Christmas treats like figgy pudding to carolers on Christmas Eve. In the West Country, figgy pudding referred to a raisin or plum pudding. The famous version demands figgy pudding, threatening not to leave until it is received. His version uses "I" instead of "we" in the first line.

Reader's Guide

Warrell's four-part choral setting, published by Oxford University Press, standardized the melody and lyrics that are now widely performed. The song's history reflects broader traditions of English wassailing and door-to-door caroling, where singers requested treats like figgy pudding. The carol's absence from major 19th-century anthologies and its late emergence in the 20th century highlight how folk songs can remain obscure before being popularized by a single arranger. The existence of multiple traditional variants, some with different tunes and verses, underscores the fluid nature of oral tradition. The carol's enduring popularity demonstrates how a simple, repetitive structure and a demand for festive treats can create a memorable and beloved holiday song. Its legacy is further evidenced by archival recordings held by the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library and the British Library Sound Archive, preserving regional versions that predate or differ from Warrell's arrangement.

Did You Know?

• Arthur Warrell's arrangement uses 'I' instead of 'we' in the first line: 'I wish you a Merry Christmas'.
• A closely related verse from the 1830s includes the line 'Come, bring us some figgy pudding, / Come, bring us some figgy pudding, / And a cup of good cheer.'