Hearing familiar Christmas carols puts a spring in your step, and the month of December would not be the same without the tunes we use to mark the holiday season.
The first Christmas hymns can be traced back to Rome in the fourth century. Christmas carols combine scripture and music to celebrate the season. The word carol comes from an old French term meaning a type of dance in a ring or circle. Historians believe caroling originated in the pre-Christian celebration of the Festival of Yule, when people gathered to sing and dance to honor the winter solstice, according to a report by the BBC. Over time, the tradition of dancing to Christmas carols diminished, and festive merrymakers traveled door-to-door singing Christmas songs. Some of the earliest Christmas carols, such as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Good King Wenceslas,” are still sung today.
In addition to traditional favorites, like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night,” modern-day singers and songwriters add more songs to our Christmas playlist each year. Mariah Carey recently made history when her 1994 carol, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. The last Christmas song to receive the no. 1 spot was “The Chipmunk Song,” in 1958. Popular artists like The Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Alessia Cara all released new Christmas songs this year.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios is celebrating the Christmas season by helping you bring dancing back to the caroling tradition. Visit your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios to learn how to cha-cha, swing and jive to some of your favorite holiday tunes. Certified instructors at Fred Astaire Dance Studios use a unique teaching method designed to help you learn quickly, regardless of your age or ability. Dancing is a fun way to improve your physical fitness and make friends who share your interests.
Check out how these dancers from the British television program, “Strictly Come Dancing,” ballroom dance to popular Christmas favorites.
Helen Skelton jives to “All I Want for Christmas” in the show’s Christmas special.
Tom Chambers and Oti Mabuse showcase a spirited performance of the Charleston to “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”
Lisa Riley jives to “Step into Christmas,” a popular Christmas tune by Elton John.
Take a tip from our ancestors and dance to your favorite Christmas carol. Visit your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios to get in the spirit of the season.
