Christmas: Children’s

Origins and context

Family, school, church, radio, television, and children’s media all helped turn older holiday songs into a distinct children’s Christmas repertoire.

The sound

How to listen

History

Children’s Christmas songs grew out of older holiday and schoolroom traditions, but they became especially visible in the 20th century as recordings, radio, television, and later video sites made them easy to package for families. The Library of Congress notes that holiday and religious songs have long been taught to children at home, in classrooms, and in religious settings, and points to documented examples such as “Holy Babe,” sung by African American students and recorded in 1943. (loc.gov) By the mid- and late 20th century, the form had settled into a familiar seasonal lane: albums and singalong releases aimed directly at children, plus family-friendly versions of standard Christmas material. That market is still active today, with artists and labels continuing to issue children’s holiday collections and searchable catalogs of kid-focused Christmas recordings.

Notable artists

Essential listening

1. 1

   Christmas Carols for Children

   Christmas Songs For Kids, Kids Party Music Players, Kids Dance Party

   Spotify
2. 2

   Christmas Kids Songs

   Nursery Rhymes and Kids Songs, Nursery Rhymes

   Spotify
3. 3

   Raffi's Christmas Album: A Collection of Christmas Songs for Children

   Raffi

   Spotify
4. 4

   Children's Songs

   Source

Explore connected genres

Parent genresChildren’s Music

Parent genresChristmas

Parent genresPop

More from this familyChristmas: Comedy

More from this familyClose Harmony

More from this familyComedy

Sources and further reading

• Children's Songs
• Christmas Carols for Children
• Spotify

  Raffi has a Christmas album explicitly framed as a collection of songs for children.

• Christmas Kids Songs