They are in order of range, narrowest first, because on a pianothe distance between a tune’s lowest and highest note decides more about how hard it is than its speed does. Jingle Bells covers the least ground and is the one to start with; Carol of the Bells covers the most.
- Jingle Bells
- Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
- Up on the Housetop
- Away in a Manger
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Good King Wenceslas
- Joy to the World
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- The First Noel
- Deck the Halls
- Auld Lang Syne
- O Christmas Tree
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- O Holy Night
- Silent Night
- Carol of the Bells
Which piano plays how many
| Size | As written | Moved | Cannot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 keys | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 keys | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 keys | 17 | 0 | 0 |
The carols, easiest first
The large line is the key’s letter; a dot over it is the octave above middle C’s, a dot under it the octave below. A dash holds a note another beat and an underline is half a beat.
1. Jingle Bells
James Lord Pierpont, 1857 · United States · C4–G4 · fifth · 51 notes
It covers 5 neighbouring white keys, so the right hand never moves: thumb on C4, one finger to a key. The whole of Jingle Bells for piano →
2. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
1874 (music in print) · United States · G4–E5 · major sixth · 48 notes
It covers 6 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas for piano →
3. Up on the Housetop
Benjamin Hanby, 1864 · Ohio, United States · C4–A4 · major sixth · 67 notes
It covers 6 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of Up on the Housetop for piano →
4. Away in a Manger
James R. Murray, 1887 · United States · G4–G5 · octave · 44 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of Away in a Manger for piano →
5. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
19th century or earlier · England, West Country · G4–G5 · octave · 52 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of We Wish You a Merry Christmas for piano →
6. Good King Wenceslas
1582 (tune) · Finland and Sweden · G4–G5 · octave · 53 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of Good King Wenceslas for piano →
7. Joy to the World
Lowell Mason (arranger), 1836 · United States · C4–C5 · octave · 57 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of Joy to the World for piano →
8. O Come, All Ye Faithful
John Francis Wade (attributed), c. 1743 · England and France · G4–G5 · octave · 61 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of O Come, All Ye Faithful for piano →
9. The First Noel
1823 (in print) · Cornwall, England · C4–C5 · octave · 72 notes
It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two. The whole of The First Noel for piano →
10. Deck the Halls
16th century (tune) · Wales · B4–C6 · octave and a semitone · 68 notes
It covers 9 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of Deck the Halls for piano →
11. Auld Lang Syne
18th century · Scotland · G4–A5 · octave and a whole step · 56 notes
It covers 9 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of Auld Lang Syne for piano →
12. O Christmas Tree
16th century (tune) · Germany · G4–A5 · octave and a whole step · 61 notes
It covers 9 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of O Christmas Tree for piano →
13. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
18th century or earlier · England · G4–A5 · octave and a whole step · 67 notes
It covers 9 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen for piano →
14. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Felix Mendelssohn, 1840 · Germany and England · G4–A5 · octave and a whole step · 76 notes
It covers 9 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing for piano →
15. O Holy Night
Adolphe Adam, 1847 · France · C4–E5 · octave and a major third · 95 notes
It covers 10 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of O Holy Night for piano →
16. Silent Night
Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818 · Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria · C4–F5 · octave and a fourth · 46 notes
It covers 11 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of Silent Night for piano →
17. Carol of the Bells
Mykola Leontovych, 1916 · Ukraine · E4–A5 · octave and a fourth · 92 notes
It covers 11 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — more than once. The whole of Carol of the Bells for piano →
Why some Christmas songs are missing
Every tune here is in the public domain, which for Christmas music means carols and 19th-century songs. The 20th-century standards people also think of as Christmas songs are still in copyright, and a piano arrangement of one is a copy of its melody whatever notation it is written in, so they are not published here. Melodies only, too: there are no lyrics on any of these pages.
All piano songs · Christmas songs on every instrument · The online piano