84 Christmas & Winter Unison Songs
Resource List
Choosing repertoire for concerts in December can involve Christmas (hope, joy, peace, love, Santa, presents, and sacred elements), winter themes such as snowmen, snow, and being cold, or simple movement/action songs for the youngest singers in the school who aren’t ready to sing for a performance. What a complicated concert to plan and present!
Donna has been writing an eclectic mix of songs as she has presented concerts with her elementary music students over the years. With 37 years of experience in the elementary music classroom, her library of Christmas/winter songs is a substantial 84 songs, including 23 French songs. Some people bake dozens of cookies for the Christmas season. Donna has written dozens of songs!
The songs in this resource list are all unison with a few selections that can be sung as partner songs or that include a simple call and answer “descant” part. Teachers will find music for all levels, from songs for the very young, emerging singer, to songs for young singers with more experience, and there is also repertoire for adult singers.
This resource has been extracted from Donna’s “150 Unison songs” resource list so teachers have a topical listing to help with December/January concert planning. You might also find my Concert Planning resource helpful as well. Enjoy!
Dive into snow, elves, presents, jiggles and wiggles and let the concert-planning fun begin!
Songs for
Download the 84 Christmas & Winter Unison Songs
Resource List
More Tunes - available upon request - send email request to Donna
Christmas Cha Cha Cha
Christmas Cha Cha Cha
Concert time makes us want to dance and celebrate!
Add fun actions as you sing lyrics that describe a variety of ways of moving as part of the Christmas Cha Cha Cha. If a non-seasonal option is required, just sing the word “concert” instead of the word “Christmas” and you are ready to cha cha cha at any time of year! Listen to the original Donna & Andy Cha Cha Cha and the Donna & Andy band - instrumental track here.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls
Enjoy singing this updated version of a traditional Christmas classic. With modern lyrics, a syncopated melody and a rhythmically exciting accompaniment, it will be fun to sing this song as part of your Christmas celebrations.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Do Have a Merry Christmas
Do Have a Merry Christmas
This energetic song is a fabulous all-school finale for students to sing as they wish the audience a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The driving rhythmic opening section is contrasted with a mellow “B Section” in a minor tonality. Alternating between these two themes, the final rousing A section is an effective and crowd-pleasing finale for elementary school Christmas concerts.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Happy Happy Holiday
Happy, Happy Holiday was written as the all-school finale for Donna’s school. The song involved 540 students from Kindergarten to grade 5. The song opens with students “sounding off” with call and response singing and clapping patterns. The main body of the song is created with three rhythmic melodic motives and a contrasting legato section. The motives are first presented in unison and, later in the piece, these motives can be sung as a canon. Groups of students also can be assigned one of the motives and then layering them easily create amazing three-part harmony. If a flashy, all-school finale with multiple grade levels is on your Christmas repertoire wish list, this song is for you!
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Ho Ho Pere Noel
Ho Ho Père Noël is a simple song ideal for early French immersion or young Francophone singers. The lyrics draw on simple French vocabulary for directions: right, left, up, down, etc. in the context of singing to Santa and asking where he is traveling in his sleigh ride around the world. Add colourful scarves to reflect the directions that are being sung helping to support young singers as they remember the words and creating a visually interesting performance.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Mary's Prayer
starts at 10:10
Mary’s Prayer is a song written from Mary’s perspective as she reflects on all that has happened as shepherds and wisemen come to the stable in homage to the newborn Christ child. This song is written for more experienced singers, and the plaintive melody and poignant words make it a beautiful repertoire choice for both sacred and secular Christmas performances. Mary’s Prayer is one of the songs in the full-length Christmas cantata, Today Christ is Born! featuring nine original songs or arrangements written by Donna Rhodenizer.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Merry Christmas to You
Merry Christmas to You was written for one of Donna Rhodenizer’s legendary all-school finales with 540 students, Kindergarten to Grade 5. With a French immersion program included in her school population, English and French lyrics are both included to give all students a voice in the performance. The opening section of the song is rhythmic and energetic and a more legato minor melody is presented as a contrasting B section. This all-school finale was performed three times during the 25 years Donna taught at this specific school. Every year, the song was well loved by the students and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Sing of Christmas
Sing of Christmas is another Donna Rhodenizer song with two options for lyrics. The “secular” Christmas words were composed for use at Donna’s school The song is a quickly moving song in 6/8 meter with a celtic feel. This festive song includes simple celebratory lyrics with contrasting sections that delve into the anticipation of Christmas morning. Sing of Christmas was originally sung in unison by Donna’s elementary school students and 2-part mixed and SATB arrangements are also available.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Sing of Christmas - sacred
starts at 28:50
Sing of Christmas with sacred lyrics were created for inclusion of this song in the Christmas cantata, Today Christ is Born! written for Donna’s local church choir. The song is a quickly moving song in 6/8 meter with a celtic feel. This festive song includes simple celebratory lyrics with contrasting sections that delve into elements of the Christmas story. Sing of Christmas (sacred version) is available in unison, 2-part mixed and SATB arrangements are also available.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
We Can Sing in French and English
We Can Sing in French and English was written for a French immersion school, combining Christmas and New Years greetings in both languages. In addition to supporting students with a small French vocabulary, audiences will understand the theme of the lyrics no matter what language they speak. Add a variety of classroom instruments to give grade 2-3 students more of a challenge and create a fun performance piece. The song opens with a simple melody that is repeated before arriving at a contrasting bridge section in a minor tonality. The song concludes by returning to the opening melody. The same melody is used for the song Every Language has a Greeting for a non-seasonal, multi-cultural greeting song useful in general concert presentations.
Email: donna@redcastlepublishing.com to talk about getting an early copy!
Composer, Elementary Music Specialist
Donna Rhodenizer
Donna is a Canadian composer and elementary music teacher. She knew she wanted to be a teacher from the age of 5 and she combined her passion for music and her love for teaching into a 35-year career in the elementary music classroom.
Donna has made a name for herself as a music educator and as a composer. Her music can be found on every continent. She has written and self-published seven collections of original music and some of her songs are published in the Royal Conservatory graded vocal series used by private music teachers. She created a new recorder program, “Royal Recorders” and she has written over 200 compositions for choirs, handbells, violin and piano.
Donna is also an active performer and recording artist. As part of the duo, Donna & Andy, she is a Juno nominee and a winner of multiple awards from both the East Coast Music Association and Music Nova Scotia, recognizing her work in the recording field. Many of the songs she performs and records are her own original songs.
Donna received the NSMEA Musica Viva Award (2009) for her outstanding contribution to music education in Nova Scotia and the 2011 Jubilate Award of Merit from the CMEA for her significant contribution to music education in Canada. She was awarded an NSMEA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Donna is grateful for the support of her peers, and their interest in her music. She enjoys sharing her music both in her own classroom, and also in the classrooms of others in Canada and around the world. Donna is a passionate advocate of music and she enjoys inspiring others to join her in making music a vibrant and significant part of their lives. In her retirement Donna enjoys composing, performing, recording, posting music education videos (now totaling 400 on her Facebook Page), adjudicating at music festivals and enjoying many musical adventures!