Christmas Eve in Great Longstone
Christmas Carols on the Village Green @ 6:30pm on 24th December
All welcome.
Safety Note: The road through the village will be open as usual, so please ensure that everyone in your party stays on the grass, or the top section of road.
Collection in aid of Village Projects
Carol 1 – Once in Royal David’s City
Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor and mean and lowly,
lived on earth our Saviour holy.
Not in that poor, lowly stable
with the oxen standing by
we shall see him, but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars his children crowned,
all in white, shall wait around.
Carol 2 – O Come, All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him,
born the King of angels.
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
God of God,
Light of light,
lo, He abhors not the Virgin’s womb
Very God, begotten not created
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God, in the highest:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Carol 3 – Ding Dong Merrily On High
Ding dong merrily on high,
In heav’n the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv’n with angel singing
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers,
May you beautifully rhyme
Your eve’time song, ye singers
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
E’en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And “Io, io, io!”
By priest and people sungen
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Carol 4 – O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth,
the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him,
still, the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!
Carol 5 – Away in a Manger
Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus
laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky
looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus
asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing,
the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus
no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus;
look down from the sky,
and stay by my side
until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus;
I ask you to stay
close by me forever
and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children
in your tender care,
and take us to heaven
to live with you there.
Carol 6 – Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King,
peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark, the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a Virgin’s womb!
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see:
Hail, the incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to
dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark, the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth.
Hark, the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King
Carol 7 – Whilst Shepherds Watch Their Flocks
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
an angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
“Fear not,” said he for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind
“glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
“To you, in David’s town, this day
is born of David’s line
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord;
and this shall be the sign.
Carol 8 – The Holly and the Ivy
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir
The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flow’r,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Saviour
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir
Carol 9 – God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
At Bethlehem, in Judah
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Carol 10 – Nowell
The first nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
Carol 11 – Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou knowst it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude winds wild lament
And the bitter weather
Carol 12 – Jingle Bells!
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh
Useful Xmas Info!
Great Longstone Village Shop Opening Hours
- Sat 27th December. 10 am to 1pm.
- Sun 28th Closed.
- Mon 29th Closed.
- Tuesday 30th December 9.30 am to 4pm.
- Wednesday 31st December 9.30 am to 3pm.
- Thursday 1st January 2026 – CLOSED.
Please see the shop window for January 2026 opening times.
Village pubs on Christmas Day & Boxing Day
Spring Term Starts:
Longstone Primary: Tuesday 6th January 2026
Lady Manners: Tuesday 6th January 2026