We just learned about the Christmas song Frosty the Snowman.
Another famous Christmas song is Jingle Bells, written by James Lord Pierpont in Boston in 1857.
Even though everyone sings this song at Christmas time, there is nothing in the song about Christmas, and some people think it was actually written to be a Thanksgiving song, or even just a fun song for people to sing at parties.
In 1850s when Pierpont wrote it, people used to have a lot of fun riding around on sleighs being pulled by horses, and having races against each other.
When the sleighs would go racing by, the bells would jingle, and sometimes people would sing this song during the races.
In 1965, the astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra went into space and brought a harmonica and sleigh bells, and sang Jingle Bells in space.
Most people only know two of the verses for Jingle Bells, but there are actually 5 verses to the song.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tail ring Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing A sleighing song tonight! Oh!
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.
A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank And then we got upsot.
A day or two ago, The story I must tell
I went out on the snow, And on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by In a one-horse open sleigh,
He laughed as there I sprawling lie, But quickly drove away. Ah!
Now the ground is white Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bobtailed bay Two forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh And crack! you'll take the lead.
(from: wikipedia - jingle bells)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sola Fide
