Originally, Christmas songs were joyful and sung as a round celebrating both the Nativity of Christ and nature and daily life.

In villages and châteaux, both rich and poor alike sang to chase away the dark Winter nights.

Today, singing remains the most beautiful instrument to transmit the Christmas spirit. Christmas songs are called "des Noël" or "des chants de Noël" in French.

The translations given below are literal translations. Remember that songs never turn from one language into another very well ...after all, they are designed to rhyme in the original! That's why even in the carols that are familiar in English, the translation is a little different in French.

Perhaps you can come up with a better translation - if you can, send it to me!

The Divine Child is born.

The Divine Child is born
Make the oboes and accordeons resound
The Divine Child is born
Let's all sing about His coming.
For more than four thousand years
The prophets have foretold His birth
For more than four thousand years
We have waited for this happy moment....

Il est né le divin Enfant

Il est né le divin Enfant !
Jouez, hautbois, résonnez, musettes;
Il est né le divin Enfant;
Chantons tous son avènement.
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous le promettaient les prophètes :
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous attendions cet heureux temps !...

Mon beau sapin

Titre original: "O Tannenbaum

"Mon beau sapin, roi des forêts
Que j'aime ta verdure !
Quand par l'hiver, bois et guérets
Sont dépouillés de leurs attraits
Mon beau sapin, roi des forêts
Tu gardes ta parure.

Toi que Noël planta chez nous
Au saint anniversaire,
Mon beau sapin, comme il est doux
De te voir briller par nous,
{variante:
Mon beau sapin, comme ils sont doux
et tes bonbons et tes joujoux}
Toi que Noël planta chez nous
Scintillant de lumière.

Mon beau sapin tes verts sommets
Et leur fidèle ombrage
De la foi qui ne ment jamais
De la constance et de la paix.
Mon beau sapin tes verts sommets
M'offrent la douce image

My beautiful Christmas tree.

My beautiful Christmas tree, king of the forest
How I love your leafy green
When, during winter, woods and fields
Lose their attractive colours
My beautiful Christmas tree, king of the forest
You keep your leafy finery.

You whom Christmas put among us
On the holy day
My beautiful Christmas tree, how sweet it is
To see you shine brilliantly among us.
(Variation)
My beautiful Christmas tree, how sweet are
Your decorations and your toys
You whom Christmas put among us
Sparkling with light.

My beautiful Christmas tree, your green branches
And their faithful shade
Remind me of the faith that never lies
Of constancy and peace
My beautiful Christmas tree, you green branches
Give me this beautiful picture.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night,
In the skies, the star lights.
The mystery announced ong ago has come to pass
This child sleeping on the hay
Is infinite love

Holy child, silent lamb
How great He is, How beautiful He is
Listen to the sound of the reed pipes
Of the shepherds who are leading their flocks
Towards this humble cradle

It's towards us that He comes
As an unrequited gift
Into a loveless world
Where He begins His life today
May He be King for evermore.

Douce nuit, sainte nuit !

Douce nuit, sainte nuit !
Dans les cieux ! L'astre luit.
Le mystère annoncé s'accomplit
Cet enfant sur la paille endormi,
C'est l'amour infini ! {x2}

Saint enfant, doux agneau !
Qu'il est grand ! Qu'il est beau !
Entendez résonner les pipeaux
Des bergers conduisant leurs troupeaux
Vers son humble berceau ! {x2}

C'est vers nous qu'il accourt,
En un don sans retour !
De ce monde ignorant de l'amour,
Où commence aujourd'hui son séjour,
Qu'il soit Roi pour toujours ! {x2}

Le petit renne au nez rouge

Quand la neige recouvre la verte Finlande,
Et que les rennes traversent la lande,
Le vent dans la nuit
Au troupeau parle encore de lui ...
On l'appelait "Nez rouge"
Ah! Comme il était mignon
Le petit renne au nez rouge
Rouge comme un lumignon
Son petit nez faisait rire
Chacun s'en moquait beaucoup
On allait jusqu'à dire
Qu'il aimait boire un petit coup.
Une fée qui l'a entendu
Pleurer dans le noir
Pour le consoler, lui dit :
"Viens au paradis, ce soir.
Comme un ange, Nez rouge
Tu conduiras dans le ciel
Avec ton petit nez rouge
Le chariot du Père-Noël".

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (French style)
The little reindeer with the red nose.

When snow covers green Finland
And the reindeer cross the vast forests
The night wind
Still speaks about him to the herds....
People called him "red nose"
Oh! He was just so cute...
The little reindeer with the red nose
Red just like a shiny candle
His little nose made everyone laugh
Everyone made fun of him
They even went as far as whispering
That he used to like his drink!
A fairy heard him
Crying in the dark
To console him, she said:
"Come to paradise tonight.
Like an angel, red nose
You will guide among the stars
with your little red nose
Santa's sledge."

This Christmas Carol is about the Three Kings or Wise Men travelling across the desert with their armed guards and servants.

Early one morning
I came across the caravan
Of three great Kings
Who were going on a journey
Early one morning
I came across the caravan
Of three great Kings
On the main highway
Firstly came
The bodyguards
Armed to the teeth
Right to their sucoats.

De bon matin

De bon matin
J’ai rencontré le train
De trois grands Rois
Qui allaient en voyage
De bon matin
J’ai rencontré le train
De trois grands Rois
Dessus le grand chemin
Venaient d’abord
Des gardes du corps
De gens armés
Avec trente petits pages
Venaient d’abord
Des gardes du corps
De gens armés
Dessus leurs justaucorps. 

Les dictons de Noël

Noël qui tombe lundi,
Et tout est perdu.
Quand Noël tombe un mardi,
Pain et vin de tous parts.
Noël le jeudi, c'est la famine
Mais s'il tombe un vendredi,
Le blé roule sur la cendre.
Si le jour de Noël se trouve un dimanche,
Les ennuis de l'hiver viendront en avalanche.

Here are some sayings about Christmas and the day on which it falls.

If Christmas falls on Monday
Then the all is lost
When Christmas falls on Tuesday
There is bread and wine for all
A Thursday Christmas means famine
But if Christmas falls on a Friday
Then the corn will flow over the ashes
And if Christmas happens on a Sunday
All the winter problems will weigh you down like an avalanche.

As the rhyme doesn't mention Wednesday, I guess we can assume that's a good day for Christmas to happen!