5 Easy Christmas Songs to Learn this Holiday Season

Musicians are in high demand during the holiday season for a good reason. Holiday music delivers a heavy dose of nostalgia and positivity to millions of people like few other things can. Holiday music ranging from tunes with massive, complex arrangements to simple melodies plucked out on a classical guitar or harp are unavoidable from November til the New Year because we simply can’t get enough. There are plenty of easy Christmas songs to keep you playing all season long.

If you’re learning the guitar or piano for the first time, we’ve got good news for you; it’s actually not that difficult to learn how to play easy Christmas songs. If you’re far enough along with your instrument to be able to know how to play a few chords, then you have enough prowess to be able to play simple Christmas songs. We’ve put together a list of easy Christmas songs and the information you’ll need for how to play them on guitar or piano. To make things easy, all of these songs are in the key of G. For you piano players, this means you’ll be playing in a key with one sharp (F#). If you’re playing these songs on piano, you’ll need to know how to build basic chords. Check out our article on music theory if you need help with that. Let’s get started.

Easy Christmas Songs Chords

Here are the chord shapes you’ll need to play all of these easy Christmas songs on both guitar and piano. Practice them a bit first, then dive into playing.

Frosty The Snowman

First recorded by Gene Autry in 1950, the first of our easy Christmas songs was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson. The song’s story, which features a jovial man made of snow, is said to take place in White Plains, New York. It was quickly adapted into a children’s book and then into a successful movie. Play this song at a moderate tempo with a good amount of energy.

[Intro]
G
Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
D7
Look at Frosty go.

Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
G
over the hills of snow…Oh…Oh…over the hills of snow.

[Verse 1]
G                          C           G
Frosty the Snow Man, was a jolly happy soul
C                   G
With a corn-cob pipe and a button nose
D                G
and two eyes made out of coal.

[Verse 2]
G                         C               G
Frosty the Snow Man, is a fairy tale they say
C                    G
He was made of snow but the children know
C       D7       G
how he came to life one day.

[Bridge]
C Bm Am G
There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found,
D Dbdim Em D
For when they put it on his head he began to dance around.

[Verse 3]
G                         C               G
Oh, Frosty the Snow Man was alive as he could be,
C                     G
And the children say he could laugh and play
C       D7       G
just the same as you and me.

[Verse 4]
G                              C                G
Frosty the Snow Man,’ knew the sun was hot that day,
C                           G
So he said, “Let’s run and we’ll have some fun
C      D7    G
now before I melt away.”

[Verse 5]
G                           C                 G
Down to the village, with a broomstick in his hand,
C                   G
Running here and there all around the square,
C           D7 G
saying “Catch me if you can.”

[Bridge 2]
C Bm Am G
He led them down the streets of town right to the traffic cop,
D Dbdim Em D
And he only paused a moment when he heard him holler, “Stop!”

[Verse 6]
G                          C            G
Frosty the Snow Man had to hurry on his way,
C                        G
But he waved good-bye, saying, “Don’t you cry;
C     D7        G
I’ll be back again someday.”

[Ending]
G
Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
D7
Look at Frosty go.

Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump,
G
over the hills of snow…Oh…Oh…over the hills of snow.

Last Christmas

Written by the band Wham! in 1986, this catchy tune definitely fits in the category of easy Christmas songs. The song was created and produced by George Michael and has been covered by artists spanning multiple genres over the past three decades. The lighthearted song tells the story of unrequited love set to a holiday backdrop. For as corny as the song might seem, the song has had significant staying power and it’s showing no signs of slowing. This is a great song to learn for students wanting to work on simple, repetitive chord transitions.

Chorus:
G
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
Em
But the very next day, You gave it away
Am
This year, to save me from tears
D
I’ll give it to someone special
G
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
Em
But the very next day, You gave it away
Am
This year, to save me from tears
D
I’ll give it to someone special

G
Once bitten and twice shy
Em
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Am
Tell me baby do you recognize me?
D
Well it’s been a year, it doesn’t surprise me
G
(Merry Christmas!) I wrapped it up and sent it
Em
With a note saying “I Love You” I meant it
Am
Now I know what a fool I’ve been
D
But if you kissed me now I know you’d fool me again

G
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
Em
I’m hiding from you and your soul of ice
Am
My God I thought you were someone to rely on
D
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on

G Em
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
Am
A man undercover but you tore me apart

D
Now I’ve found a real love you’ll never fool me again

Little Drummer Boy

“Little Drummer Boy” is a song you can’t avoid during the holidays, but not many people know where the beloved Christmas tune came from. Originally known as “Carol of the Drum,” this popular Christmas song was written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. The song, which is actually based off of a Czech folk song, has been covered and recorded countless times over the decades. It tells the story of a young drummer who travels to the nativity where he plays his drum to the infant Jesus as a gift.

G                  C             G
Come they told me, pa rum pa pum pum
G                        C             G
Our newborn King to see, pa rum pa pum pum
D
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum
G                C
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
G               D
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
G                C             G
So to honor Him, pa rum pa pum pum,
D       G
When we come…

G            C             G
Little Baby, pa rum pa pum pum
G                    C             G
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pa pum pum
D
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pa pum pum
G                C
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
G               D
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
G                     C             G
Shall I play for you, pa rum pa pum pum,
D     G
On my drum?…

G            C             G
Mary nodded, pa rum pa pum pum
G                          C             G
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pa pum pum
D
I played my drums for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
G             C
I played my best for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
G               D
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum
G                     C             G
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pa pum pum
D         G
Me and my drum…

Feliz Navidad

This joyful Christmas song was written by Puerto Rican songwriter José Feliciano in 1970. The chorus/refrain draws from a traditional Christmas/New Year’s greeting in the Spanish language. The song has gone on to be a widely loved Christmas song in the US and around the world. As of November of 2016, “Feliz Navidad” is the 8th best-selling Christmas song of all time. Play this song at a quick tempo with lots of energy.

G          C    D
Feliz Navidad,
D          G
Feliz Navidad,
G          C            D            G
Feliz Navidad, próspero ano y felicidad.
G          C    D
Feliz Navidad,
D          G
Feliz Navidad,
G          C            D            G
Feliz Navidad, próspero ano y felicidad.

[Chorus]

G                  C
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas,
D                  G
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas,
Em                 C
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas,
D             G
from the bottom of my heart.

[Refrain]

[Chorus]

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Written in 1958, this final example of easy Christmas songs blends rock, blues, and loads of holiday cheer. Though it’s been covered dozens of times, the most popular version of the song was sung by country star Brenda Lee. At the time of the recording Lee was an astounding 13 years old despite the mature sound of her voice. The song didn’t become a hit until 1960, when Lee was a little older. Make sure to play this song with a quick swung tempo.

[Intro] G Em C D

G                                         D
Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop
D                                       G
Mistletoe hung where you can see every couple tries to stop
G                                           D
Rocking around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring
D                                                        G
Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie and we’ll do some caroling

C                          Bm
You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear
Em                              A                   D
Voices singing let’s be jolly, deck the halls with boughs of holly
G                                          D
Rocking around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday
D                                                 G
Everyone dancing merrily in the new old-fashioned way

We recommend practicing these songs with a metronome at a slow speed till you master the chord transitions. From everyone here at Musika, we hope these easy Christmas songs will bring joy and warmth to your family this holiday season.