Most of the Christmas carols are related to the Nativity story and
Jesus Christ as our Savior. St Francis of Assisi is credited with
introducing Christmas carols to the church services for the first time
in the 12th century. The word 'carol' is a derivation of the French word
'caroler' meaning 'dancing around in a circle'. Oliver Cromwell who was
a Protestant banned the joyous-themed Christmas carols in England and
thus many old Christmas carols were lost for all time. In Victorian era,
they were revived again to take over the somber lyrics of the Christian
hymns. By the 19th century, Christmas carols became quite popular again
in the United States and England. The recent Christmas symbols such as
Santa Claus and reindeer found their place in later Christmas carols
too.
