O Holy Night

The Fa-la-la Brouhaha is complete, and "O Holy Night" is the clear champion. There were a couple of close calls on its way to the top, but it reigns triumphant as this year's favorite Christmas song.

Thank you to all who voted. Maybe we'll do another bracket-y type competition with sometime this year. 80s music, anyone?

Enjoy Celtic Women singing "O Holy Night" and Merry Christmas!

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Finals

It's all come down to this. Coventry Carol, the plucky come-from-behind winner, vs. O Holy Night, Christmas powerhouse. Who will win the title of BEST CHRISTMAS SONG OF ALL TIME AS DECIDED BY APPROXIMATELY 20 PEOPLE?

Fa-la-la Brouhaha FINAL FOUR

COVENTRY CAROL vs. MARY'S BOY CHILD

Both coming from behind in surprising underdog finishes, this match-up features an ancient carol up against a modern calypso classic.







O HOLY NIGHT vs. YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH

Easy favorites in both the Holidaze and Kids Kristmas categories, these two songs are so completely different, it might be hard to choose. Then again, it might not.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Elite Eight

The theme for the Elite Eight videos is "instrumental." Some are kind of home grown, some are pretty darn amazing. Enjoy!

Heavenly Hymns

O Come All Ye Faithful vs. Coventry Carol

Choral Carols

Mary's Boy Child vs. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Holidaze

I'll Be Home for Christmas vs. O Holy Night

Kids Kristmas

Winter Wonderland vs. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Fa-la-la Brouhaha SWEET 16

We're going to handle these final rounds all in ONE DAY, people. Now is the time for all good voters to come to the aid of their favorites. Campaign for votes! Make promise of candy canes and sugar cookies...whatever it takes!

Heavenly Hymns

O Come All Ye Faithful vs. Joy to the World





Coventry Carol vs. Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming





Choral Carols

Mary's Boy Child vs. This Little Babe




"This Little Babe" begins at 1:04




Ding Dong Merrily On High vs. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen





Holidaze

Do They Know It's Christmas? vs. I'll Be Home for Christmas





O Holy Night vs. White Christmas





Kids Kristmas

Christmastime Is Here vs.Winter Wonderland



12 Days of Christmas vs. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Round 2, Day 4

In round 2, we'll narrow down each category, one day at a time!  Be sure to check back each day to vote, and feel free to pass it along to your friends for voting too.

HEY PARENTS: I don't recommend sharing the Alice Cooper version of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" with your kids. It will probably give them nightmares.

Kids Kristmas

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town vs. Christmastime is Here





Winter Wonderland vs. Jingle Bells





12 Days of Christmas vs. The Chipmunk Song



Lest you think I just gave you the same "Chipmunk Song" video again, this version has been slowed down so you can hear the Chipmunks as they really sound. Dave sounds really weird, though...




You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch vs. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Round 2, Day 3

In round 2, we'll narrow down each category, one day at a time!  Be sure to check back each day to vote, and feel free to pass it along to your friends for voting too. 

Holidaze

Do They Know It's Christmas? vs. Last Christmas





I'll Be Home for Christmas vs. Merry Christmas Darling





Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas vs. O Holy Night


This is the actual YouTube description for this video: 

 i think a friend of mine has a cd of this so as always enjoy merry 
christmas i draw this picture to on paint you like 
check out this link coo trance songs there :) i subscribe to this 
youtuber for trance videos that is his channel link to enjoy :) 




White Christmas vs. Let It Snow

Round 2, Day 2

In round 2, we'll narrow down each category, one day at a time!  Be sure to check back each day to vote, and feel free to pass it along to your friends for voting too. 

Choral Carols
Do You Hear What I Hear? vs. Mary's Little Boy Child






This Little Babe vs. Il est né





The Holly and the Ivy vs. Ding Dong Merrily on High





God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen vs. Wexford Carol

Round 2, Day 1

In round 2, we'll narrow down each category, one day at a time!  Be sure to check back each day to vote, and feel free to pass it along to your friends for voting too. 

Heavenly Hymns

Angels We Have Heard on High vs. O Come, All Ye Faithful



Away In a Manger (U.S.) vs. Joy to the World



Coventry Carol vs. In the Bleak Midwinter



The First Nowell vs. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Looking Forward to ROUND 2!

Here are the match-ups for Round 2. Get ready to VOTE!

Note:  This round will feature "unlikely performers."

Heavenly Hymns

Angels We Have Heard on High vs. O Come, All Ye Faithful

Away In a Manger (U.S.) vs. Joy to the World

Coventry Carol vs. In the Bleak Midwinter

The First Nowell vs. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Choral Carols

Do You Hear What I Hear? vs. Mary's Boy Child

This Little Babe vs. Il est né

The Holly and the Ivy vs. Ding Dong Merrily on High

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen vs. Wexford Carol

Holidaze

Do They Know It's Christmas? vs. Last Christmas

I'll Be Home for Christmas vs. Merry Christmas Darling

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas vs. O Holy Night

White Christmas vs. Let It Snow!

Kids Kristmas

Santa Claus is Coming to Town vs. Christmastime Is Here

Winter Wonderland vs. Jingle Bells

12 Days of Christmas vs. The Chipmunk Song

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch vs. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 8

Heavenly Hymns

We Three Kings vs. The Coventry Carol

There's definitely a touch of Easter in these two Christmastide hymns. (Yes, technically "We 3 Kings" is an Epiphany thing, but no complaints, remember...see the Fa-la-la Brouhaha announcement.) But, our greatest joys are tinged with sadness, are they not?





Choral Carols

Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day vs. The Holly and the Ivy

In a continuation of Christmas+Easter, these two carols face off in a battle of the ENGLISH CAROL. Really, can you get much more English than this? They're really, really Englishy.




Holidaze

The Christmas Song vs. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Is this the hardest choice you've had to make? Not ever, but about Christmas music?




Kids Kristmas

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth vs. The Twelve Days of Christmas

Two! Twelve! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights. Except for "2 Front Teeth" - apparently this challenge has not yet been undertaken. Instead, I found the weirdest video. You're welcome.
(Seriously, why is there a mouse in the stocking HOLDING TWO FRONT TEETH?)

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 7 (we're almost there)

Heavenly Hymns

Comfort, Comfort Ye My People vs. Joy to the World

Two hymns from opposite sides of the Advent tracks. "Comfort, Comfort" has the advantage in the "most alternate titles" category (...Comfort O My People, ...Comfort Now My People), while "Joy to the World" has star power:  its melody is believed to be composed by none other than Handel (that Messiah guy).





Choral Carols

Gaudete vs. Il est né

Not only are these two carols in languages other than English...they also rhyme. With each other!




Holidaze

Merry Christmas Darling vs. It's in Every One of Us

Karen Carpenter? A treasure. John Denver? A treasure. Which will win????





Kids Kristmas

Jingle Bell Rock vs. Jingle Bells

One word can make all the difference! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 6

Heavenly Hymns

Silent Night vs. In the Bleak Midwinter

Peaceful night. Quiet snow. Nights when babies are born are always calm. Which is your favorite expression of this sentiment?




Choral Carols

Ding Dong Merrily on High vs. I Saw Three Ships

Bells and ships! What else says Christmas like ships? And three of them!




Holidaze

O Holy Night vs. Carol of the Bells

Two iconic classics go head to head in this battle of beloved Christmas favorites!




Kids Kristmas

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer vs. The Chipmunk Song

Grandma! Chipmunks! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 5

Heavenly Hymns

Away In a Manger vs. Away In a Manger

What, there are TWO? Well, yes and no. Like many hymns, there is more than one "standard" tune for this text. Many consider the first the "U.S." version and the second the "British" version. Which is your favorite? (Yes, there is a "mash-up" of these two songs, and it is lovely.)






Choral Carols

Little Drummer Boy vs. This Little Babe

The drummer boy is little, the babe is little. The songs are nothing alike.  "Little Drummer Boy" has the advantage of being well-known and oft recorded.  "This Little Babe" is maybe less well-known, but certainly musically superior.  Listen to both and vote for your favorite.






Holidaze

I'll Be Home for Christmas vs. All I Want for Christmas is You

A sentimental favorite vs. a new classic. Tough battle...it all depends on the demographics here! Someone could do an awesome mash-up and call it "All I Want for Christmas is Home." (Maybe not.)






Kids Kristmas

Silver Bells vs. Winter Wonderland

Silvery! Wintery! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights. (People do weird things with their Christmas lights...)

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 4

Heavenly Hymns

O Little Town of Bethlehem vs. The First Nowell

Two hymn standards go head-to-head! Will it be "O Little Town of Bethlehem" - an American hymn, or "The First Nowell" - decidedly British (just look at that spelling!)? Remember, the priest who wrote "O Little Town" was from Philly, if it makes any difference...






Choral Carols

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen vs. Good King Wenceslas

Perennial favorites of carolers, these are two songs of which you probably only know the first stanzas.  "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" has the advantage of having that catchy chorus: "O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort AND joy, O tidings of COMFORT and JOY." "Wenceslas" tells a heart-warming tale, if you listen to all the verses in the order they occur.






Holidaze

White Christmas vs. Blue Christmas

White Christmas! Blue Christmas! Itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie yellow polka-dot Christmas! This series could have had so many more hits...






Kids Kristmas

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer vs. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Rudolph! Grinch! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 3

Heavenly Hymns

O Come, All Ye Faithful vs. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

At seven verses apiece, these two songs are longer than you think. While the first word of the stanzas of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" make a rather awkward sentence (O God See Lo Child Sing Yea), the first word of the stanzas of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" say OOOOOOO. Your choice here is really whether you like being told what to do, or telling someone else what to do.






Choral Carols

Breath of Heaven vs. Mary's Boy Child

Old skool Amy Grant vs. the King of Calypso. This match-up is really about the depiction of the young Mary, unmarried, having a baby. Are your heartstrings plucked by Ms. Grant, laying on the loneliness, or by Mr. Belafonte, joyously celebrating the birth of the babe?







Holidaze

Christmas Wrapping vs. Last Christmas

Battle of the Christmas love songs! Sure, Wham! has the name caché and breathy George Michael, but their lyrics pale in comparison to the epic journey told by The Waitresses. Each song's story lasts a year, but the outcomes are so, so different.







Kids Kristmas

Silver and Gold vs. Christmastime Is Here
Rudolph vs. Charlie Brown Christmas! Who will win???

Enjoy the pretty lights.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 2

Heavenly Hymns

What Child Is This vs. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

These two songs don't really have anything in common except that they're really old.  "What Child Is This" is both younger and older than "Lo, How a Rose": the lyrics for "What Child" were written 1865 while the text of "Lo" dates from the late 16th century.  However, the translation of "Lo" was 1894. Also the tune of "Lo" dates from 1599 (harmonization 1609) while the tune for "What Child" (yup, "Greensleeves") was written in 1580. Like I said, both old.







Choral Carols

Sussex Carol vs. Wexford Carol

This battle is known as "Nerds Know the Difference."  The "Wexford Carol" is Irish while the "Sussex Carol" is English (kind of), but don't let that influence you.  The words for the "Sussex Carol" were first published by an Irish priest who lived awfully near to County Wexford, so the two carols are probably cousins.






Holidaze

Baby It's Cold Outside vs. Let It Snow

Don't go! It's cold and snowing and don't you want to just stay here a little longer?  Granted, "Baby It's Cold" comes on a little strong. "You could get pneumonia and die"? Really? Death? On the other hand, "Let It Snow" is maybe on the naive side of the coin. However you prefer it, here are two date night songs for your listening pleasure...






Kids Kristmas

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas vs. Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey

Hippo! Donkey! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights. (People do weird things with their Christmas lights...)

Fa-la-la Brouhaha, Round 1, Day 1

Heavenly Hymns

Angels We Have Heard On High vs. Angels From the Realms of Glory

Straight off, we have an angelic battle. "Angels We Have Heard" is probably the better known of the two, and has the advantage in this bout, being number 116 in the Pilgrim Hymnal (while "Angels From the Realms" is the also-ran at number 117).   It features an epic "Gloria" chorus, and is likely why you think of eggshells at Christmas.  Our other angel hymn is that one you know but can't quite hum, and possibly you think the second line goes "God has spoken, He is mad."  Or maybe that's just me.





Choral Carols

Gesu Bambino vs. Do You Hear What I Hear?

In our "songs we hear the choir sing" category, we have two holiday standards. "Gesu Bambino" is that song you know and can sing all the words to, but never know the name of because it isn't anywhere in the song. Nope, not in there. Not in the Italian either. But watch the video and sing along. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" wound up on both the favorites and least favorites list last year. Certainly it might have been shorter if the little lamb had answered the night wind with a simple "Yes." Both songs are appropriate for mid-level choirs, though "Do You Hear" has a way better SSA arrangement.





Holidaze

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) vs. Do They Know It's Christmas 

While some might consider this the "battle of the Christmas downers," really it's a Beatle Battle. Ok, not really. It's a battle of a songwriter named Yoko and a songwriter named Midge.  But seriously, it's a battle of lyrics that are hard to hear, and reminding us that Christmas is more than just what's comfortable at home.






 Kids Kristmas

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town vs. Here Comes Santa Claus

Santa Claus is coming. HE'S COMING! But how? And with what? There's so many questions!!!

Enjoy the pretty lights.

The Fa-la-la Brouhaha!

Photo credit: Grzegorz Łobiński

Beginning tomorrow, I'll be running a little Christmas Song bracket tournament--like March Madness, but with Christmas songs.

These songs made the tournament after a very scientific process of asking people on Facebook.  They have been grouped into four divisions:

• Heavenly Hymns (straight from the hymnal and into your heart)
• Choral Carols (songs you want to sing in church, but leave it to the professionals)
• Holidaze (radio favorites)
• Kids Kristmas (pretty much what it sounds like)

Be sure to check in daily and VOTE for your favorites!

***

Disclaimer:  This contest is for fun. No whining, no complaining. FUN ONLY!