Rowdy carols on the square
Introduction
"Hello and welcome to Rowdy Carols! 🎶
We’re so excited you’re here tonight to help us spread Christmas joy around Ryde!
Now, by showing up this evening, you’ve all been officially deputised as members of your local parish choir—no auditions, no rehearsals, just festive spirit and enthusiasm required! 🎤 And don’t worry—tonight there’s no such thing as a wrong note. If you hit one, just call it ‘festive flair.’
We’ve got a great selection of carols and Christmas songs lined up. You can find the lyrics on our website at ryde.church/carols, but honestly, they’re all classics you probably know by heart.
And here’s the best part: some songs tonight have a few fun, interactive surprises, so get ready to clap, jingle, and maybe even dance along. This is a chance to let loose, have fun, and spread some Christmas cheer to everyone passing by.
So, warm up those vocal cords, join in the fun, and let’s make this a night to remember! Let’s keep it loud, proud, and rowdy! 🎄✨"
O come all ye faithful
INSTRUCTIONS
For the chorus
Group 1 (quiet group)
Group 2 (Loud Group)
(then all together)
O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
come and behold him
born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
very God,
begotten, not created:
Sing, choirs of angles,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God
in the highest:
Hark! The herald angels sing
Hark! The herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King;
peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled:
joyful all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies,
with the angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King!
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come
offspring of a virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings;
mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth.
jingle bells
INSTRUCTIONS
(Jingle keys)
‘This one is easy - grab your keys out of your pockets and give them a shake every time we sing JINGLE BELLS!’
Dashing through the snow
in a one horse open sleigh,
o’er the fields we go,
laughing all the way;
bells on Bobtail ring,
making spirits bright;
what fun it is to ride, and sing
a sleighing song tonight!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way;
O what fun it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!
INSTRUCTIONS
You have to do the actions for your birth month
Jan: partridge = triangle tree
Feb; turtle doves = wings
MArch: hens = chicken wings
April: calling birds = shout face
May: EVERYONE FIVE GOLD RINGS = ballerina
June: geese = wiggle bum
July: swans = waves
August: maids = milking action
September: ladies dancing = spanish tap
October: Lords leaping= jump
November: pipers = recorder
December: drummers = drum
Twelve days of christmas
On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
a partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree.
Three French hens…
Four calling birds…
Five gold rings…
Six geese a-laying…
Seven swans a-swimming…
Eight maids a-milking…
Nine ladies dancing…
Ten lords a-leaping…
Eleven pipers piping…
Twelve drummers drumming…
Joy to the world
INSTRUCTIONS
Shout JOY
(Practice shouting JOY)
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world! The Saviour reigns;
let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
Silent night
INSTRUCTIONS
Take out your phones and turn the light on.
This is a moment to pause and reflect on the peace and beauty of Christmas.
Silent night, holy night,
all is calm, all is bright,
round yon virgin mother and child;
holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night.
Shepherds quake at the sight,
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing alleluia:
Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born.
Silent night, holy night.
Son of God, love’s pure light,
radiant beams thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace:
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Ding dong merrily on high
Ding dong! Merrily on high
in heaven the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! Verily the sky
is riven with angel singing.
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!
E’en so here below, below,
let steeple bells be swungen,
and i-o i-o i-o
by priest and people sungen.
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!
Pray you, dutifully prime
your matin chime, ye ringers;
may you beautifully rime
your evetime song, ye singers.
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!
INSTRUCTIONS
‘When we sing Gloria, lets see who can hold the note for the longest. Everyone take a deep breath and lets practice!
We wish you a merry Christmas,
we wish you a merry Christmas,
we wish you a merry Christmas
and a happy New Year!
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
we wish you a merry Christmas
and a happy New Year!
we wish you a merry christmas
wrap up
"Thank you all so much for joining us tonight for Rowdy Carols! 🎶
It’s been incredible to sing together and spread some Christmas cheer right here in Ryde. You’ve officially made the nicest-sounding rowdy choir in town—well done, everyone!
We’d love for you to join us again this Christmas season. Our carol services are happening at All Saints Church, and everyone’s invited to come along and celebrate with us. You can find all the details on our website at ryde.church/christmas.
This evening, we’re also supporting an amazing local initiative called LOVE CHRISTMAS to share love and joy with local families and individuals in need across Ryde.
As part of Love Christmas 2025, All Saints Church, Ryde are partnering with The Salvation Army and Aspire Ryde to make Christmas brighter for families or individuals who may otherwise go without this Christmas.
If you’d like to support, there’s an opportunity to donate tonight either through the donation buckets or, our website ryde.church/carols or following the QR code on one of our signs.
— every little bit makes a huge difference in bringing hope and stability to those who need it most.
Once again, thank you for being part of Rowdy Carols. From all of us at All Saints, we wish you a very merry and joy-filled Christmas. Take care, and God bless!"
