Learn the chords to the most popular Christmas carols and songs (+ FREE Tabs) to get your friends and family into the festive holiday spirit. Ho ho ho…
- Similar post you may like: 20 Easy Beginner Guitar Songs (That’ll Impress Your Friends)
Christmas time. Wow. Can you believe it’s nearly that time of year already?
I know, I know. But I only mention it to help you avoid last minute practice panic.
You see, Christmas songs are an absolute must-know how to play on guitar for guitarists of every skill level. So get prepping now, because there’s no better time for you to start learning some festive songs.
Imagine the impressed look on everyone’s face on that family festive get together or works Christmas party when you whip out your guitar and play Santa Claus Is Coming To Town?
We’ve compiled a list of what are hands-down the best Christmas songs to play on guitar, including the chords, lyrics and a link to the full guitar tabs. What’s more, most of them are easy and quick to learn.
Happy holidays!
The Best Christmas Songs To Learn On Guitar
#1. Last Christmas – by Wham
- Song key: A
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “Last Christmas”
Here are the basic chords for the chorus and verse of this easy Christmas hit song by Wham.
This song is really easy as it has only 4 chords repeated throughout the whole song. Get ready to serenade everyone round the Yule Log.
[Chorus]
D
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
Bm
But the very next day you gave it away
Em
This year to save me from tears
A
I’ll give it to someone special
[Verse]
Once bitten and twice shy
Bm I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Em
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
A
Well, it’s been a year, it doesn’t surprise me
[Chorus Repeat]
#2. All I Want For Christmas – by Mariah Carey
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Competent Beginner to Intermediate
Guitar Chords for “All I Want For Christmas”
This Christmas party favourite is a definite crowd-pleaser. Play the chords with a *driving strumming pattern rhythm and get them all singing along. Here are the chords.
[Verse 1]
G
I don’t want a lot for Christmas; there is just one thing I need and
C
I Don’t care about the presents
Cm
Underneath the Christmas tree
G
I don’t need to hang my stocking, there upon the fireplace
C
Santa Claus won’t make me happy
Cm
With a toy on Christmas Day
[Chorus]
G B
I just want you for my own
Em Cm
More than you could ever know
G E7
Make my wish come true
Am D7 G
All I want for Christmas is you
Em C D
You, baby
#3. Merry Christmas Everybody – by Slade
Song key: G
Playing level: Competent Beginner
Guitar Chords for “Merry Xmas Everybody”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year approaching. Not the song, but it’s an absolute legend of a Xmas song by Slade.
This is yours truly’s favourite Christmas song on this top 10 list (if you were interested), and it is a firm favourite with my guitar students.
[Verse]
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)
It’s the time that every Santa has a ball
C G
Does he ride a red-nosed reindeer?
C G
Does he turn up on his sleigh
Am C D
Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?
[Chorus]
G Bm Bb D
So here it is Merry Christmas everybody’s having fun
G Bm Bb D
Look to the future now; it’s only just begun
[Verse 1]
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)
Are you waiting for the family to arrive?
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)
Are you sure you got the room to spare inside?
C G
Does your granny always tell ya
C G
that the old songs are the best?
Am C D Dsus4 D
Then she’s up and rock ‘n’ rollin’ with the rest
[Repeat Chorus]
[Middle 8/Bridge]
Dm Bb
What will your daddy do
Dm Bb
When he sees your Mama kissin’ Santa Claus?
C DAh ah, ah
[Verse 2]
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)Are you hanging up your stocking on your wall?
G Bm D (Dsus4 D)
Are you hoping that the snow will start to fall?
C D
Do you ride on down the hillside
C D
In a buggy you have made?
Am C D
When you land upon your head then you’ve been slayed
[Repeat Chorus]
#4. White Christmas – by Bing Crosby
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “White Christmas”
Here are the basic chords for this festive acoustic guitar beloved crooning Christmas song by Bing Crosby.
This song can be strummed or fingerpicked and will make you an instant hit to a crowd with gran and grandad’s in.
G Am7 D/F#
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
C D7 G
Just like the ones I used to know,
C Cm
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
G Em Am D
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
G Am D/F#
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
C D7 G
With every Christmas card I write.
Em C Am
May your days be merry and bright,
G Am D G
And may all your Christmases be white.
#5. Silent Night – by Franz Xaver Gruber
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “Silent Night”
Here are the guitar chords for the gorgeous Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’, that’ll get them all misty-eyed as they sip their Eggnog.
Pro Tip
If you're a complete beginner, the quick changes between the 7th chords to the major chords on the "all is calm..." part may be tricky. Solution: stay on the major chords and leave the D7 and G7 out. Easy as pie.
#6. Fairytale Of New York – by The Pogues
Guitar Chords for “Fairytale Of New York”
Not as easy as it may sound, this Christmas song classic ‘Fairytale Of New York’ has a fair few chord changes. Competent beginner guitar players will need to practice this one.
You intermediate and expert guys and gals will still need to put the practice time in if you want to commit the song to memory and avoid looking like a novice staring at the chord sheet as you play.
[Intro]
D G/D D G/D A D Asus4/E D G/D
D G
It was Christmas Eve babe, in the drunk tank
D G/A A D
An old man said to me, won’t see another one and then he sang a song
G D
‘The Rare Old Mountain Dew’ And I turned my face away
G Asus4/E D G/A
And dreamed about you
[Verse]
G/A D G
Got on a lucky one, came in eighteen to one
D G/A A
I’ve got a feeling this year’s for me and you
D G
So Happy Christmas, I love you baby
D G Asus4/E D
I can see a better time when all our dreams come true
G/D D G/D Asus4 D A D G A D
[Verse]
D A Bm G
They’ve got cars big as bars they’ve got rivers of gold
D A
But the wind goes right through you it’s no place for the old
D Bm D G
When you first took my hand on a cold Christmas Eve
D A D
You promised me Broadway was waiting for me
[Hook/Refrain]
G Bm A D Bm
The boys of the NYPD choir were singing ‘Galway Bay’
D G A
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day
How can I get better at working out songs by ear?
If you want to know how to improve your ear training skills, there are a number of software tools that can help you train your ear to work out songs fast.
Here are our top recommendations:
➡️ This book reveals the secrets of music theory that’ll help you recognise and play notes, chords, and rhythms with ease: Easy Peasy Guitar Music Theory: for Beginners.
➡️ You can also try Chord Crush by Hooktheory, a fun and interactive ear-training app that teaches you to recognise chords by solving puzzles based on real songs.
➡️ Another useful tool is Hookpad by Hooktheory, a songwriting software that helps you create melodies and chord progressions with built-in music theory and AI.
➡️ EarMaster is an ear training app that helps you learn to hear and play notes, chords, scales, and rhythms. It has many fun exercises and games to improve your music skills.
#7. Jingle Bells
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “Jingle Bells”
This easy beginner Christmas song is great for kids and adults alike. Pretty much guaranteed your friends and family will expect you to know how to play this festive song on guitar, so grab your guitar and get cracking.
[Verse]
G C
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
Am D G
Over the fields we go, laughing all the way
G C
Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits bright,
Am G D G
What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight. Oh…
[Chorus]
G C G
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
C G
Oh what fun it is to ride
A7 D7
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey
G C D
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
C G
Oh what fun it is to ride
D7 G
In a one-horse open sleigh
#8. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
What Top 10 Christmas guitar songs list would be able to hold its head high without including ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’?
Usually played in the key of C major, we’ve put it into the key of G major for you beginners so you can swerve the F major barre chord.
G C
We wish you a Merry Christmas
A D
We wish you a Merry Christmas
B Em C D G
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
G D Em A D
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
G D C D G
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
G C
Now bring us a figgy pudding.
A D
Now bring us a figgy pudding
B Em C D G
Now bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer.
#9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
- Song key: G
- Playing level: Beginner
Guitar Chords for “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”
Here’s a super easy way to play Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer on acoustic guitar. Another great Christmas song for kids and novice players to learn.
Pro Tip
Go in cold sweats at the sight of an F major chord in a chord sheet? Tip one - get practicing and stop avoiding it. Tip two: in the meantime, substitute in an easier F major 7 chord shape (see the chord chart below).
F major 7 (FM7/Fmaj7) Chord Shape – Perfect substitute chord for a F major barre chord
C G
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, had a very shiny nose
C
And if you ever saw him, you might even say it glows
C G
And all of the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names
C G C
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games
F C Dm G C
And then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say
G D7 G
“Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
C G
Then how the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee,
C G C
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history”
#10. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard
- Song key: D
- Playing level: Eager Beginner
Guitar Chords for “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”
Nothing sounds more Christmasy than this corker of a Chrimbo song by British 70’s rock band Wizzard. It’s beginner-friendly, though there is a barre chord or two in there.
Pro Tip
The B minor chord can be easily swapped out with a simpler B power chord shape. Don't settle for this substitute chord forever, though. Daily barre chord practice will soon get you playing them amazingly. Just stick at it.
[Intro]
D
Are you ready children? (Yeah)
[Verse 1]
D
When the snowman brings the snow
G
Well he just might like to know
D Bm E A
He’s put a great big smile on somebody’s face
D
If you jump into your bed
G Em
Quickly cover up your head
D
Don’t you lock the doors
A C D B7
You know that sweet Santa Claus is on the way
[Chorus]
E A
Oh well I wish it could be Christmas everyday
B7 E B7
When the kids start singing and the band begins to play
E A F#m
Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day
A B A (F# – G# note) E
Let the bells ring out for Christmas
[Instrumental Bridge]
C#m E A x2
Summing It Up
Ten of the best Christmas songs for you to learn on your guitar. Acoustic or electric, these songs are sure to brighten up a festive occasion.
Over To You: Which is your favourite Christmas song? Tell us which Christmas guitar song gets you in the festive mood and why, in the comments section below!
