Dancing around the Christmas songs: sheet music for carol singers & players

The books range from illustrated songbooks, to instrumental sheet music. Dive into the library’s wide range of song books and sheet music and find the hidden gems. You can search the catalogue for more carol sheet music.

Usborne Christmas songbook
“A fabulous clothbound hardback book with simple arrangements of traditional Christmas music for voice and piano. There are lyrics for all the carols, and chords for playing on a guitar, and the melody line can also be played on a recorder or violin. A charmingly illustrated collection of traditional Christmas carols , in a luxurious clothbound edition including sheet music and song lyrics. This book is good for very young audience to learn the songs as well as the professionals. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The Christmas guitar big book : 100 great songs and carols
“Alfred’s Guitar Big Book series presents the best songs of each decade and each genre in complete note-for-note guitar tab transcriptions. Most books in the series are well over 250 pages and contain 30 to 40 or more songs each. With over 20 books in the series, the Big Books are a great way to build a complete reference library of all your favorite songs. Titles in this 100-song collection include (and these are just the “I”s): I Believe in Santa Claus * I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day  .” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Simple Christmas carols : the easiest easy piano songs.
“(Easy Piano Songbook). Play 50 classic carols in the easiest of arrangements, presented simply, with lyrics. Includes: Away in a Manger * Deck the Hall * Ding dong! Merrily on high*  The First Noel * Go, Tell It on the Mountain* Good King Wenceslas * Hark The Herald Angels Sing * It Came upon the Midnight Clear * Jingle Bells * O Holy Night * O Christmas tree *O come, all ye faithful Silent Night * The Twelve Days of Christmas * What Child Is This? * and more.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

100 most beautiful Christmas songs.
“Songs include: All is well — Almost there — Angels from the realms of glory — Angels we have heard on high — As long as there’s Christmas : from Beauty and the Beast, the enchanted Christmas — Away in a manger — Baby, it’s cold outside : from the motion picture Neptune’s daughter — Because it’s Christmas : (For all the children) — Believe : from Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Polar Express — The birthday of a King — Blue Christmas. And more. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Christmas carols.
“(Super Easy Songbook). It’s super easy This series features accessible arrangements for piano, with simple right-hand melody, letter names inside each note, and basic left-hand chord diagrams. This edition includes 60 timeless carols: Away in a Manger * Coventry Carol * Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Op. 71a * The First Noel * Go, Tell It on the Mountain * Hark The Herald Angels Sing * It Came upon the Midnight Clear * Jingle Bells * Joy to the World * O Holy Night * Silent Night.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Christmas songs.
“(Strum Together). The Strum Together series enables players of five different instruments or any combination of them to “strum together” on over 40 great songs. This easy-to-use format features melody, lyrics, and chord diagrams for standard ukulele, baritone ukulele, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Songs include: Angels We Have Heard on High * Away in a Manger * Blue Christmas * Deck the Hall * The First Noel * Go, Tell It on the Mountain * A Holly Jolly Christmas  and more.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

28th Māori Battalion Christmas 1943

In honour of the festive season, I thought I would share with you some images and clips of Māori Battalion Christmases past from the National Library & Māori Battalion websites (along with a book if these photos inspire a culinary experience!).

MB1
Two men from the Maori Battalion digging up a hangi of pork and potatoes for Christmas Dinner at the Maori Training Depot, Maadi. Shows three soldiers pushing dirt aside with spades, while others look on. Photograph taken on 25 Dec 1943, by George Robert Bull.
Bull, George Robert, 1910-1966. Uncovering the Christmas hangi at the Maori Training Depot, Maadi Camp, Egypt – Photograph taken by George Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch : Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-04877-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22828401

MB2
Members of the 28th (Maori) Battalion taking food from an uncovered hangi used to cook Christmas dinner at Maadi Camp in Egypt, during World War II. Photograph taken on 25 December 1943 by George Robert Bull.
Bull, George Robert, 1910-1966. Members of the 28th (Maori) Battalion with uncovered hangi at Maadi Camp on Christmas Day, Egypt – Photograph taken by George Robert Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch : Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-04882-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22895567

MB3
Members of the 28th (Maori) Battalion eating potatoes after opening the hangi used to cook Christmas dinner at the Maori Training Depot in Maadi, Egypt. Photograph taken on 25 December 1943 by George Robert Bull. Far right; Dave McClutchie.
Bull, George Robert, 1910-1966. Members of the 28th (Maori) Battalion eating hangi-cooked potatoes on Christmas Day, Egypt – Photograph taken by George Robert Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch : Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-04878-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23176964

MB4
Looking along one of the tables well laden with Christmas dinner at the Maori Training Depot in Maadi Camp, Egypt. Photograph taken on 25 December 1943 by George Robert Bull.

Bull, George Robert, 1910-1966. Looking along one of the tables laden with Christmas Dinner at the Maori Training Depot, Egypt – Photograph taken by George Robert Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch : Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-04887-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23102454

If these images inspire you to make your own Christmas hangi, check out our collection. We have many books that will help you out.

Hangi / Wena Harawira.
“The cooking of a hangi meal on a marae is explained, with full colour photographs of an actual hangi and its preparation. The history of the hangi is explained, ingredients identified, and a step-by-step timetable given. A recipe for potato bread is also included.” (Syndetics summary)

Syndetics book coverKai time : tasty modern Māori food / Peter Peeti.
“Drawing from the abundant fare that the New Zealand land and sea have to offer, charismatic Maori chef and television personality Peter Peeti shares his culinary knowledge and favourite recipes in this wonderful book. Based on the popular show on Maori TV, Kai Time on the Road (now in its sixth season), Peeti reveals not just a flair for cooking but also his passion for hunting, fishing and procuring ingredients direct from the source. Including such delectable dishes as: Eel and Whitebait Omelette; Venison with Blackberry Jus, Kumara and Potato Rosti and Pikopiko; and Roast Garlic and Thyme Prawns on Coconut Jasmine Rice, Peeti redefines Maori cuisine by blending traditional Maori ingredients and practices with the many modern culinary styles of New Zealand. The end result is overflowing with melt-in-the-mouth flavour and all recipes are remarkably easy to create. The best way to cook up a feed, according to Peeti, is directly after the fishing or hunting trip, on a makeshift stove on the beach or in the bush as the sun starts to go down ¿ the food simply couldn¿t be fresher or tastier or the surroundings more inspiring.” (Syndetics summary)

And finally… I highly recommend you listen to this song clip, on the 28th Māori Battalion website. Recorded in North Africa in 1942, it is a recording of ‘Silent Night’, sung by wounded soldiers of the 28th Maori Battalion at the No 2 New Zealand General Hospital. The Māori version is sung by Ngati Toa nurse Wiki Katene.  Moving and truly beautiful, it is well worth a listen.

Best wishes for a safe and happy Christmas to you all.