Jingle Bells lyrics
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!
Chorus
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!
Actions to do together
- Shake real bells, a rattle or a box of rice on every “jingle”.
- Bounce on a cushion or a grown-up’s knee, like riding in the sleigh.
- Shout “Hey!” as loud as you can at the end of the line.
- Sing the chorus fast, then slow, then whisper it.
What children learn
- Keeping a steady beat with an instrument
- Winter words: snow, sleigh, fields
- Singing together as a family celebration
The story behind the rhyme
Jingle Bells was written by James Lord Pierpont and first published in 1857, under the name “One Horse Open Sleigh”.
The song never actually mentions Christmas: it’s about a winter sleigh ride. But its bells and snow made it one of the best-loved Christmas songs in the world.
Questions parents ask
Is Jingle Bells a Christmas song?
It’s sung at Christmas all over the world, but the words never mention Christmas. It was written as a winter song about a sleigh ride.
What is a one-horse open sleigh and a bobtail?
A sleigh is a carriage on runners that slides over snow; “open” means it has no roof, and one horse pulls it. A bobtail is a horse whose tail is cut short.
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