carol

Carol is a religious folk song or popular hymn, on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season.

The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French origin.

It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance. In any case the dancing seems to have been abandoned quite early.The typical 3/4 (waltz) time would tend to support the latter meaning.

By country:

- canto di Natale - Italy

- kálanda or kalanta (Κάλαντα) - Greece

- kolęda - Poland

- koliadky (колядки) - Ukraine

- kolednica - Slovenia

- nadala / cançó de Nadal (in plural nadales) - Andorra and Catalan-speaking territories

- [chant de] Noël - France

- Vánoční koleda - Czech

- vilancete - Portugal

- villancico [navideño] - Spain

- Weihnachtslieder / Hirtenlieder - Germany, Austria and Switzerland