Canada's First Christmas Carol
A Canadian Christmas Carol
Illustrated by Frances Tyrrell
Canadians share the holiday spirit in many forms, but there is one way that stays in our heads until June. One of the oldest holiday traditions is Christmas carols. The article below is from the 2006 Nov/Dec issue of Kayak, it tells the story of Canada's first Christmas Carol written in 1643. Following it is the story of Canada's first Christmas in 1604 and a crossword puzzle!
Most Canadians are familiar with at least one or two Christmas carols. How can we not be? Every December, carols can be heard just about everywhere. Songs like “Silent Night” and “The First Noel” are played on the radio, in stores, at concert halls, and even in the streets. Some of the best- known carols have been around for hundreds of years.
Canada’s very first Christmas carol was written back in 1643. That year, a French missionary named Father Jean de Brebeuf wanted to explain the story of Jesus’ birth to the Huron people. The Huron were one of the country’s Native groups, and they were unfamiliar with Christian beliefs. Father Brebeuf felt the best way to teach them the Christmas story was to use imagery that was familiar to their culture. He wrote a carol called “lesus Ahattonia,” in the language of the Huron.
About 100 years after the carol was written, another missionary translated Father Brebeuf’s lyrics into French. And in 1926, an English version was created. Today, Canada’s first Christmas carol is known as “The Huron Carol.”
The Huron Carol
Twas in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead
Before their light the stars grew dim
And wandering hunters heard
The hymn: “Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born: in excelsis Gloria!”
Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapped his beauty round
And as the hunter braves drew nigh
The angel song rang loud and high:
”Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born: in excelsis gloria!”
The earliest moon of wintertime
Is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on
The helpless infant there
The chiefs from afar before him knelt
With gifts of fox and beaver pelt
”Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born: in excelsis gloria!”
O children of the forest free
O sons of Manitou
The holy child of earth and heaven
Is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant boy
Who brings you beauty, peace, and joy
”Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born: in excelsis gloria!”
This is the story of the first Christmas in Canada. The words in capital letters can be found in the grid. Can you find them all?
Canada's first CHRISTMAS was celebrated in 1604. It wasn't too cheery. The people celebrating were FROM France. They were SETTLERS. The ISLAND they were on was called SAINTE CROIX. They were STARVING. It was freezing COLD.
CHAMPLAIN was second-in-command. He gathered his MEN in the CHAPEL. He warmed them with CIDER. They SANG. But the SNOW was PILING up and SCURVY was making them SICK. Luckily, NATIVES helped them survive the BRISK winter.
Finally, the SPRING SUN came and the ICY snow MELTED. It gave HOPE to Champlain. But 34 of his men had already PERISHED.
The others counted their BLESSINGS.
The unused letters answer this tricky question:
What did Champlain really want for Christmas?