Deck The Halls

Summary


Read "Deck The Halls" online for free, one of the most joyful and recognisable Christmas poems ever written. Set against a backdrop of blazing yule fires, holly-decked halls, and rousing chorus singers, the poem sweeps readers through the full spirit of the Christmas season — from donning festive apparel to bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new. With its infectious "Fa la la" refrain, it captures a collective moment of warmth and celebration that feels as alive on the page as it does in song.


Read Online

Deck the hall with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
‘Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel
Troll the ancient Christmas carol,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
See the blazing yule before us,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,
While I tell of Christmas treasure,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses!
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Sing we joyous all together,
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Credits

Unknown writer is the attributed author of "Deck The Halls," a carol whose origins are rooted in a Welsh melody called "Nos Galan," with English lyrics widely popularised in the 19th century. The familiar verses we know today are most commonly linked to the 1881 publication in a collection by Thomas Oliphant, though no single authorship has ever been confirmed.