Like many of you, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to hear the results of the ‘Conway Road’s Favourite Carol’ competition. Thank you for making it so much easier to choose for the Carol Services, as well as for the services in Advent!

Like most of the best of its kind, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ was originally a poem. Written by Christina Rossetti, it first appeared in 1872 but wasn’t set to its now familiar tune until the early 1900s. Rossetti is officially our favourite writer of Christmas Carols as she’s got two ‘hits’ in our top 4. The simplicity of ‘Love came down at Christmas’ is what makes it special. Both carols drip with theological and biblical references, and manage to weave the singer into the Nativity story itself, and beg the question, “What can I give…?”

‘O Holy Night’ was the Nations Favourite Carol in 2024. Did you know that the original m version was banned in France for many years because it openly criticised the practice of slavery? It’s also…. not in our hymn book, so we’ll be finding creative ways to use it on a Sunday!

 ‘You might have noticed that ‘Joy to the World’ isn’t in the Advent or Christmas sections of Singing the Faith. That’s because Isaac Watts wrote it about the Second Coming. Nevertheless I for one am really pleased it made it into our top 4!

We set out to find our top 5 favourite carols and ended up with eight! Silent Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Once in Royal David’s City and Come and Join the Celebration all tied in 5th place. Apparently 28 different carols received votes. It only goes to show how many there are and how diverse we are in what we love to sing.

Hopefully, you’ll sing one of your favourites this Christmas – especially if you voted! Either way, I wish you a very happy Christmas and every blessing for 2026.

Love,

Laura