O du fröhliche

1. O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Weltging verloren, Christward geboren:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

2. O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Christ ist erschienen, uns zu versühnen:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

3. O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Himmlische Heere jauchzen dir Ehre:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!



"O du fröhliche" ("O, how joyful", literally: "Oh, you joyful ... [Christmastime]") is a German Christmas carol. The author of the original text was the prominent Weimar "orphan father" Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826), who set his lyric to the anonymous hymn-tune "O Sanctissima" (O most holy). Shortly after Falk's death, his former assistant Heinrich Holzschuher [de] (1798–1847) from Wunsiedel completed the set of three verses that are sung today.