Christmas is always a fun time to play some amazing songs. The joyful Christmas vibe is a great match for the playful nature of ukulele. There are specific songs composed solely for this beautiful season of the year. To make things a lot more fun, you do not have to be a professional ukulele player before you can entertain yourself or your friends and family with these beautiful Christmas Songs on your ukulele. Below is a selection of some very simple and beginner-friendly Christmas songs that you can play on your ukulele.
“Feliz Navidad” – Jose Feliciano
Chords used: G, A7, and D
Being one of the most popular Christmas songs on the planet, there are quite a number of versions and renditions of this one beautiful song. But, there is a simplified and basic version that you can play on your ukulele, even as a total beginner. This is a three-chord version with a very easy-to-grasp strumming pattern that will sound as interesting and beautiful as the original version. Although most of the lyrics might be in Spanish, the melody is a pretty universal and popular one—feel free to hum or mumble the parts that you cannot pronounce properly.
“Silent Night” – Traditional
Chords used: C, F, G, and G7
Unarguably, this is another one of the most popular Christmas songs on the planet. If you are planning to entertain anyone with your ukulele during Christmas, chances are that they will ask you to play “Silent Night, Holy Night.” Regardless, you need not fret, as it is one of the simplest Christmas songs to ever be written. This is in the key of C, which I am sure that you are pretty much familiar with. The only chord that would seem like an odd chord would be the G7 chord, but it is a very simple chord to play, regardless. As a matter of fact, you can substitute the G7 chord for the normal G major chord—but there would be no need for that—the G7 is pretty easy to fret on the ukulele. As for the strumming, A slow downward strum would do, but to bring in some more colour, you can try out some very basic finger picking by playing each string successively and slowly.
“Jingle Bells” – Traditional
Chords used: Am, A7, C, D7, and G
This is another Christmas anthem that you must learn on your ukulele. At first glance, the chords might seem a bit frightening to some people, but you don’t have to worry as these chords are pretty basic and easy to play. With two 7th chords in the progression, here is another chance to get used to transition between 7th, minor, and major chords.
“Oh, Christmas Tree” – Traditional
Chords used: G, D, Am, D7, and E7
“Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, thy leaves are so unchanging…” These are very popular lines for celebrants and non-celebrants of Christmas globally. This song is simple enough, even for the total beginner. Fret not about the two 7th chords in the progression as they are both very easy to play. With five easy chords in the progression, this is one of the most melodious and interesting Christmas songs you will ever play on the ukulele.
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” – Felix Mendelssohn & John Wesley
Chords used: D, G, Am, A7, Bm, E
The song “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was written way back in 1729. It might be quite old, but it currently remains one of the most popular Christmas songs on the planet. With six chords, you might be tempted to think that this is not the right song for a beginner—fret not, this is actually one of the simplest Christmas songs to play on your ukulele. The key here is to progress slowly and take time to practice the chord changes—slow down your metronome some more, there is no need to rush it. Once you master it in a slow tempo, trust me, you will be doing it at the speed of light! But there will be no need for such speed…
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing tab.
More Christmas Songs
- “Mele Kalikimaka, the Hawaiian Christmas Song” by Bing Crosby – tab
- “What Child is This” (Traditional) – tab
- “Deck the Halls” (Traditional Welsh Air) – tab
- “12 Days of Christmas” (Traditional English Carol) – tab
- “Good King Wenceslas” (Traditional) – tab
- Run, Run, Rudolph by Chuck Berry – tab
- Silver Bells by She & Him – tab
- Last Christmas by George Michael (and Wham!) – tab
