Whenever I see girls and boys
Selling lanterns on the street
I remember the child in the manger as he sleeps
Wherever there are people
Giving gifts exchanging cards
I believe that Christmas is truly in their hearts
Let’s light our Christmas trees for a bright tomorrow
Where nations are at peace, and all are one in God
Let’s sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday
This season may we never forget the love we have for Jesus
Let him be the one to guide us as another new year starts
And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts
In every prayer and every song
The community unites
celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ
Let love like that starlight on that first Christmas morn
Lead us back to the manger where Christ the child was born
So come let us rejoice
Come and sing the Christmas carol
with one big joyful voice
Proclaim the name of the Lord
Let’s sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday
This season may we never forget the love we have for Jesus
Let him be the one to guide us as another new year starts
And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts
About This Song
This song began as a Filipino poem entitled Ang Tubig ay Buhay, written by Chari Cruz Zarate whose high school class was celebrating their Silver Jubilee. Their class asked me to set this poem to music. The meter was so lilting that it only took me half a day to come up with the melody. In 1990, when my first Christmas album started production, I thought of giving the melody a new personality by turning it into a Christmas carol.
