7 Great Christmas songs from children’s choirs

Christmas is a time of peace and joy, but for children it is also a time of wonder. As even the secular world changes its aesthetics in favor of this Christian holiday, our young ones learn about the mystery of God’s incarnation and the Nativity practically from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day. 

Jesus came into the world through the vessel of the Blessed Virgin, pure through her Immaculate Conception. It seems fitting for children to herald his birth through song.

Christmas songs just seem to carry a bit more emotional weight when sung by kids. Their performances are unique in that they don’t even have to sing perfectly to be enjoyed, although the ones that do are incredibly impressive. Even if they sing out of key, it always takes us back to the enchantment of our early Christmases.

So let’s take a trip back through our childhoods as we listen to five great Christmas tunes performed by children’s choirs.

One Voice Children’s Choir performed Kristin Chenoweth’s “Born on Christmas Day” in 2015. This recording is especially impressive because the children perform not only the vocals, but all the orchestration as well. It looks like the only adults in the group are the conductor and the pianist.

The Harlem Boys Choir infused “O Holy Night” with the power of Gospel music, and all we can say is “Testify!” The kids’ voices are accented by brilliant jazz musicians, especially their keyboardist, who puts on a clinic in the background.

Vienna’s Boys Choir is widely considered one of the best in the world, and it’s clear to see why from this recording. They give a straight performance of the Christmas classic, “Sleigh Ride,” which features a tremendous orchestra around them. The excellent training these kids receive from the program is apparent from their great diction and tight harmonies.

Libera, the English boys’ choir, has been around since 1995, and they’ve established themselves as another of the world’s great children’s choirs with professional videos and high quality performances. These kids have been extensively trained in vocal performance.

No list of children’s Christmas tunes could be complete without “Christmas Time Is Here,” written for A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965. We appreciated this choir because they got the low-key energy of the song down, but they stayed in key much better than the kids did in the 1965 recording. The tune endures as a perfect song to sit back in front of the fire and admire the tree-decorating skills of your family.

One Voice Children’s Choir recorded this phenomenal “What Child is This,” in 2021. If you saw Christmas With the Chosen, then you may remember this song from the holiday concert segment. These kids are fantastic musicians, with many of the soloists sounding much older than they really are. The mix of age groups allows for a broader sound than most kid’s choirs.

Ok, this one is a little bit of a cheat, with legendary operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli leading the tune. Still, the kids do a great job following the blind singer, as he takes some liberties with the tempo here and there. It may not be a standard “Children’s Choir,” but it is utterly charming in the way they sing with the star. Especially when Bocelli takes a long expansive high note that litterally drops a few of their jaws.