Over the River and Through the Wood | Xmas Sing-a-Long

Over the River and Through the Wood | Xmas Sing-a-Long

 

The Lyrical Literacy podcast explores a festive adaptation of "Over the River and Through the Wood," transforming Lydia Maria Child's 1844 Thanksgiving poem into a Christmas journey. This reimagined version retains the beloved sleigh ride to grandmother's house while introducing rich holiday imagery—twinkling lights, holly-adorned doors, hanging stockings, and the peaceful glow of church bells. The adaptation creates an immersive Christmas experience through eight verses that follow travelers across snowy landscapes toward the warmth of family celebration, capturing both the physical journey and the spiritual essence of the Christmas season.

Over the River and Through the Wood 

Over the river and through the wood   To Grandmother's house we go   The sleigh is packed with gifts and cheer   For Christmas lights are aglow   Over the river and through the wood   The carols and songs we hear   The melodies ring as the joy they bring   Fills hearts with Christmas cheer  

Over the river and past the trees   The starry sky shines bright   The warmth inside and the Yuletide tide   Make this a holy night   Over the river and through the snow   The holly's on the door   We gather around where the joy abounds   With Christmas love in store  

Over the river and to the fire   Where stockings hang with care   With stories to tell and the midnight bell   The Christmas spirit's there   Over the river and through the snow   The Christmas tree stands tall   Its twinkling lights in the frosty night   Bring joy to one and all  

Over the river, the sleigh bells ring   Their music fills the air   With laughter and cheer we draw ever near   To Christmas memories fair   Over the river, the church bells chime   Proclaiming peace tonight   We lift up our song as we ride along   To greet the holy light

 

#LyricalLiteracy #ChristmasClassic #OverTheRiver #HolidayTraditions #WinterJourney #SleighRide #ChristmasCarol #FamilyGathering #HolidaySongs #PublicDomainAdaptation

Origin:

"Over the River and Through the Wood" was originally written by Lydia Maria Child in 1844 as "The New-England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day." Published in her book "Flowers for Children, Volume 2," it depicted a sleigh journey to grandfather's house for Thanksgiving. Child was an American abolitionist, women's rights activist, and author. The poem was later set to music and became a popular holiday song. Over time, many adaptations shifted the focus from Thanksgiving to Christmas, as seen in this version which replaces harvest themes with Christmas imagery while maintaining the cherished sleigh ride framework.

 

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