Welcome to our 4th year of Carol singing.

Birdhouse Singers take their name from the Birdhouse Café in Pinces Gardens, Exeter. It was there we did our first performance back in Dec 2022. Since then we’ve been performing around the Southwest including 2 gigs with the wonderful Sound of the Sirens, our own concerts in Broadclyst and Marldon and various events across the county. 

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Tonight we have a mixed programme of traditional and pop carols to get you into the festive spirit. Wishing you a warm and cosy Christmas and a very happy 2026. 

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Colin, Vicki, Helen, Tam, Vicky, Jennifer, Tammy, Alex, Paul and Val

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If you’d like to keep up to date with us and hear about our next performances, please visit www.birdhousesingers.com or find @birdhousesingers on Facebook or @birdhousesingers​ on Instagram. Please do tag us into any photos or videos you take of us.

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Carols running order:

You’ll see below there are some songs we’ll sing on our own

 (in maroon), and others you are invited to join in with us if you love a good belt out of some Xmas tunes. Don't worry about whether you think you can sing or not, just go for it! Plus, singing is good for you.

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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Sung by Birdhouse Singers

 

Sing with us: Once in Royal David’s City:

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Once in royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby in a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild. Jesus Christ her little Child.

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He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable, and His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, lived on earth our Saviour holy.

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Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned, all in white shall wait around.

 

Sing with us: Away in a Manger

 

Away in a Manger, no crib for a bed

The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head

The stars in the bright sky look down where he lay

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

 

The cattle are lowing the baby awakes

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes

I love thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky

And stay by my bedside til morning is nigh

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Be near me Lord Jesus I ask thee to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care

And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there

 

Sing with us: O Little Town of Bethlehem

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O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee to-night.

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O morning stars together proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King and peace to all on earth

For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above

While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love

 

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

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O holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

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Sing with us: Silent Night:

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Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon’ virgin mother and child

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

 

Silent night, holy night

Shepherd’s quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly host sing “Alleluia”

Christ the saviour is born

Christ the saviour is born

 

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love’s pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

 

 

 

Mary’s Boy Child – Sung by Birdhouse Singers

 

 

Sing with us: Ding Dong Merrily on High

 

Ding-dong! Merrily on high. In heaven the bells are ringing.
Ding-dong! Verily the sky is riven with angels singing:
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!

Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!

E'en so, here below, below, let steeple bells be swungen;
and i-o, i-o, i-o, by priest and people sungen!
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!

Pray you, dutifully prime your matin chime, you ringers;
may you beautifully rhyme your evetime song, you singers:
Gloria, hosanna in excelsis!

 

 

Christmas, Baby Please Come Home – sung by Birdhouse Singers

 

Sing with us: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen:

 

God rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay
For Jesus Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r when we were gone astray
 

Oh tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy…

 

From God our heavenly Father a blessed angel came

And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same

How that in Bethlehem was born the son of God by name

 

Oh tidings of comfort and joy…

 

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place

And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace

This holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface

 

Oh tidings of comfort and joy…

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We Wish You a Merry Christmas – sung by Birdhouse Singers

 

Sing with us: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing:

 

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th' angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
 

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest heav'n adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veil'd in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, th'incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
 

Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail! the heav'n born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

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Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the newborn King!"

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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Sung by Birdhouse Singers

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Sing with us: O Come All Ye Faithful:

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O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him. Christ the Lord.

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God of God. Light of Light

Lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb

Very God, begotten not created.

 

O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him. Christ the Lord.

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Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest

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O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him. Christ the Lord.

 

The 12 Days After Christmas – Sung by Birdhouse Singers

 

Thank you so much for joining us! If you have any videos or photos of us you’d be happy to share, please tag us in @birdhousesingers on Facebook or @birdhousesingers on Instagram.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a very Happy New Year from Birdhouse Singers.