Gerry BlackIf you’re looking for the perfect tune to encapsulate the holiday season in your video, go with “Merry Christmas” by Gerry Black. It’s the perfect Christmas song that makes you feel like you’re listening to one of the classics.
Listen to Merry Christmas song
A Brief History of Holiday Music
One of the most well-known and beloved aspects of the holiday season is the music. There are many traditional songs, carols, and orchestrations that accompany the season, particularly related to Christmas. Some arise from religious roots, some are more commercial. For your holiday videos, most of the most recognizable songs will require you to purchase a license to use. However, you can buy royalty-free music that evokes the same feel and sound as the famous tunes. Before making your choice, learn a little bit about what makes Christmas and holiday music so popular and a staple of the season.
Where Did Christmas Music Come From?
Christmas carols emerged in Europe generations past, but they were not originally tied to Christmas. They were pagan and sung at the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, usually around December 22nd.
The word “carol” means a dance or song that expresses praises and joy. While we now exclusively associate carols and caroling with Christmas, most songs are technically carols, even “Happy Birthday”.
Early Christmas took pagan celebration and changed them to meet their own needs. They changed the Winter Solstice celebrations to focus on the birth of Jesus Christ. Famous early hymns included “Angel’s Hymn” and Christmas Hymns that were written by the Greek Orthodox church.
When Nativity Plays became popular in Italy, Christmas songs surged in popularity. Sometimes they were in Latin but often then were in more common languages so everyone could join in. They told stories of Christ and the story surrounding his birth.
Over the years, it became apparent that not everyone celebrated Christmas or wanted to celebrate by singing about Jesus. More non-denominational holiday music like “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman” became popular. They focused on the things we love about the season and time of year instead of purely focusing on the birth of Christ.
Now, we recognize Christmas songs and carols like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” immediately. Christmas music tends to be inspiring and uplifting, setting an emotional and happy holiday mood. They heavily feature bells, horns, piano, strings, flutes, horns, orchestral drums and percussion.
Why Use Royalty Free Holiday Background Music?
Featuring this kind of music in holiday videos will immediately put your view into the holiday spirit. In the English speaking world and beyond, we hear Christmas and holiday themed music and immediately are transported to being a kid, opening presents on Christmas morning, playing in the snow, or eating gingerbread cookies. Marketing videos for the holiday season need to provide a strong emotional force for the viewer all throughout the video. Simple holiday background music without words or lyrics but with the typical bells and jolly beat will accomplish just that.