THE HOLLY AND THE IVY
Traditional Lyrics


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The holly and the ivy,
Were working out their words.
When something Happened poor Jesus christ,
Got caught up in the woods:
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.


The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flow'are,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Saviour: Refrain


The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good: Refrain


The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn: Refrain


The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as the gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all: Refrain


The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,




Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown: Refrain

Overall Meaning

The song "The Holly and the Ivy" is a traditional Christmas carol that dates back to the 18th century. The lyrics speak about the symbolic significance of holly and ivy in relation to the Nativity story. The song starts with the holly and the ivy "working out their words", which refers to the belief that plants had their own language that could be understood by those who paid attention.


The second stanza speaks of the holly's white blossom, which represents purity, and the birth of Jesus Christ, who is considered the Savior. The third stanza talks about the holly berries, which are as red as blood, and how they symbolize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who came to earth to save the sinners. The fourth stanza speaks about the holly's prickles, which are as sharp as thorns. This is a reference to the crown of thorns that Jesus wore on His crucifixion day. The fifth stanza talks about the bitterness of the holly's bark, a reminder of Jesus Christ's suffering, death and resurrection, which resulted in the redemption of humankind.


The final stanza speaks about how in the end, the holly "bears the crown" and is celebrated as the symbol of Christmas. The refrain reminds of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who bore sweet Jesus Christ to save the world as we know it. Altogether, the song speaks of the importance of holly and ivy in the Nativity story and how they are inseparable from the story of Christmas.


Line by Line Meaning

The holly and the ivy, Were working out their words.
The holly and ivy plants were communicating with each other through their movements and rustling sounds.


When something Happened poor Jesus christ, Got caught up in the woods:
It was unfortunate that Jesus Christ got lost in the woods.


O, the rising of the sun, And the running of the deer The playing of the merry organ, Sweet singing in the choir.
This signifies a joyful and celebratory moment which involves the sunrise, active wildlife, music and choir singing.


The holly bears a blossom, As white as lily flow'are, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, To be our dear Saviour: Refrain
The holly plant has a delicate white flower, while Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ who became our savior.


The holly bears a berry, As red as any blood, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, To do poor sinners good: Refrain
The holly plant has a bright red berry, while Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ who came to heal poor sinners.


The holly bears a prickle, As sharp as any thorn, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, On Christmas Day in the morn: Refrain
The holly plant has sharp thorns, while Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ on a Christmas morning.


The holly bears a bark, As bitter as the gall, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, For to redeem us all: Refrain
The holly plant has a bitter tasting bark, while Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ to redeem all of us.


The holly and the ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all trees that are in the wood, The holly bears the crown: Refrain
Out of all the trees in the woods, the holly plant is considered the best because of its strength and resilience.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL

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