Whatever the lyrics mean, ' I Saw Three Ships' is a beautiful song that has been covered by various artists, Nat King Cole and Keith Emerson among them.

Generations of children have wondered how ships could sail into the land-locked town of Bethlehem - some people think the ships are a metaphor for the camels the three wise men traveled with. In 1833, English antiquarian William Sandys turned it into a Christmas carol with nine verses.

I Saw Three Ships: This song from the 17th century was popular in Cornwall with completely different lyrics - it had nothing to do with Christmas for 100 years.

The version we all know stems from when George Whitefield reworked the lyrics with music adapted from a cantata by composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: The origin of this Christmas carol dates back to 1739 and Methodist founding father Charles Wesley, but back then it sounded much more serene and slow.

Mohr kept the lyrics in his drawer for two years before asking organ player Franz Gruber to set them to music. ' Silent Night' reached worldwide fame because an organ repairman happened to hear the song, liked it, and took it back to his home county, where wandering singers heard it and spread it all over the world.

Silent Night: The original lyrics to the most popular Christmas carol ever were written by Joseph Mohr in 1816 but were only found in 1995 near Salzburg, Austria.

Here is our selection of traditional Christmas songs for piano: Not to forget: Music! Songs suitable for this occasion can be sung by old and young alike, and everyone knows the lyrics by heart.

Nothing wrong with celebrating a traditional Christmas! Traditions can of course vary, but usually Christmas involves an exchange of gifts, some form of Christmas decoration (usually a tree and lights), sharing meals, and some festive rituals with family and friends.

Merry christmas everyone easy piano