Christmas is a time for family, friends, and giving gifts. It’s also a time to sing! One of the best ways to get into the spirit is by playing some festive tunes on your guitar.
In this blog post, we’ve listed 14 easy Christmas songs on guitar that you’ll be able to play as well as how they sound so you can find the perfect tune for yourself or someone else on your list.
1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a great but easy guitar song for beginners to pull out during the winter holidays because it’s not as well-known as some other songs.
It is a fairly simple song so it will be great for beginners and those looking to expand their repertoire of holiday tunes!
This track includes an easy chord, G major, that should sound familiar to guitarists who are just learning because a ton of songs use this chord.
The slow tempo also makes this a perfect beginner guitar song to learn and everyone will sing along in the chorus.
2. Winter Wonderland
This fun uptempo song is fantastic for beginners to play on their guitar.
The chords are simple and the melody is very catchy, so it will be a great tune to add some holiday cheer with!
There aren’t many lyrics in this song either which makes it even more playable but still full of Christmas spirit.
It’s also one of those songs that most people have heard at some point in their lives so it’s a great one to play in front of a crowd.
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Almost everyone is familiar with the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer so you’ll want to make sure you learn this classic before the holidays.
The story of Rudolph is told throughout this song so make sure you have them down pact before trying to play this in front of others.
This is another slow tempo song that makes it great for beginners and those looking for something more laid back at Christmas. You can even slow it down or speed it up and it will still sound just as good.
4. Joy To The World
When you want to lift the spirits of all those around you while sitting by the Christmas tree, Joy to the World will help everyone get there.
This song is an older Christmas classic but it still sounds just as good today as it ever has.
It has a simple chord progression and is easy to learn so it’s perfect for beginning players, but you can also make it as complex as you want by adding some finger-picking techniques.
And of course, this tune will sound amazing with everyone singing along in unison at the top of their lungs.
5. Let It Snow
When you really want that white Christmas you may just have to bust out this song to make it happen.
Let it Snow is one of the quintessential songs during the winter holidays and it is a great tune to play on the guitar.
This song has a fun chord progression and changes pace throughout so it keeps things interesting for both you and those listening. It’s also another one that most people already know the words too, which makes joining in super easy!
Get a fire going and have everyone gather around when you start to play this with your family and loved ones.
6. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
Most Christmas songs have a nostalgic feel that makes you think of memories past.Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, on the other hand, can really get everyone on their feet and dancing.
The tempo is upbeat and there’s only a handful of chords you need to memorize.
The vocals are wonderful on this song and go together with the strumming brilliantly.
Make sure to feel loose when you play this so others can pick up on the laid back vibes and enjoy themselves a little more.
7. Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells is a great song to start off with when you’re just learning Christmas songs because it’s been around for so long and there are a ton of different versions to choose from.
Playing the melody with the chords can be a bit tricky, especially if you decide to play this faster, so try and get it down first before going fast.
You don’t have to feel shy when you first start playing this classic because everyone around you will know the lyrics too and start playing along.
When you need the crowd to get into the music a bit more, this is a great song to bust out.
8. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas is another favorite that is both fun and enjoyable to play on the guitar.
The strumming pattern may be a bit tricky for beginners so do your best and don’t get frustrated if you can’t quite pull it off right away.
This is one of those songs that you can play simply with a few chords or you can challenge yourself to learn a finger-picking style instead.
Whichever you decide, people will find it hard not to sing the lyrics with you so it’s a good one for guitarists to learn when they’re just starting.
9. We Three Kings
We Three Kings is not one of the more recognized songs during Christmas so it can be your saving grace if you’re looking to stand out and make an impact.
The tempo is pretty slow too, so it’s easy for starting guitarists to pick up without much experience.
Of course, if you want to make it more difficult, try adding in some finger-picking with your strumming.
Make sure you know the song pretty well before you play it in front of an audience because they might not know the lyrics as much as you do.
10. Feliz Navidad
This is a fun song to play when you’re just starting out both because of the upbeat tempo and because of the fun lyrics.
It’s the only foreign language classic Christmas song that you’ll hear every year and practically everyone knows the chorus.
Now, the trickiest part of this song is going to be learning the Spanish verses in between all the choruses.
Once you do learn this song though it will be so fun that it will be hard not to play over and over again for anyone who will listen.
11. Silent Night
Silent Night is a great song to bust out when you’re trying to build a relationship with your audience and show them your vulnerable side.
This classic is a perfect beginning guitarist’s song because the chords are minimal and the tempo is extremely slow.
If you just picked up a guitar this week, you’d probably be able to pick it up in a day or two.
If you have some good vocals, this is going to be the song for you because the instrumentation is minimal.
12. Carol Of The Bells
When you’re just starting out you don’t always want to play slow, sad songs that are easy to play. Sometimes you want to play something that sounds rock’ n roll so you can feel the same excitement when playing.
Carol of the Bells will get you there with its signature riffs played throughout the song.
This is a challenging one for beginners, but it’s for those that really want to test their skills.
Once you get the chords down you can try playing the lead riff to really show off your skills.
13. All I Want For Christmas Is You
Now, maybe you don’t have the vocal chops of Mariah Carey but you’ll still be able to play this classic regardless of your singing chops.
It’s pretty easy to play on guitar with just a handful of chords and you can actually create your own version by messing with the strumming patterns.
The upbeat tempo makes this song easy to bob your head to and the chorus is catchy enough that everyone around will be singing along even if they didn’t know the lyrics before you started.
14. Last Christmas
This is one of the newest Christmas songs to come out that people want to hear every single year.
Originally written by Wham, this song has a ton of different versions you can try for yourself.
The tempo is fairly slow and you can actually mix it up to create your own sound.
All you need is four chords to play this one so it will be the perfect song to learn if you’re just starting out and want something everyone will know.
Learning Christmas Songs on Guitar
There are a ton of different Christmas songs you can learn to play on the special day in front of family and loved ones.
Using the list above, you’ll be able to pick up several and have everyone singing and dancing along when you take out your guitar.
