Christmas Carols in Toronto: Where to Sing Along

Nothing says Christmas like a carol. Toronto offers many ways to sing along or listen, from candlelit church services to community events.

Carol services

Many of Toronto’s historic churches hold lessons and carols services in December, often free with a donation. They usually feature choirs and congregational carols. See Christmas church services in Toronto.

Sing-alongs

• Messiah sing-alongs: some years include sing-along performances of the Hallelujah Chorus and more. See Messiah in Toronto.
• Holiday concerts often end with an audience carol. See Toronto Symphony holiday concerts.
• Community carol sings at parks, libraries and BIAs.

Choirs and concerts

See Christmas choir concerts and free Christmas concerts in Toronto.

Carolling at markets and events

Carollers often stroll the Distillery Winter Village and perform at events like the Cavalcade of Lights.

The most-loved carols to know

If you’re joining a sing-along or going carolling, these are the songs everyone tends to know:

• Silent Night
• O Come, All Ye Faithful
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• Joy to the World
• O Little Town of Bethlehem
• The First Noel
• Deck the Halls
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• Jingle Bells
• The Huron Carol, Canada’s oldest Christmas song, written in the Wendat language and later sung in French and English

All of these traditional carols are in the public domain, so you can print the lyrics freely for a carol party.

Carols in many languages

Toronto’s diversity means you may hear carols in French, Spanish, Tagalog, Italian, Polish, Ukrainian and many other languages at community services and concerts in December. Filipino churches sing carols at Simbang Gabi, and Ukrainian communities sing koliadky over the Christmas season. See Simbang Gabi and Orthodox Christmas in Toronto.

Carolling etiquette

• Keep it short: two or three carols per house is plenty.
• Go early in the evening, ideally between 6 and 8 p.m.
• Skip houses with no lights or decorations; not everyone celebrates.
• Never accept invitations inside without a trusted adult present if you’re carolling with kids.
• Thank your audience and wish them happy holidays.

Christmas carols in Toronto: FAQ

Where can I sing Christmas carols in Toronto? At church carol services, community sing-alongs, Messiah sing-along performances, and at markets and holiday events in December.

Are carol services free? Most church carol services are free, with a collection or donation.

A short history of the Huron Carol

The Huron Carol (“‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime”) is believed to have been written in the 1640s by Jean de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary in Wendake, the Huron-Wendat homeland near Georgian Bay. It sets the nativity story in a Canadian winter landscape, and its English lyrics were written in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton. It’s often called Canada’s first Christmas carol, and you’ll hear it at many Toronto carol services and concerts each December. See more Canadian Christmas traditions.

Organise your own

• Pick five or six well-known carols and print lyric sheets.
• Choose a route of friendly neighbours, or visit a seniors’ residence (call ahead).
• Collect for a cause: a food bank or toy drive. See volunteering at Christmas.