Dec 14, 2025
The nativity according to every traditional Christmas song
Jesus: *is born*
The shepherds:
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The nativity according to every traditional Christmas song
Jesus: *is born*
The shepherds:
The Catalan folk duo Alosa singing the traditional Christmas song "La pastora Caterina". Video from their Instagram.
In this video you can see how one of the musical instruments that has been very common in the folk music from many places is... Not a musical instrument! The girl on the right is playing the square tambourine, but the girl on the left is playing a mortar.
Cooking utensils like mortars and spoons, or glass bottles with a rugged surface that produces sound when scraped with a stick or fork/knife/spoon (usually anise bottles), have always been very common in the kind of traditional music sang at home with the family, including Christmas songs, work songs while cooking, and songs on other holidays celebrated with the family.
This has always been one of my favourite Christmas carols because of how funny it is. Like most traditional Catalan Christmas songs, it talks about the shepherds who travel to visit Jesus when he's born. In this case, the youngest shepherd isn't convinced... For this reason, he adds a sarcastic comment at the end of every stanza. Depending on the person who sings that part, it can be very funny.
Here's the original lyrics in Catalan and translation of each stanza to English. The shepherd boy's answer is the last sentence in each stanza in cursive. It was difficult to translate because sarcasm and tone isn't easy to translate, so please read the last sentence with a strong sarcastic voice and half of the time with a 😒 face.
A Betlem me'n vull anar (x2) Vols venir tu, Rabadà? (x2) —Vull esmorzar! I want to go to Bethlehem. Do you want to come, shepherd boy? "I want to have breakfast!" A Betlem esmorzarem I Jesús adorarem —I amb neu hi anem? We will have breakfast in Bethlehem and we will adore Jesus. "And we're going there with all this snow?" La neu que pel camí hi ha La calor ja la fondrà —Oi, la que fa! The snow on the path the heat will melt it eventually. "Sure, because it's soooo hot!" Apa, aixeca't, encén foc. No vagis a poc a poc. —Massa que em moc! Come on, light a fire. Don't be slow. "I'm moving too much as it is." Tu les teies portaràs I el camí il·luminaràs —No ho faré pas! You will carry the torches and illuminate our way. "There's no way I'm doing that!" Que no saps que aquesta nit Ha nascut Déu infinit? —Qui t'ho ha dit? Do you not know that tonight Infinite God has been born? "Who told you that?" Doncs un àngel que volant Ens ho anava anunciant —No serà tant! An angel who was flying around was announcing it. "Bah, it won't be that big of a deal."
La samarra portaràs i de neules l'ompliràs. —Jo no en vull pas! You will bring your samarra [sheepskin jacket used by shepherds] and you'll fill it with neules [sweets]. "I don't want any!" Mai no acabes les raons, doncs te l'omples de torrons. —No són pas bons! You never finish your arguing. Then fill it with nougats! "They're not good!" El Joan amb la samarra portarà la botifarra —Ai, el panarra! Joan in his samarra will bring the botifarra [Catalan pork sausage] "Oh, that bread-eating scoundrel!" En Miquel, el seu veí, portarà un porró de vi. —N'hi haurà per mi?! Miquel, his neighbour, will bring a porró of wine. "Will there be some for me?!" Jo li'n vull portar un banquet, per a seure Sant Josep, —Que s'estigui dret! I want to bring him a little bench so Saint Joseph can sit down. "He can stand!" Cantaràs una cançó al més formós Infantó. —Ai, això no! You will sing a song to the most beautiful little boy. "Ah! Not that!"
Va, ja prou! Sents el que et dic? Que no em donis més fatic! —Jo rai, ja estic! Come on, enough! Do you hear me? Don't bother me any more! "Me? I'm ready already!" Doncs avant i no badem Que ja és hora que marxem Cap a Betlem! Then, let's go, and stop standing there gaping It's time to leave to Bethlehem!
Let's settle this once and for all! Hear the story of the tail-less demon and vote on whether he deserved it or not.
This is one of the most popular Catalan Christmas carols. It's a song that has been passed down from generation to generation and many people feel sorry for the demon. Here's the song with its lyrics in Catalan (if you want to sing along!) and the translation to English.
Allà sota una penya
n'és nat un Jesuset,
nuet, nuet. (x2)
There, under a crag
a little Jesus is born
naked, naked.
Que n'és fill d'una verge
i està mig mort de fred,
nuet, nuet,
i està mig mort de fred.
He's the son of a virgin mother
and is half dead from the cold,
naked, naked,
and he's half dead from the cold.
El bon Josep li deia:
Jesús que esteu fredet,
pobret, pobret. (x2)
Good Joseph told him:
"Jesus, you're so cold"
poor little one, poor little one.
La verge responia:
per falta d'abriguet,
pobret, pobret,
per falta d'abriguet.
The virgin answered:
it's for lack of a coat,
poor little one, poor little one,
for lack of a coat.
Pastors hi arribaren
allà a la mitjanit,
cric-cric, cric-cric. (x2)
Shepherds arrived
around midnight,
[onomatopeic sound].
Mirant com tots hi anaven
del gran fins al més xic,
cric-cric, cric-cric,
del gran fins al més xic.
Watching how all of them were going there
from the oldest to the youngest,
[onomatopeic sound]
from the oldest to the youngest.
Comencen a alegrar-se
tot saltant i ballant,
galant, galant. (x2)
They start getting happy
jumping and dancing
excellent, excellent.
Danses i contradanses
per alegrar l'infant,
galant, galant,
per alegrar l'infant.
Dances and country dances
to make the child happy.
Excellent, excellent,
to make the child happy.
Per la cova passava (or a prop d'allí passava)
un dimoni escuat,
carat, carat!
Near the cave
a tail-less demon was passing by.
Sentint tanta gatzara
també s'hi és posat,
carat, carat,
també s'hi és posat.
Hearing so much clamour
he joined in,
he joined in.
Els pastorets en veure'l
s'hi tiren al damunt,
patim, patum. (x2)
When the little shepherds see him
they jump on him,
[onomatopeic sound of beating someone].
I tantes n'hi mesuren
que el deixen mig difunt,
patim, patum.
Que el deixen mig difunt.
And they kick him so well
that they leave him half deceased,
[onomatopeic sound of beating someone]
that they leave him half deceased.
Per fi surt el dimoni
d'allí bastant calent,
bon vent, bon vent.
Finally the demon gets out
of there quite beaten up,
good riddance, good riddance! [literally "good wind", explanation of this expression here]
I amb la cua entre les cames
se'n va dret a l'infern,
bon vent, bon vent.
Se'n va dret a l'infern.
And with the tail between his legs
he goes straight to hell,
"good riddance", "good riddance",
he goes straight to hell.
That's the song. Now, do you think it was okay for the shepherds to beat the demon, because demons are dangerous? Or do you pity the demon who wanted to join the party?
How do you feel about the demon in this song?
DESTROY HIM!!! 💥
Poor demon!! 🥺
I haven't read the whole song/I'm bald/See results
A traditional Christmas carol from Menorca (Balearic Islands). Like many Christmas songs from the Catalan Countries, the song's lyrics focus on the shepherds who celebrate the day.
Original lyrics in Catalan and translation to English:
Jo som es pastor més gros qui venc per entre ses murtes amb ses faldes curtes, curtes, i es mostatxos plens d'arròs. I am the biggest shepherd I have come here between the myrtle trees with very short skirts and the moustache full of rice. Toca timbal, toca Pascual, toca Regina, tot són festes d'alegria ses de Pasco i de Nadal. Play, drum. Play, Pascual. Play, Regina. It's all festivities of happiness, those of Easter and Christmas. Jo qui som es quart pastor que no tenc més que una coca i me la llev de sa boca per donar-la al sant minyó. I am the fourth shepherd I have nothing more than one flatbread and I take it away from my mouth to give it to the holy child. Toca timbal, toca Pascual, toca Regina, tot són festes d'alegria ses de Pasco i de Nadal. Play, drum. Play, Pascual. Play, Regina. It's all festivities of happiness, those of Easter and Christmas.
A traditional Catalan Christmas song called “El desembre congelat” (“Frozen December”). In this video it’s sang by the sisters Judit and Meritxell Neddermann.
Lyrics in Catalan and translation to English:
El desembre congelat Confús se retira Abril de flors coronat Tot el món admira
Frozen December withdraws confusedly. April, crowned with flowers, is admired by all the world.
Quan en un jardí d'amor Neix una divina flor D'una ro, ro, ro D'una sa, sa, sa D'una ro D'una sa D'una rosa bella Fecunda i poncella
When in a love garden a divine flower is born from a ro-, ro-, ro-, from a se-, se-, se- from a ro-, from a se-, from a beautiful rose, a fecund and maiden rose.
El primer pare causà La nit tenebrosa Que a tot el món ofuscà La vista penosa Mes en una mitja nit Surt el sol que n'és eixit
The first father caused the gloomy night that darkened the grievous sight to the whole world But in a midnight the sun rises
D'una be, be, be D'una lla, lla, lla D'una be D'una lla D'una bella aurora Que el cel enamora
From a beau-, beau-, beau- from a ti-, ti-, ti- from a beau- from a ti- from a beautiful first light of day that makes the sky fall in love
El mes de maig ha florit Sense ser-ho encara Un lliri blanc tot polit De fragància rara Que per tot el món se sent De llevant fins a ponent
The month of May has bloomed without being it yet a white lilly, all neat of a rare fragrance that is felt all around the world from the East to the West
I que amb dol, dol, dol I que amb çu, çu, çu I que amb dol I que amb çu I que amb sa dolçura Dóna gran ventura
And that with swee-, swee-, swee- that with tne-, tne-, tne- that with sweet- that with -ness that with her sweetness she gives great luck/happiness.
The lyrics are a metaphor about the Virgin Mary giving birth to Baby Jesus at midnight, remembering that it’s the night of the winter solstice, when the sun starts to return.
Another traditional Catalan Christmas song, el petit vailet.
Like most of our traditional carols, this song is from the point of view of one of the shepherds who travels to go see baby Jesus when he’s born and bring him presents.
Here’s the lyrics in Catalan and the translation to English:
Jo soc el petit vailet, cansadet de molt camí, vinc amb el meu gaiatet per veure Jesús diví.
I am the little boy, tired from a long journey, I come with my little shepherd’s crook to see divine Jesus.
[Chorus:]
[Xerrampim, xerrampim, xerrampia, Xerrampim, xerrampim, xerrampó, xerrampim que Josep i Maria tenen un petit minyó.]
[Lalalalala Lalalalala Joseph and Mary have a small child.]
He portat la carmanyola tota plena de vi blanc, ametlles, mel i formatge per a Jesús, el bell infant.
I have brought my lunchbox all full of white wine, almonds, honey and cheese for Jesus, the beautiful child.
[Repeat chorus]
Si tingués jo més recapte, també seria per a Vós, heus aquí el gaiat que porto, que és de cirerer d'arboç.
If I had more supply, it would also be for You. Here, have the shepherd’s crook I wear, it’s made of strawberry tree.
[Repeat chorus]
A beautiful traditional Catalan Christmas song. This is my favourite arrangement of it, it sounds very cool so give it a listen!
I think the lyrics are very sweet. The scene takes place at night, but the mother and the newborn make it seem like it’s sunny.
Here’s the lyrics in Catalan and the translation to English:
Esta nit és nit de vetlla (x2) Ha nascut d’una donzella La miren i fa sol Un infant com una estrella La kyrie eleison, la kyrie eleison.
Tonight is a night of vigil a child like a star has been born from a maiden, -when they look at her, the sun shines- The kyrie eleison, the kyrie eleison.
Els pastors la van a veure (x2) Al coll porten una ovella La miren i fa sol I en el braç una cistella La kyrie eleison, la kyrie eleison!
The shepherds go to see her around their necks they bring a sheep -they look at her, the sun shines- and a basket on their arm. The kyrie eleison, the kyrie eleison!
Plena de fruita novella (x2) No són pomes ni són peres La miren i fa sol Són avellanes i ametlles La kyrie eleison, la kyrie eleison!
Full of fresh fruit they’re not apples nor pears -when they look at her, the sun shines- they’re hazelnuts and almonds. The kyrie eleison, the kyrie eleison!
