O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)

O Christmas Tree is a German Christmas song which has been translated into many languages.

O Christmas tree (O Tannenbaum)

Carol, Germany.

“O Tannenbaum” was originally a traditional German folk song, which turned into a Christmas Carol in the early 20th century.

Its lyrics refer to the Tannenbaum, a fir tree, that is admired as a symbol of faithfulness and constancy. When it was translated into English, the symbolism was shifted towards the tree as a Christmas holiday feature.

Table of Contents

O Christmas Tree Sing-Along Video


Lyrics (English)

1. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
They ‘re green when summer days are bright,
They ‘re green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

2. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

3. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.

4. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
Reminding me on Christmas Day
To think of you and then be gay.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.

Lyrics (German)

1.  O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,
Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Wie treu sind deine Blätter!

2. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat schon zur Winterzeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,

Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

3. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
Gibt Mut und Kraft zu jeder Zeit!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren

Click here for more free printable Christmas lyrics.

Click on the button to watch a karaoke video and download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.

Free O Christmas Tree karaoke MP3 download

To download your free instrumental mp3 of this song, click or tap on the following button, then choose “Save link as…”

“O Christmas tree / O Tannenbaum” free mp3 download (instrumental, 2:34 – 3/4 – 84bpm)

Commercial License for O Christmas Tree (karaoke)

Purchase a license that permits the commercial use of this track. You can license this track for:

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Song

This is the song with vocals, which you can also license for commercial use:

Commercial License for O Christmas Tree (song)

Purchase a license that permits the commercial use of this track. You can license this track for:

YouTube license

YouTube License

Meta - Facebook and Instagram license

Insta/FB License

TikTok License

TikTok License

Other commercial licenses

Other License

Not sure which license is best for you?

Read our licensing page or contact us!

Click on the button to watch a piano tutorial video and download a PDF file with music score of this song for free.

christmas-tree_f_singing-bell
christmas-tree_d_singing-bell

O Christmas Tree Song History

The lyrics of “O Tannenbaum” were written in 1824 by organist, teacher and composer Ernst Anschütz, who lived in Leipzig, Germany.

Anschütz based his lyrics on a 16th-century folk song written by Melchior Franck, “Ach Tannenbaum”. The custom of decorating a tree at Christmas developed during the 19th century. When Anschütz added his own two original verses to the first, traditional verse, he laid the path to the song being considered a Christmas carol.

Versions in other languages

These are the titles of “O Christmas Tree” in several languages besides English:

  • German: “O Tannenbaum”
  • Spanish: “El abeto”
  • French: “Mon beau sapin
  • Italian: “Oh, albero”
  • Portuguese: “Oh, pinheiro de Natal”
  • Dutch: “Oh dennenboom”
  • Swedish: “O julgran”
  • Greek: “Ω έλατο” (O elato)
  • Danish: “Oh Tannenbaum”
  • Norwegian: “Oh tannenbaum”
  • Finnish: “Oi kuusipuu”

Note that some of these titles may have slight variations depending on the dialect or region.

O Christmas Tree | Free Christmas Carols & Songs
O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree | Free Christmas Carols & Songs
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)

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