Does anyone know of two Christmas carols that can be sung simultaneously?

Possibly Away in a Manger and something else?

Thanks for any possible answers.

I seem to remember that The First Noel can work in canon, but I don't know of two separate carols which would fit together. Obviously they'd have to share harmony which makes it pretty unlikely unless they had been specially composed.

Not a carol but Christmas is Coming works well as a round.

A bit like Pack up your troubles and It's a long way to Tipperary? What a lovely idea. I would be interested in any ideas.

Thank you for your suggestions.

I have played around on the piano with a few carols, one tune in the left hand and one in the right!

Matching a suitable timing or key isn't impossible, but it needs some time spent working out the harmony....

I'm sure it can be done. When I have a few minutes to spare........

I've heard it done before! One of the carols was Jingle Bells... problem is I can't remember the other one... will rack brains and post again if anything forthcoming!

Depends if it's carols or songs.
If it's for a service then Jingle Bells is not appropriate but if for a concert of Christmas music it would be fine.

Well, I don't think this is for a service.

A friend of mine is a retired primary school teacher who sometimes does supply.
She's sure she remembers hearing, or teaching, two carols or Christmas songs with children, some years ago.

Thouston, please let me know if you remember!

Little Drummer Boy/I Saw Three Ships

'I saw 3 ships' kind of goes with bits of 'Deck the Halls' and 'On Christmas night' ( Sussex Carol) - not terribly succesfully, IMO.. depends on what kind of effect you're aiming for.

There was something in the national press letters page last year (can't remember which paper) about a service at St Paul's Girls' School where the DOM directed an audience participation item of 'I saw 3 ships' with 'What shall we do with a drunken sailor'. Riotous, I imagine.

Jingle Bells and Good King Wensceslas?

Just tried it programming one part into the clavinova - some 'interesting' moments!!

The A & C Black book Flying a Round (Music edition 0-7136-2255-5) published in 1982 is a collection of 88 rounds and partner songs. It's one of a series of books published around that time, landscape format with spiral binding. The introduction says "There are guitar chords, chords for use with piano or chime bars, ostinati, and other useful notes and suggestions."

There are only a few partner songs at the end of the book, and none of the pairs are both Christmassy.

The pairs are:
1. A ram sam sam (trad. Irish) / Pease pudding hot (trad. English)
2. If you're happy (trad. American, adapted) / If you clap (Words & music Jan Holdstock)
3. Winds through the olive trees (Words & music from a trad. Gascon carol) / O my little Augustin (Words & music from trad. German O du liebe Augustin).
4. What shall we do with the drunken sailor? (W & M Sea shanty) / O sinner man (W & M Spiritual)

I don't know all those tunes, but all except If you clap are traditional so no copyright issues. Perhaps you could pick the two best known and if they aren't already Christmassy get the children to learn the tunes and write new words?

Should be fun!

Thank you all for your answers. Dacapo, the book you suggest sounds good fun. I'll look out for it!