Looking to play some Christmas songs on guitar? Good news: most holiday classics use simple chord progressions you probably already know.
Here's a collection of easy Christmas songs you can learn quickly—most use just 3-4 chords. I've included the key, chords needed, and a capo position if it helps simplify things.
Quick Reference: Christmas Songs by Difficulty
| Song | Key | Chords | Capo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jingle Bells | G | G, C, D | None |
| Silent Night | G | G, C, D | None |
| Joy to the World | D | D, G, A | None |
| Away in a Manger | G | G, C, D | None |
| O Come All Ye Faithful | G | G, C, D, Em | None |
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas | G | G, C, D, A, Em | None |
| Deck the Halls | G | G, C, D, Em | None |
| The First Noel | D | D, G, A, Bm | None |
| O Holy Night | C | C, F, G, Am | None |
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | G | G, Em, Am, D, C | None |
| White Christmas | C | C, Dm, G, F, Am | None |
| Feliz Navidad | D | D, G, A | None |
| Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | C | C, G, F, Am, D | None |
| Let It Snow | G | G, D, C, Am, E7 | None |
| Santa Claus Is Coming to Town | C | C, F, G, Am | None |
The Easiest Christmas Songs (G-C-D Only)
If you only know G, C, and D chords, you can still play plenty of Christmas songs:
Jingle Bells
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
This one's about as simple as it gets. The verse and chorus both use the same three chords.
Progression:
Verse: G - G - C - G - G - D - G
Chorus: G - C - G - D - G
Silent Night
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
A beautiful, slow song that's perfect for beginners. The gentle tempo gives you plenty of time to make chord changes.
Progression:
G - G - D - D - G - G - C - G - C - G - D - G
Joy to the World
Key: D
Chords: D, G, A
Upbeat and triumphant. The D-G-A progression is just as versatile as G-C-D.
Progression:
D - A - G - D (repeat)
Away in a Manger
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
Another slow, gentle song that's great for practice.
Feliz Navidad
Key: D
Chords: D, G, A
Just three chords on repeat—and everyone loves singing along. Great for parties.
Progression:
D - G - A - D (the whole song!)
Adding a Fourth Chord: Em
Once you add E minor to your toolkit, more songs open up:
O Come All Ye Faithful
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
A classic hymn that sounds great on acoustic guitar.
Deck the Halls
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
The "fa la la la la" sections are fun to strum.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, A, Em
This one adds an A chord, but it's still very pretty easy.
Intermediate Christmas Songs
Ready for a bit more of a challenge? These songs use more chords but are still very achievable:
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Key: G
Chords: G, Em, Am, D, C, Bm
One of the most beautiful Christmas songs. Take it slow—the chord changes are part of its charm.
White Christmas
Key: C
Chords: C, Dm, G, F, Am, E7
A timeless classic. The F chord might take some practice if you're still working on bar chords.
O Holy Night
Key: C
Chords: C, F, G, Am, Em
Dramatic and powerful. Start with the verse to get comfortable before tackling the big crescendo.
Let It Snow
Key: G
Chords: G, D, C, Am, E7
Not technically a Christmas song, but it's become a holiday staple. The E7 adds a nice jazzy touch.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Key: C
Chords: C, F, G, Am
Fun, upbeat, and great for singalongs.
Intermediate Christmas Songs
1. Start slow. These songs are meant to be enjoyed, not rushed. Take your time with the chord changes.
2. Use a capo if needed. If a song is in a tough key, throw a capo on and transpose to easier chords. Check out my guide to using a capo if you need help with this.
3. Simplify if needed. Can't play that Bm? Try substituting a G. It won't be perfect, but it'll work well enough for a singalong.
4. Focus on rhythm. Christmas songs are about the feel. A simple strum pattern played confidently sounds better than fancy fingerpicking that falls apart.
5. Sing along. Half the fun of Christmas songs is singing. Don't worry about being perfect—just enjoy it.
Using the Number System
Here's something interesting: many Christmas songs follow the same chord progressions you find in popular music.
"Feliz Navidad" is a I-IV-V progression—the same pattern behind countless rock and country songs. "Silent Night" uses I-IV-V too.
Once you understand how chord progressions work, you'll start recognizing these patterns everywhere—not just in Christmas songs.
If you want to dig deeper into this, check out my lesson on guitar theory. Understanding the "why" behind chord progressions makes learning new songs much faster.
Merry Christmas, and happy strumming!