Do you play the viola and wish to take advantage of the Christmas season to perform? In this article, we have gathered a selection of the 10 most beautiful Christmas songs specially arranged for the viola. Each interactive viola score is synchronised with a professional recording to accompany you.

The first five traditional carols presented in this article are also part of our Tomplay collection The Most Beautiful Christmas Music for Viola, which brings together the loveliest Christmas pieces. The ideal way to prepare your festivities with music in the best possible conditions!

▶️ Play the most beautiful Christmas songs for viola (with sheet music)

Ready to prepare your Christmas in music? Here are our 10 favourite Christmas songs to play on the viola.

1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was composed by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1944 for the musical film Meet Me in St. Louis. The first version was performed by Judy Garland. This song was also one of the most popular in the United States during the Second World War.

Frank Sinatra’s rendition of this Christmas song, with modified lyrics, remains unquestionably the most famous version worldwide. During the 2000s, it was one of the most frequently played songs for the Christmas holidays.

With Tomplay’s interactive score, you can shape each phrase with expressiveness and subtlety. Let the music sound naturally: this timeless melody will fill the room with a gentle Christmas magic.

2. Deck the Halls

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Deck the Halls 

This is a traditional Welsh carol associated with Christmas and Yule (the pre-Christian winter solstice celebration in Nordic and Germanic countries).

Its original name, dating from the 16th century, was Nos Galan, meaning New Year. The English lyrics appeared only in 1862, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant.

First published in 1794 by musician Edward Jones, Deck the Halls was also taken up by great composers such as W. A. Mozart in 1789 in his Piano Sonata No. 18, and by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn in 1803.

A popular tune that has stood the test of time and is still played and sung today!

Tomplay’s arrangement allows you to play along with a joyful and festive recording. It’s a piece that will add sparkle and good cheer to your Christmas — perfect to share with family or friends.

3.We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Quartet)

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Quartet) 

We Wish You a Merry Christmas was composed in the 16th century in England’s West Country.

This popular song is one of the few highlighting Christmas and the end of the year. It was originally a Christmas carol sung by choirs going from house to house, performing for the wealthy, who traditionally offered them treats.

The composer and conductor Arthur Warrell arranged the melody for his own Madrigal Singers from the University of Bristol and performed it with them in concert in December 1935. Published by Oxford University Press under the title A Merry Christmas, it became famous all over the world!

Tomplay’s quartet arrangement gives violists the opportunity to perform this festive piece with rich harmonies and lively rhythmic energy. Whether you play it with friends or along with the professional recording, it’s a perfect piece to spread cheer and bring people together during the festive season.

4. O Holy Night 

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of O Holy Night

Set to words by Placide Cappeau and music by Adolphe Adam in the 19th century, O Holy Night, a celebrated Christmas carol, remains deeply rooted in Christian tradition.

Often performed during Midnight Mass on 24 December, it was originally written for voice and keyboard. The singer Emily Laurey is said to have been the first woman to perform this religious hymn, initially known as Noël d’Adam, in 1847.

The interactive Tomplay score with piano accompaniment allows violists of all levels to enjoy playing it.

5. The First Noël

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of The First Noël 

This 19th-century English carol tells the story of the shepherds witnessing the birth of Christ. Its simple melody and elegant phrasing have made it one of the most beloved traditional Christmas carols across generations. The delicate melodic lines suit the singing tone of the viola perfectly.

It is interesting to note that The First Noël was passed down orally for a long time before being published for the first time in 1833 in a collection entitled Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern. This publication helped popularise the song throughout Victorian England and later across the English-speaking world. Its first documented performance took place in a Cornish church, where it was immediately embraced by the congregation.

On Tomplay, you will find a smooth arrangement to play along with a professional recording. It’s a lovely way to bring warmth, peace and tradition to your Christmas celebration.

6. Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

Since its release in 1994, Mariah Carey’s festive hit has become an essential part of every Christmas playlist. Its lively rhythm, sparkling harmonies and contagious joy make it the perfect modern counterpart to traditional carols. The melody adapts beautifully to the expressive range of the viola.

What makes this song even more fascinating is that it was written in just fifteen minutes by Mariah Carey and producer Walter Afanasieff! Recorded in the singer’s home, decorated as early as summer in Christmas colours, it was intended to evoke the nostalgia of childhood festivities. When it was released, few original Christmas songs achieved success, and yet it became the best-selling Christmas song in modern history.

Tomplay invites you to play this pop classic in a dynamic arrangement with orchestral accompaniment.

7. Sia – Snowman

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Snowman by Sia

Snowman was first heard on the airwaves in 2017 with the release of Sia’s very first Christmas album, Everyday Is Christmas.

The Australian singer-songwriter Sia, born Sia Kate Isobelle Furler in 1975, is known for her powerful voice and enigmatic public persona. She wrote Snowman in collaboration with Greg Kurstin, imagining it as a love song addressed to a snowman — a metaphor for a fragile relationship.

Tomplay’s arrangement invites you to create an intimate atmosphere while playing along with the accompaniment. It is the ideal piece for a quiet winter evening or a tender moment during the festive period.

8. Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms

When Bobby Helms first performed Jingle Bell Rock on Christmas Day 1957, he could hardly have imagined the worldwide success that would follow! By adding a rock ’n’ roll twist to the song composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe, he joyfully reinterpreted traditional Christmas melodies.

The song describes a merry Christmas party with dancing, sparkling decorations and the jingling of bells. The composition is quite simple, with an electric guitar accompanying the voice. The song’s inclusion in the film Mean Girls in 2004 introduced it to a new generation of young fans.

Tomplay offers you a score with orchestral accompaniment. Perfect for adding groove and sparkle to your Christmas repertoire!

9. Gruber – Silent Night

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Silent Night by Gruber

First performed on Christmas Eve 1818 in a village near Salzburg, this is one of the most popular German-language carols, originally titled Stille Nacht (silent night).

Reminiscent of a lullaby through its musicality and its lyrics describing the baby Jesus sleeping peacefully, its composition came about under special circumstances: unable to use the organ due to mice (or rust), the poem was set to music by the local schoolteacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber, accompanied by guitar. The authors could never have imagined the success this Christmas carol would enjoy through the centuries.

Tomplay offers a superb arrangement allowing you to explore the lyrical side of your instrument. Follow the score while listening to the professional recording to capture the serene atmosphere and bring a moment of peace to your Christmas performance.

10. José Feliciano – Feliz Navidad

▶️ Play the viola sheet music of Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano

Christmas 1970: Puerto Rican singer and songwriter José Feliciano spent the Christmas holidays in New York, alone and far from his homeland. To chase away his melancholy, he composed Feliz Navidad. The song contains only nineteen words: six in Spanish and thirteen in English. This deliberate choice reflects his desire to convey a simple and universal Christmas message.

The song instantly became an international success, making it a must for the Christmas season. It has been covered several times, notably in 2011 by Michael Bublé, who sang it as a duet with Mexican singer Thalía. Feliciano himself also released a ska version in 2017 in collaboration with Jools Holland.

With the interactive Tomplay score, designed for musicians with orchestral accompaniment, add a rhythmic touch to your Christmas celebrations!