This festive season, we’re holding a competition to find some new original lyrics to the well-known song, Carol of the Bells (originally a Ukrainian song).
The competition is open to anyone who does not write lyrics in a professional capacity, and the winning lyrics will be rehearsed and performed by our Sing for Happiness choir at its Christmas season performance on Saturday 5 December 2026 at St George’s Bristol.
Competitors should write original lyrics for the two verses of Carol of the Bells. We encourage you to listen to the song and think about what it makes you think of or feel. We would like the lyrics to be seasonal – but this doesn’t mean that they have to be religious or about Christmas (for example, it may be linked to nature, the weather or activities or feelings during winter).
The deadline for entries is 5pm Friday 6 November 2026.
Please see below for further details, inspiration, and full competition T&Cs.
Tickets
Free to enter
Please see full competition T&Cs below
About the Competition
Please make sure your new lyrics fit within the song’s melody – you will need to write new words to two verses, and suggest replacement words for the ‘ding dongs’ heard in the background. You can listen to this via the links below, and you can also see the lyrics for the most popular English version of the song (copyrighted) further down this page.
- Please find a recording to work from here
- You can find out more about the original Ukrainian version of the song here
Lyrics will be judged blind, by an expert panel including two of our regular Sing for Happiness choir leaders, the CEO of St George’s – Samir Savant, and poet and spoken word artist Sukina Noor, Bristol City Poet (2024 – 2026).
The winning lyrics will be performed in a special concert by the Sing for Happiness choir on Saturday 5 December 2026 in the main hall at St George’s. The winner will be invited to attend any of the following sessions of the winter 2026 Sing for Happiness project, including the final performance, all held at St George’s. (Please note, the song will be rehearsed at rehearsal 2 below.)
- Rehearsal one: Saturday 24 October, rehearsal, 10am–12.45pm
- Rehearsal two: Saturday 21 November, rehearsal, 10am–12.45pm
- Performance: Saturday 5 December, final performance, 12pm–1pm
Carol of the Bells Lyrics Competition
Here are words to the two verses of the well-known English version
Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, “Throw cares away”
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding-dong, ding-dong, that is their song
With joyful ring, all carolling
One seems to hear, words of good cheer
From ev’rywhere, filling the air
Oh, how they pound, raising the sound
O’er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone, to ev’ry home
Hark! how the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, “Throw cares away”
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong, that is their song
With joyful ring, all carolling
One seems to hear, words of good cheer
From ev’rywhere, filling the air
Oh how they pound, raising the sound
O’er hill and dale, telling their tale
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone, to ev’ry home
Competition T&Cs
- Eligibility
The competition is open to anyone who does not write lyrics in a professional capacity. Employees of St George’s Bristol, members of the judging panel and anyone directly involved in organising the competition are not eligible to enter.
- Entry
One entry per person. Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 6 November 2026 to singforhappiness@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk or via the competition entry form. Late entries may not be accepted.
- Originality and AI
Entries must be the entrant’s own original work and must not have been previously published or performed. The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create, write, rewrite or substantially edit the lyrics is not permitted. By entering, entrants confirm that their work complies with these requirements.
- Judging
Entries will be judged anonymously by a panel appointed by St George’s Bristol. The judges’ decision will be final, subject to any rights available under applicable law. St George’s reserves the right not to select a winner if no entry is considered suitable.
- Winner and performance
The winner will be contacted using the details provided with their entry. The winning lyrics will be rehearsed at St George’s and performed by the Sing for Happiness choir on Saturday 5 December 2026.
- Copyright and permission to use the winning lyrics
The entrant retains copyright in their lyrics. By entering, the winner grants St George’s Bristol a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish, rehearse, perform, record and otherwise use the winning lyrics in connection with Sing for Happiness, including at the 5 December 2026 concert and at future Sing for Happiness performances. St George’s may also publish the winning lyrics and the winner’s name on its website and in related publicity and promotional materials.
- Disqualification
St George’s Bristol reserves the right to disqualify an entry that does not comply with these terms and conditions, including where the work is found not to be original or to have been created using AI.
- Changes or cancellation
St George’s Bristol reserves the right to amend, suspend or cancel the competition where reasonably necessary, including where circumstances beyond its control affect the planned performance.
- Data protection
Personal information provided for the competition will be used to administer the competition and contact entrants, and will be handled in accordance with St George’s Bristol’s privacy policy: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/privacy-policy/.