Easy Christmas Worship Songs 2020 + Free Chord Chart Downloads

Every year, many worship leaders dread December.

It’s not the shopping or holiday parties that get them. It’s finding enough playable Christmas songs for three or four weeks of Sundays.

It doesn’t have to be this way. You too can overcome your fear of being a worship leader during the holidays with these easy Christmas worship songs that just about anybody can play.

Worried that you did these songs last year? Don’t be. I do the same songs every year and have been for years. Guess what. No one notices. In fact, every year people like these songs more and more. When it comes to Christmas songs, people appreciate old standards and don’t want you to get too creative.

Related: Christmas Gifts For Worship Leaders

So here’s a list of Christmas songs you can play for worship this year and years to come. Plus, I’ve included downloadable PDFs and Word documents for the public domain songs. I’ve even added a few songs I recorded a few years back to give you arrangement ideas. Enjoy.

Angels We have Heard on High

This is a fast opening song. I usually do it upbeat. Take a listen to the recording and you’ll see how this can work as a fast Christmas worship song.

Joy to the World

This is another upbeat Christmas song that will work well in your worship set.

 

Related Podcast Episode: Easy Hymns + Christmas Chord Charts And Tutorials

O Holy Night

This is my all-time favorite Christmas worship song. It’s very easy to play for individuals and worship teams alike. Not only that, but it so powerfully describes Christ’s entrance into the world and why the world needs Him. No other song captures majesty and reverence of Christ’s birth quite like this one.

Silent Night

This is one of those must-do songs during Christmas. Luckily, it’s one of the easiest songs to play ever.

The First Noel

This song can work in a worship set, but in my opinion it’s better suited for an intro piece or background music while something else is going on. Either way, it’s an easy one to add to your Christmas repertoire.

 

O Come All Ye Faithful

If you don’t lead worship from keyboard, you’ll want to rely a bit more on your keyboardist to drive this song. The chord changes are fast and easier on piano or keyboard. Still, guitar players can do it with a bit of practice.

 

What Child is This?

One of the challenges of Christmas songs is that they are essentially old hymns with chord changes on every syllable. The composers had organs and pianos in mind, not acoustic guitars like many worship leaders play today. What Child is This, while a hymn written in the 1800s is not overloaded with chord changes. It’s about as easy as they come for guitar players.

 

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Everyone in your church will love singing this one. It honors God while serving up a generous portion of nostalgia.

 

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

This song ushers in a deep reverence and high praise for God’s plan of redemption of man.

 

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

 

That completes my list of go-to easy Christmas songs for worship. But as a bonus I’m including a few modern songs that fit in well with a Christmas worship set.

Unfortunately I can’t include chord charts for these ones since they are not public domain. But they are available on sites like CCLI.

Jesus, Messiah. Artist: Chris Tomlin.

Here I Am to Worship. Artist: Tim Hughes.

Glory to God. Artist: Fee

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us. Artist: Stuart Townend

How Great is our God. Artist: Chris Tomlin

Joyful Joyful. Artist: Casting Crowns

Well there you have it. Let me know if you have had success singing other Christmas songs in your worship service. I’d love to add your ideas to the list! Just leave a comment with your suggestions.