Mistletoe and Wine

• By: Cliff Richard

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority
king /kɪŋ/ A1	noun - a male monarch of a major territorial unit
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune
dreams /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep verb - to have a dream while sleeping.
snow /snoʊ/ A1	noun - atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer
faces /ˈfeɪsɪz/ A1	noun - the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin
aglow /əˈɡloʊ/ B2	adjective - glowing
mistletoe /ˈmɪsəltəʊ/ B2	noun - a plant with white berries, traditionally used as a Christmas decoration
wine /waɪn/ A2	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
rejoice /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/ B2	verb - to feel or show great joy or delight
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - to be desired or approved of
living /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ A2	noun - the state of being alive verb - to remain alive
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - feel deep affection or sexual love for (someone)
laughter /ˈlæftər/ B1	noun - the action or sound of laughing
joy /dʒɔɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness
master /ˈmæstər/ B1	noun - a person having control or authority
peace /piːs/ A2	noun - freedom from disturbance; tranquility
holy /ˈhoʊli/ B1	adjective - dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred

Grammar:

• The child is a king, the carolers sing

  ➔ Simple present tense (is, sing) to describe a general truth or a recurring event (Christmas).

  ➔ The use of the simple present indicates the timeless and traditional nature of Christmas celebrations. "The child is a king" refers to Jesus, and "the carolers sing" describes a common Christmas activity.

• The old has passed, there's a new beginning

  ➔ Present perfect tense ("has passed") indicates a completed action with relevance to the present. Use of "there's" (there is) to introduce a new situation or event.

  ➔ "The old has passed" implies that the previous year or old ways are over, and "there's a new beginning" signifies the start of something fresh and positive.

• Fingers numb, faces aglow

  ➔ Adjectives used to describe nouns (fingers, faces). Implied verb "are" (Fingers are numb, faces are aglow).

  ➔ Short, descriptive phrases create a vivid image of a cold but joyful Christmas scene. "Numb" describes the cold, while "aglow" suggests happiness and warmth.

• Oh, it's Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

  ➔ Use of "it's" (it is) as a contraction. Noun phrases strung together to evoke the essence of Christmas.

  ➔ This line sets the overall theme of the song. "Mistletoe and wine" are iconic Christmas symbols, creating a sense of festivity and tradition.

• A time for living, a time for believing

  ➔ Repetition of "a time for" followed by gerunds (living, believing) to emphasize the importance of certain actions/states of being during Christmas.

  ➔ This highlights what Christmas should represent: actively enjoying life and holding faith in something positive.

• A time for trusting, not deceiving

  ➔ Contrasting gerund phrases following "a time for" to present opposing actions. The conjunction "not" creates the contrast.

  ➔ This reinforces the moral message of Christmas, emphasizing honesty and integrity over dishonesty.

• Ours for the taking, just follow the master

  ➔ Use of "ours" as a possessive pronoun. Imperative mood ("follow") used to give a command or instruction. "Just" used as an adverb to soften the command.

  ➔ "Ours for the taking" suggests that happiness and salvation are readily available. "Just follow the master" (likely referring to Jesus) implies that by following his teachings, one can achieve this.

• It's a time for giving, a time for getting

  ➔ Parallel structure using "It's a time for" + gerunds. Demonstrates balance between reciprocity and generosity during Christmas.

  ➔ This suggests that Christmas is about both giving to others and receiving from them, highlighting the importance of both generosity and appreciation.