Mistletoe and Wine – English Lyrics

• By: Cliff Richard

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heart of British Christmas with Cliff Richard's classic "Mistletoe and Wine." This iconic song offers a delightful way to explore English vocabulary related to holiday traditions, emotions, and cultural expressions. Its simple yet evocative lyrics make it accessible for language learners, while its rich backstory reveals how a song's meaning can evolve, offering insights into cultural nuances and the power of interpretation.

[English]

The child is a king, the carolers sing

The old has passed, there's a new beginning

Dreams of Santa, dreams of snow

Fingers numb, faces aglow

Oh, it's Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

A time for living, a time for believing

A time for trusting, not deceiving

Love and laughter and joy ever after

Ours for the taking, just follow the master

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

(Silent night, holy night)

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

A time for forgiving, and for forgetting

Christmas is love, Christmas is peace

A time for hating and fighting to cease

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

Christmas time (Silent night)

Mistletoe and wine (Holy night)

Children singing Christian rhyme

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree

A time to rejoice in the good that we see

...

Key Vocabulary

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

Key Grammar Structures

• 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.