<P> "Deck the Halls" or "Deck the Hall" (which is the original version of the lyrics) is a traditional Christmas, yuletide, and New Years' carol . The melody is Welsh dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, "Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862 . </P> <P> The English - language lyrics were written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant . They first appeared in 1862, in volume 2 of Welsh Melodies, a set of four volumes authored by John Thomas, including Welsh words by John Jones (Talhaiarn) and English words by Oliphant . The repeated "fa la la" goes back to the earlier Welsh and may originate from medieval ballads . The lyrics run as follows: </P> <P> Deck the hall with boughs of holly, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!' Tis the season to be jolly, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Fill the meadcup, drain the barrel, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Troul the ancient Christmas carol, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! See the flowing bowl before us, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Strike the harp and join the chorus . Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Follow me in merry measure, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! While I sing of beauty's treasure, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Fast away the old year passes, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Hail the new, ye lads and lasses! Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Laughing, quaffing all together, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! </P>

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