Interesting fact
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” originated as a 16th-century English carol where carolers would demand treats like “figgy pudding” from wealthy households and refuse to leave until they were given some. The song was a playful but persistent demand, with the lyrics “We won’t go until we get some!”
Want to learn how to play the notes of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on the piano? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll show you the easy piano notes for the melody, simple chords for the left hand and a practice plan that actually fits you. We’ll start with a super quick overview of the song on piano, keys and hand positioning. Then we’ll break the whole piece into small, friendly steps. Let’s get started!
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” piano video tutorial
Find the full beginner arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by Kalafina Allen on piano. Start a free trial today!
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” piano notes and keys
For this tutorial we’ll keep things beginner-friendly and use the key of C major.
We’ll start with the right hand only, that’s where the melody lives.
Step 1 – Set up your hand
Place your right-hand thumb (finger 1) on middle C. Let the rest of your fingers fall naturally on:
- D (2) E (3) F (4) G (5)
You’ll stay close to this five-finger position for most of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on piano, so you don’t need to jump around the keyboard.
Step 2 – Learn the first right hand line of the melody
Play this slowly with your right hand:
- C – C – D – C – F – E
Keep each note even, like you’re walking up and down the keys in a calm, steady way. Use Skoove to turn the tempo down and loop just this little chunk until it feels easy.
Step 3 – Put the rest together with the left hand
Once each line feels comfortable on its own, try to play the whole melody with the left hand included (starting with your ring finger on G):
- G – B – A – A – A
Go very slowly and keep your hand relaxed. To play the chords in the next step it’s worth learning the melody all together, just in the right hand.
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” piano chords
To make your “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” piano version sound full and warm, we’ll add very simple left-hand chords. We’ll stay in C major, so you only use three basic chords:
- C major: C – E – G
- F major: F – A – C
- G major: G – B – D
Don’t worry if chords are new for you, we’ll keep things as easy as possible. For a beginner-friendly version we’ll use block chords: you press all notes of the chord at the same time and let them ring while the right hand plays the melody.
Try these shapes slowly:
- C major chord: C-E-G (5-3-1)
- F major chord: F-A-C (5-3-1)
- G major chord: G-B-D (5-3-1)
If stretching all three notes feels too hard at first, you can only play the root note with your pinky (just C, F, or G). It will still sound like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on piano, just a bit lighter.
Want to play the whole song? Be sure to check out the Skoove app for our in depth tutorial.
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” lesson plan
Let’s walk through a simple lesson plan so you can learn “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on piano step by step. You can follow this at home or side-by-side with the Skoove app.
Step 1: Listen to the whole song once
Listen to how the melody bounces in 6/4 time (1-2-3, 4-5-6). Notice how often the first line repeats – that’s good news for you, because you’ll reuse the same pattern.
Step 2: Practice the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” chords
Start by playing the chords used in the first lines of the song. Use simple block chords or a single bass note in your left.
Step 3: Practice the right-hand melody in small chunks
Try playing the specific melody/chord part in the right hand as you get accustomed to the feeling of the song.
Step 4: learn the left hand accompaniment pattern
Once you’re comfortable with the melody, it’s time to bring in the left hand. Start with the basic accompaniment pattern by playing one bass note per chord. You can add the specific alternating pattern when you feel comfortable.
Step 5: play both hands together
Once you’ve practiced the melody and the left-hand accompaniment separately, it’s time to bring them together. Don’t rush, take it slow and let the song flow naturally. Inside the Skoove app, you can loop small sections, slow the tempo and get real-time feedback to help both hands lock together comfortably.
Bring Christmas to your piano with Skoove
You’ve just learned “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on piano, a song that can instantly make any room feel warm and festive. With this melody and a few simple chords, you’re already able to bring a bit of Christmas magic to your home, your kids, or anyone who listens. Whenever you’re ready, open the Skoove app, choose your next Christmas song and let your piano be the place where the holidays really begin.
Author of this blog post:
Susana Pérez Posada
With over seven years in piano education and a deep passion for music therapy, Susana brings a unique blend of expertise to Skoove. A graduate in Music Therapy from SRH Hochschule Heidelberg and an experienced classical pianist from Universidad EAFIT, she infuses her teaching with a holistic approach that transcends traditional piano lessons. In her writings for Skoove, Susana combines her rich musical knowledge with engaging storytelling, enriching the learning experience for pianists of all levels. Away from the piano, she loves exploring new places and immersing herself in a good book, believing these diverse experiences enhance her creative teaching style.
Published by the Skoove team
