(Homonym: carrel).
Joyful religious song, usually celebrating the birth of Christ; SYN. Christmas carol.
Song that in medieval times was associated with a round dance; today carols are associated with festivals such as Christmas and Easter.
Christmas carols were common as early as the 15th century. The custom of singing carols from house to house, collecting gifts, was called wassailing. Many carols, such as ‘God Rest You Merry Gentlemen’ and ‘The First Noel’, date from the 16th century or earlier.

To sing carols; SYN. wassail.