The original Welsh title of the tune used for “Deck the Halls” is “Nos Galan,” meaning “New Year’s Eve.” It is an old Welsh melody that later became attached to the English Christmas lyrics familiar today.
The tune is much older than the English song. It dates back at least to the eighteenth century and is associated with Welsh harp and folk traditions; its melody was published in 1794. Joseph Haydn later arranged it under the Welsh title in 1803, helping preserve it in written musical collections.
The English words were written by Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant and first appeared in 1862 alongside Welsh lyrics by John Jones, known as Talhaiarn. The English text is not a literal translation of the Welsh original, even though both versions use the same melody and repeated “fa-la-la” refrain.
Another frequent misconception concerns the title: early English printings used the singular “Deck the Hall.” The plural “Deck the Halls” became established by the late nineteenth century, but the underlying tune remains Welsh rather than originating as an English Christmas composition.