Did Charles Wesley write Christmas hymns?

Charles Wesley, a prolific hymn writer, wrote several hymns for Advent and Christmas. Some we know and others are less familiar.

He composed the text of "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" -- except its title line-- in 1734. Charles's original words were "Hark how all the welkin rings, Glory to the King of Kings!" George Whitfield proposed the line we know today when John Wesley was editing the hymn for inclusion in a collection of hymns he and Charles were producing, and John accepted Whitefield's suggestion. Charles's was more biblically accurate. The Bible nowhere records angels singing! 

In 1744, Wesley published "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus" in "Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord," a hymnal which was reprinted many times during Wesley's lifetime. In that collection it was titled simply, "Hymn X." Eighteen texts, no tunes, were included in all. 

In "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus," Wesley wonderfully captured the anticipation of the people of Israel who longed hundreds of years for the coming of the Messiah. As we sing, we sense the words of the prophets calling the people to prepare the way of the Lord into history (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1-4), and into our hearts and lives. Read more about this beloved hymn.

And consider whether you might pick up one of the lesser known hymns for Christmas Season this year. Here's a sample text (Hymn XVII) you might set to the tune "Contrast" (an adaptation of a tune by Johann Sebastian Bach). 

1 All glory to God in the sky,
And peace upon earth be restor’d!
O Jesus, exalted on high,
Appear our omnipotent Lord:
Who meanly in Bethlehem born,
Didst stoop to redeem a lost race,
Once more to thy creature return,
And reign in thy kingdom of grace.

2 When thou in our flesh didst appear,
All nature acknowledg’d thy birth;
Arose the acceptable year,
And heaven was open’d on earth:
Receiving its Lord from above,
The world was united to bless
The giver of concord and love,
The Prince and the author of peace.

3 O wouldst thou again be made known,
Again in thy Spirit descend,
And set up in each of thine own,
A kingdom that never shall end!
Thou only art able to bless,
And make the glad nations obey,
And bid the dire enmity cease,
And bow the whole world to thy sway.

4 Come then to thy servants again,
Who long thy appearing to know,
Thy quiet and peaceable reign
In mercy establish below:
All sorrow before thee shall fly,
And anger and hatred be o’er,
And envy and malice shall die,
And discord afflict us no more.

5 No horrid alarum of war
Shall break our eternal repose;
No sound of the trumpet is there,
Where Jesus’s Spirit o’erflows:
Appeas’d by the charms of thy grace
We all shall in amity join,
And kindly each other embrace,
And love with a passion like thine." 

Check out this Christmas Hymns Infographic to learn more about Wesley's Christmas hymns.

Related: Wesley hymn devotions for Advent and Christmas