Deck the Halls — Free Lead Sheet PDF (Eb, Bb, Concert)

Traditional (Welsh) · 16th century · Traditional Christmas carol · Melody & chords only

Not sure which to pick? Our interactive saxophone transposition chart can help. PDFs open in a new tab — right-click (or long-press on mobile) and choose “Save as” to download.

About Deck the Halls

A Welsh New Year's Melody

Deck the Halls is built on a Welsh winter melody, “Nos Galan” (“New Year's Eve”), which dates back to at least the sixteenth century and was originally paired with Welsh New Year's lyrics rather than a Christmas text. The tune was published with an English harp accompaniment by the Welsh musician John Parry in the eighteenth century, helping spread it beyond Wales.

The English lyrics sung today — “deck the halls with boughs of holly” — were written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant in 1862, replacing the earlier Welsh words entirely while keeping the tune's bright, dancing character.

If you are also building a Christmas set, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is another free carol on this site worth pairing it with.

The Tune & Chords

A Bouncy Triple-Meter Dance Tune

The tune's roots as a New Year's dance song are still audible in its bouncy, syncopated rhythm and repeated “fa la la la la” refrain, which was originally a nonsense vocal filler common in Welsh and English folk song and works just as well as an instrumental riff. It sits comfortably at a bright tempo and takes well to a light swing feel without losing its folk-dance energy.

One simplified concert-pitch harmonisation — traditional carols were passed down as melodies, so chord choices vary between arrangers and songbooks.

Using This Lead Sheet

A Reliable Up-Tempo Opener

Deck the Halls' bright tempo and repetitive “fa la la” hook make it a dependable opener or high-energy mid-set number for a background-music or party gig — the repeated refrain is instantly recognisable even played instrumentally, so audiences pick it up within a few bars.

If you would like one-to-one guidance building a Christmas set or working on your reading and improvisation more generally, saxophone lessons in person in South East London or online are available. You can also browse the full Christmas lead sheet index for more free carols, including The First Noel.