How to Play “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on Guitar – Interactive Tabs (Intermediate)

Looking for an upbeat carol that really feels like a celebration? This lesson shows you how to play We Wish You a Merry Christmas on guitar using an easy strumming pattern and simple chord shapes. You will practise we wish you a merry christmas chords in a beginner-friendly way, see how the rhythm locks in with the melody, and gradually build a tight, party-ready version of we wish you a merry christmas guitar that works at family gatherings, school concerts or casual jams.

Along the way, you will see how we wish you a merry christmas guitar chords relate to the melody, how to read we wish you a merry christmas tabs in our interactive player, and where the main we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes land in the bar. If you have searched for guitar merry christmas ideas, chord we wish you a merry christmas or guitar chords merry christmas and felt a bit lost in static sheets, this page gives you a moving, playable version you can follow in real time.

If you want to explore other lessons, try Jingle Bells (beginner - simple, catchy melody), Silent Night (beginner - calm, single-note melody), Away in a Manger (intermediate - gentle strumming & chord practice) and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (intermediate - fuller chord-based arrangement).

Do you want a simpler, one-note version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas on guitar, with no chords? How to Play We Wish You a Merry Christmas on Guitar – Interactive Tabs (Intermediate).

Introduction

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is one of those songs everyone knows by heart, which makes it perfect for guitar. The feel is bouncy and joyful, but the harmony is actually quite straightforward. Most we wish you a merry christmas chords use familiar open-chord shapes, so once you learn a single progression you can reuse it again and again. This lesson is built to help you go from only knowing the tune in your head to playing a solid, confident we wish you a merry christmas guitar groove that gets people singing along.

If you have ever Googled we wish you a merry christmas guitar chords, chord we wish you a merry christmas, or we wish you a merry christmas lyrics and chords and ended up staring at a static chord chart, you know it can be hard to turn that into real music. Here, you get timing, feel and context: the we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes sit inside a backing track, the rhythm is clearly shown, and the we wish you a merry christmas song lyrics and chords line up in a way that makes musical sense.

Once the chord pattern feels comfortable, you can move on to more detail. The same progression works with we wish you a merry christmas tabs and even full we wish you a merry christmas guitar tabs if you want to mix melody and harmony. That means you can start with a simple strumming-only version, then gradually add fills, runs or a we wish you a merry xmas tab style single-note line between phrases as your confidence grows.

Play We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Interactive Chords & Tabs)

In the interactive player below, you will see a clear visualization of we wish you a merry christmas tabs. The layout makes it easy to follow the rhythm and see exactly when each chord changes. If you are new to reading tab, treat this as a guided version of we wish you a merry christmas guitar tabs: the rhythm is already baked into the animation, so you do not have to guess how long to hold each note or chord. Press play, watch the motion a couple of times, then start joining in.

The nice thing about this kind of arrangement is that it does double duty. On one level, you are simply playing along with we wish you a merry christmas guitar chords and an upbeat backing track. On another level, you start to internalise where the main we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes sit inside each bar. That makes it easier later if you want to learn a more melodic version or follow a we wish you a merry christmas song lyrics and chords sheet with additional detail.

If you already know basic open-chord shapes, focus on timing and groove. Let the interactive track tell you when to change; your job is to keep your right-hand motion relaxed and consistent. Once that feels natural, you can experiment with small fills that connect the we wish you a merry christmas chords. Many players also like to use this as a springboard into more note-heavy approaches, including we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes in higher positions or a compact we wish you a merry xmas tab version for solo playing.

Pro tip: start by muting the strings and just copying the strumming motion. Once the rhythm feels automatic, add the we wish you a merry christmas guitar chords back in. This two-step approach helps you build a groove you can later reuse for other guitar merry christmas tunes or any song that uses a similar feel.

WEB GAMEPLAY VS APP GAMEPLAY

Note this is a simplified version of the in-app gameplay. The app version will listen to you while you play and give you additional visual and audio feedback. Download the app for the full experience!

Interactive gameplay

Tabs

We Wish You A Merry Christmas - FinaleChristmas Carol

Static tabs

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|------------3-----------5----------5------------7-----------7------5---3---
A|3-----------1-----------2----------3------------4-----------5------3---1---
E|1--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|3---5---------------------------3----------5-----------5-----------7-------
A|1---3---3-----------3-----------1----------2-----------3-----------4-------
E|--------1-----------1------------------------------------------------------

e|----------------------------------------------------------------------5----
B|----------------------------------------6---6-8-6-5-------------8---8---8-6
G|------------------------------------5---------------7---7---7--------------
D|----7-------5---3---3---5--------------------------------------------------
A|----5-------3---1---1---3---3----------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------1----------------------------------------------

e|------------5---5-6-5------------------------------------------------------
B|-5--------------------8-6---------------8---5---6--------------------------
G|-----5---5------------------7---5-5-7--------------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------5--
A|------------------------------------------------------------3-----------3--
E|------------------------------------------------------------1--------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|---------------------5-----------------------------------3---3---5---------
A|---------------0-2---3-----------3---3---3---3---3---3---1---1---3---3-----
E|---------1---3-------------------1---1---1---1---1---1---------------1-----

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------3-----------5-----------5-----------7-----------7-------5-
A|-----3-----------1-----------2-----------3-----------4-----------5-------3-
E|-----1---------------------------------------------------------------------

e|-------------------------------------------------------5-----------------5-
B|--------------------------6---6-8-6-5-------------8---8--8-6-5-------------
G|----------------------5---------------7---7---7------------------5---5-----
D|--3---3---5----------------------------------------------------------------
A|--1---1---3---3------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------1------------------------------------------------------------

e|--5-6-5--------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------8-6---------------8---5---6----------------------------------------
G|--------------7---5-5-7----------------------------------------------------
D|----------------------------------------------------------3-----------5----
A|----------------------------------------------3-----------1-----------2----
E|----------------------------------------------1----------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------------------6---6-8-6
G|--------------------------------------------------------------5------------
D|-------5-----------7-----------7-------5---3--3---5------------------------
A|-------3-----------4-----------5-------3---1--1---3---3--------------------
E|------------------------------------------------------1--------------------

e|---------------------5-----------------5---5-6-5---------------------------
B|-5-------------8---8---8-6-5---------------------8-6---------------8---5---
G|---7---7---7-------------------5---5-------------------7---5-5-7-----------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|6--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------5-----------------------5---------------------------
A|------------3----------3-----------------0-2---3-----------3---3---3---3---
E|------------1----------------------1---3-------------------1---1---1---1---

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|--------3---3---5--------------------------3-----------5------------5------
A|3---3---1---1---3---3-----------3----------1-----------2------------3------
E|1---1---------------1-----------1------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----7----------7-------5---3---3---5---------------------------3----------
A|-----4----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-----------3-----------1----------
E|----------------------------------------1-----------1----------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------6--
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------5-----
D|-5-----------5-----------7-----------7-------5---3---3---5-----------------
A|-2-----------3-----------4-----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------1-------------

e|---------------------------5-----------------5---5-6-5---------------------
B|-6-8-6-5-------------8---8---8-6-5---------------------8-6---------------8-
G|---------7---7---7-------------------5---5-------------------7---5-5-7-----
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--5---6--------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------3-----------5----------5---------
A|------------------------------3-----------1-----------2----------3---------
E|------------------------------1--------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|---7----------7-------5---3---3---5---------------------------3-----------5
A|---4----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-----------3-----------1-----------2
E|--------------------------------------1-----------1------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------5-----------7-----------7---------5----3----3-----5-------------
A|-----------3-----------4-----------5---------3----1----1-----3-----3-------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------1-------

WEB GAMEPLAY VS APP GAMEPLAY

Interactive gameplay

Tabs

We Wish You A Merry Christmas - FinaleChristmas Carol

Static tabs

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|------------3-----------5----------5------------7-----------7------5---3---
A|3-----------1-----------2----------3------------4-----------5------3---1---
E|1--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|3---5---------------------------3----------5-----------5-----------7-------
A|1---3---3-----------3-----------1----------2-----------3-----------4-------
E|--------1-----------1------------------------------------------------------

e|----------------------------------------------------------------------5----
B|----------------------------------------6---6-8-6-5-------------8---8---8-6
G|------------------------------------5---------------7---7---7--------------
D|----7-------5---3---3---5--------------------------------------------------
A|----5-------3---1---1---3---3----------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------1----------------------------------------------

e|------------5---5-6-5------------------------------------------------------
B|-5--------------------8-6---------------8---5---6--------------------------
G|-----5---5------------------7---5-5-7--------------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------5--
A|------------------------------------------------------------3-----------3--
E|------------------------------------------------------------1--------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|---------------------5-----------------------------------3---3---5---------
A|---------------0-2---3-----------3---3---3---3---3---3---1---1---3---3-----
E|---------1---3-------------------1---1---1---1---1---1---------------1-----

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------3-----------5-----------5-----------7-----------7-------5-
A|-----3-----------1-----------2-----------3-----------4-----------5-------3-
E|-----1---------------------------------------------------------------------

e|-------------------------------------------------------5-----------------5-
B|--------------------------6---6-8-6-5-------------8---8--8-6-5-------------
G|----------------------5---------------7---7---7------------------5---5-----
D|--3---3---5----------------------------------------------------------------
A|--1---1---3---3------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------1------------------------------------------------------------

e|--5-6-5--------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------8-6---------------8---5---6----------------------------------------
G|--------------7---5-5-7----------------------------------------------------
D|----------------------------------------------------------3-----------5----
A|----------------------------------------------3-----------1-----------2----
E|----------------------------------------------1----------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------------------6---6-8-6
G|--------------------------------------------------------------5------------
D|-------5-----------7-----------7-------5---3--3---5------------------------
A|-------3-----------4-----------5-------3---1--1---3---3--------------------
E|------------------------------------------------------1--------------------

e|---------------------5-----------------5---5-6-5---------------------------
B|-5-------------8---8---8-6-5---------------------8-6---------------8---5---
G|---7---7---7-------------------5---5-------------------7---5-5-7-----------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|6--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------5-----------------------5---------------------------
A|------------3----------3-----------------0-2---3-----------3---3---3---3---
E|------------1----------------------1---3-------------------1---1---1---1---

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|--------3---3---5--------------------------3-----------5------------5------
A|3---3---1---1---3---3-----------3----------1-----------2------------3------
E|1---1---------------1-----------1------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----7----------7-------5---3---3---5---------------------------3----------
A|-----4----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-----------3-----------1----------
E|----------------------------------------1-----------1----------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------6--
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------5-----
D|-5-----------5-----------7-----------7-------5---3---3---5-----------------
A|-2-----------3-----------4-----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------1-------------

e|---------------------------5-----------------5---5-6-5---------------------
B|-6-8-6-5-------------8---8---8-6-5---------------------8-6---------------8-
G|---------7---7---7-------------------5---5-------------------7---5-5-7-----
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--5---6--------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------3-----------5----------5---------
A|------------------------------3-----------1-----------2----------3---------
E|------------------------------1--------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|---7----------7-------5---3---3---5---------------------------3-----------5
A|---4----------5-------3---1---1---3---3-----------3-----------1-----------2
E|--------------------------------------1-----------1------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------5-----------7-----------7---------5----3----3-----5-------------
A|-----------3-----------4-----------5---------3----1----1-----3-----3-------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------1-------

Chords, Lyrics and Guitar Notes

Because this tune is so familiar, it is worth spending a little time with the underlying harmony. When people search for we wish you a merry christmas lyrics and chords or we wish you lyrics and chords, what they are really asking for is a clear map that connects the words they already know with chords they can actually play. In this lesson, the chord pattern is synced to the backing track so you can hear how the lyrics and harmony push the song forward, rather than reading everything as a flat line of text.

If you later want to perform this as a full sing-along, you can combine the ideas here with a printed we wish you a merry christmas song lyrics and chords sheet. Use the sheet to keep track of verses and structure, and use the muscle memory you build here to remember where each chord lands. That way, the chord we wish you a merry christmas patterns no longer feel theoretical – they are simply movements your hands already know.

For players interested in melody, pay close attention to the strongest beats in the chorus. Those are often where the most characteristic we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes appear. You can sketch a basic melody line out of the tab, or follow a dedicated we wish you a merry xmas tab if you want a condensed, melody-only version. Either way, understanding how chords, lyrics and guitar notes fit together will make every other guitar merry christmas arrangement easier to learn.

Practice Tips

Lock in the groove first: focus on a relaxed, continuous strumming motion before worrying about perfection in your fretting hand. Once the right-hand feel is there, adding we wish you a merry christmas guitar chords on top becomes much easier, and you can reuse the same groove for other guitar chords merry christmas songs.
Change early, not late: start moving your fingers towards the next chord just before the beat where it arrives. This gives you a smoother version of we wish you a merry christmas chords and stops the rhythm from stuttering when you switch shapes.
Work in short loops: take just the chorus and loop it repeatedly with the backing track. Once that section feels automatic, you can add verses and extra lines from any we wish you a merry christmas lyrics and chords sheet you prefer, and the core movement will already be in your hands.
Add notes later: start with pure rhythm and chords. When those feel strong, pick out a few of the main we wish you a merry christmas guitar notes between phrases. This is the bridge between strumming-only playing and more detailed we wish you a merry christmas tabs where chord tones and melody blend together.
Sing while you play: even if you only hum quietly, connecting your playing to the melody reinforces your sense of timing and phrasing. It also makes any future use of we wish you a merry christmas song lyrics and chords feel much more natural, because your ear and hands will already agree on where the pulses sit.

The more you repeat this arrangement, the more natural it will feel to move through we wish you a merry christmas chords without thinking. At that point, you will not only have a reliable, upbeat We Wish You a Merry Christmas ready for any holiday moment – you will also have a template you can reuse for other guitar merry christmas favourites, new we wish you a merry christmas tabs you might try, and pretty much any song built from the same family of beginner-friendly chords.

Continue in the Gibson App

Want to learn guitar faster and with less frustration? Download the Gibson App (7-day free trial included) to experience a more immersive way of learning. The app listens as you play and gives you instant feedback, helping you improve in real time. You’ll also get a structured learning path with hundreds of songs and step-by-step lessons. Download the app here:

UNLOCK YOUR 7-DAY FREE TRIAL

Continue in the Gibson App

The best guitar learning app for beginner and intermediate players.

You can explore the full version of this course inside the Gibson App — along with step-by-step lessons, real-time feedback, and a personalized path designed to take your playing to the next level.

Real-time feedback: The app listens while you play and gives instant visual and audio feedback.
🎮 Interactive gameplay with real song backing tracks.
🏆 Weekly leagues to compete and climb leaderboards.
🧭 Structured learning paths for step-by-step courses.
⚡ Deep-dive guides & genre courses to learn like the pros.

Continue in the Gibson App

UNLOCK YOUR 7-DAY FREE TRIAL