Favorite Christmas carol got rewrites—in support of a Gaza ceasefire

Whether on the radio, in malls, or at holiday parties, most Americans have been hearing the cozy tones and sleigh-bell jingles of festive songs for the past month. But they likely haven’t heard a version of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” like this:

In 22 cities, from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Louisville, Kentucky, to Long Beach, California, people have been gathering to belt out Christmas tunes with notable differences, from traditional carols like “Silent Night” to pop hits like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Their version of “Joy to the World” includes these new lyrics:

They’ve come dressed in red and green scarves, for the Palestinian flag, holding banners saying “Love Thy Neighbor,” “End Islamophobia,” and “End Antisemitism.” The aim is to push for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of the Israeli hostages, and an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, says Sarah Abbott, cofounder of Ceasefire Carols. “We’re seeing so many different people in the U.S. and worldwide taking up that demand,” she says, “so we’re trying to add to that critical mass.”

The project has been developing since the start of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza following an unprecedented terrorist attack on southern Israel by the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. Abbott, a Minneapolis-based leadership coach with a background in community organizing, says that within her choir group and community, many were “horrified by the level of violence” they were witnessing. She helped assemble a group of songwriters, musicians, and choral conductors to rewrite the carols and design an instructional tool kit for anyone who wanted to take part.

According to the tool kit, carolers are encouraged to sing in public places such as churches, Christmas markets, and near holiday displays (not door-to-door, due to safety concerns). They’re also encouraged to sing outside elected officials’ residences; 200 people sang on the sidewalk in front of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar’s house in Minneapolis last week, with a big Christmas card urging the senator to call for a ceasefire.

Carols were chosen for their iconic nature and because they’re cherished, says Abbott, who grew up Episcopalian but does not practice now. She feels there has been a “deep silence and absence of Christian voices” compared to those of Muslim and Arab groups as well as Jewish groups advocating for peace.

Palestinian Christians have called for Christmas to be canceled this year. In fact, Pastor Munther Isaac of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem has canceled Christmas celebrations amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Abbott says both practicing and secular Christians in the U.S. have a responsibility to be involved. Support for Christian Zionism is significant within the U.S. Evangelical church, but it has different reasoning than Jewish Zionism, says Carlo Aldrovandi, assistant professor of International Peace Studies at Trinity College, Dublin, who has written a book on Christian Zionism.

Christian Zionism also has a powerful political lobby in the U.S. Groups such as Christians United for Israel were instrumental in the Trump administration’s controversial decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2017.

Abbott is encouraged by the reception so far; the first Ceasefire Carols abroad have taken place in the U.K. and New Zealand.

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