Christmas Is Coming

"Christmas Is Coming" is a traditional English nursery rhyme and Christmas song commonly sung as a round by children. Cataloged as number 12817 in the Roud Folk Song Index, the rhyme's origins are obscure, but it first appeared in print around 1885 in collections of folk verses and carols. The rhyme reflects Victorian-era emphasis on Christmas as a time of both plenty and hardship. The line "the goose is getting fat" refers to the traditional English Christmas meal of roast goose, which was a common and affordable holiday food, with the fattening symbolizing the approaching feast. The subsequent lines about putting a penny in the old man's hat underscore the importance of charity during the Christmas season, encouraging donations to support those less fortunate. Author Edith Nesbit Bland (1858-1924), known for children's literature, composed one popular tune for the song in the late 19th century, and The Kingston Trio included it on their 1960s album "The Last Month of the Year."