My intentions are always good.

As Thanksgiving draws near every November, I vow that I’ll finish the family Christmas newsletter before the after-Christmas sales have begun. I promise myself I’ll have all the gifts chosen and beautifully wrapped (that means there’s a bow on each one) before Christmas Eve. And I pledge that this year I’ll have practiced a handful of Christmas songs ahead of time so I can confidently join in the holiday festivities with my ukulele at my side.

I can’t help you much with your own newsletter and Christmas shopping, but if you, too, happily anticipate combining Christmas festivities with your favorite little four-stringed instrument, I have some advice for you: Start now to get your fingers in shape for the holiday fun. That way you’ll be comfortable with a variety of ukulele-played tunes by the time the sterile holiday Muzak is filling the malls!

While there are some great “for purchase” ukulele Christmas books out there, the links here will also definitely help you get into the holiday spirit with a variety of songs for ukulele. Consider it an early Christmas stocking stuffer just for you—’cause these are all free! If you have your own favorite ukulele Christmas song collection links to share, add your comment below.

• An Ukulele Christmas Songbook provided by Ray at UKUke with ukulele chord shapes.
• Tablature (aka some “fingerpicking”) by the folks who make Akulele Ukuleles. Scroll down to see “Silent Night,” Away in a Manger,”Carol of the Bells,” “Nutrcracker March” and “Ode to Joy.”
• John King was renowned for his approach to ukulele—he delighted in playing this humble little instrument as if it were as worthy of depth and interest as any of the more “classical” stringed instruments. His ukulele arrangements of classic music and Hawaiian tunes were legendary. Here you can find tablature arrangements of “What Child is This” and “Carol of the Bells,” just in time for the holiday season.
• Not specific to ukuleles, but a variety of Christmas songs with chord names provided by BettyLou. Just play the named chord shape you know for your ukulele.
• Ukulele tablature by Dominator, a good friend who is well-known in the world of ukuleles for his tablature and inspired playing style—and now he’s making ukulele, too! His tablature at this link includes “Christmas Island.”
• A collection of classic Christmas songs, arranged for ukulele by Ron, who describes himself as an “old strummer”–but his arrangements are fresh and fun.
• The Christmas ukulele arrangements in this 34-page PDF book by Jerry Dallal just sound really good to me–and are simple to play and sing. I especially like “In Excelsis Deo.”
• Ukulele chords and arrangements for Christmas songs by the Grand Rapids Organization of Ukulele Players (scroll down a bit). Now be perfectly honest: who in your (ultimately accepting and loving) family wouldn’t like to hear “The Chipmunk Song” played under their Christmas tree on an ukulele this year??? Only a Scrooge would decline a serenade session like that!
• Jump over to Ukulele Boogaloo for some fun holiday ukulele arrangements—from “Christmas in Killarney” to “Santa Baby” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.”
• Ukulele entertainer extraordinaire Ralph Shaw worked with the Vancouver Ukulele Circle to compile a collection titled, ” The Vancouver Ukulele Circle Winter Holiday Songbook.” You’ll find 29 songs, from classic to contemporary in this great PDF.
• Just one Christmas song at this link, but it’s in full tablature and arranged beautifully for the ukulele. Get “The Christmas Song” (aka “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”).
• EZFolk has tablature for “Greensleeves” as well as “Away in a Manger” (for baritone ukulele players, even!).
• Alan, at 4th Peg, enjoys Christmas tunes—and it shows in his collection of holiday songs arranged especially for ukulele; some even feature jazzy arrangements of Vince Guaraldi songs, including “O Tannenbaum” and “Christmas Time is Here.”

Lovely—and simple!—holiday songs arranged for ukulele fingerpicking

If you’re looking to play something a bit different this Christmas season, I’m going to recommend a wonderful resource which has Christmas melodies all tabbed out for “fingerpicking” style. This means the notation shown carries the melody—sometimes “up the neck” even—and it makes for some nice playing for your family and friends in which you don’t have to sing along (especially great for those of us with not-so-wonderful singing voices).

I know it isn’t a “free” resource, but when you purchase it (for the princely sum of $9—heck that’s not even three visits to Starbucks for a fancy coffee), you receive the PDF with the songs and instruction—as well as MP3s of the selections so you can hear what they’re supposed to sound like. If you’re not sure you’ll like that kind of playing, you can listen to the songs online before you buy using the link below.

Again, I recommend this PDF book/music combo highly. If you find you like this style of playing, the author has a few “bundles” of different fingerpicking style songbooks, including Ragtime, National Anthems and even a blues course.

Go here for How to Play Christmas Ukulele.