The Holly Bears a Berry - Traditional

The holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
And Mary bore Jesus all wrapped up in silk.
Then let us all rejoice and merry be,
With Holly and Ivy, and other greenery.

The holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And Mary bore Jesus who died on the cross.
Then let us all rejoice and merry be,
With Holly and Ivy, and other greenery.

The holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
And Mary bore Jesus who died for us all.
Then let us all rejoice and merry be,
With Holly and Ivy, and other greenery.

The holly bears a berry as red as the blood,
And Mary bore Jesus who died on the rood.
Then let us all rejoice and merry be,
With Holly and Ivy, and other greenery.

The Holly Bears a Berry lyrics use the evergreen plant to walk through the narrative of the Nativity and the eventual crucifixion. Each part of the holly represents an aspect of the Saviors life such as the white flower for purity and the red berry for the blood of redemption. It is a poignant example of how traditional carols utilized the natural world to teach spiritual truths. By singing The Holly Bears a Berry lyrics participants celebrate the enduring hope of the Gospel which remains evergreen even in the deepest winter of the soul providing a bridge between the cradle and the cross.