In 1955, musicologist Laura Boulton presented at Igreja da Estrela, in Lisbon, a program of Portuguese folk music that she recorded on tape during a tour of towns and villages in the central and northern districts. I present below a selection of traditional Christmas songs sung in Tomar and Cinfães, which are riverside municipalities of similar dimensions with stories dating back to Roman times and the medieval Knights Templar. They can be heard on Folkways album no. FP6845. Christmas carols were sung (usually with no accompaniment other than a flute) throughout the twelve days of Christmas, from eve to kings, and singers sometimes wore proper attire.

1. To take

Christmas pine trees

candor light

It’s the present gifts,

Remember the absent ones,

In a hymn of love and happiness

Good night, Gentlemen,

Happy holidays, come to give;

We come to ask you,

Happy holidays, come to give.

We come to ask you,

License to sing.

Now comes to mind

A divine remembrance,

invite our lady

to be our godmother

To be our godmother.

she wants to help us

More Saint Joseph,

Who wants to accompany us.

under a divine sun

This is a cold water tank

where is the god baptized

Son of the Virgin Mary –

Son of the Virgin Mary –

our hand of the heart

Come give alms to the King,

come with all the attention

come with all the attention

not regret

In your afflictions –

only God can help you

1. Cinfãs

We’re here to give you Happy Holidays

to these noble lords

That the Child was already born

in Bethlehem among the shepherds

we walk around here

what we want is money

Come the Wine from the Tonel

Come the smoker meat (representative)

Come the Special Wine

we’re all happy

Going out in general.

enter little shepherds

Through that sacred portal.

I came to see the God Child

In straw receptions.

we saw us lady

On the porches of Belém,

with your boy in your arms

And it looked so good to Him.

Glory be to Joseph

And also Mary’s

What next year, God willing,

We will be back on this day.