This classic Christmas song was written by Emmy Köhler (1858-1925), a teacher and composer who used her knack for singable melodies and memorable imagery to create songbooks for children.
Its title is often given in English as “Now a thousand Christmas lights are lit,” and the lyrics speak of love and kindness rather than material possessions.
Written in 1898, it quickly became a classic that was taught in schools and eventually incorporated into the Swedish hymnal in 1986.
In making my arrangement, I couldn’t decide whether to write a high or low harmony part, and eventually recorded it in two keys so that I could do both! Then, I thought about things that felt like warmth and home, and so I incorporated the sound of one of my cats purring at the beginning and end. I hope you find the results as sweet as I did!
If you’d like to play it too, here is sheet music complete with suggested chords (just right-click to save and print the image):
Gilbert Music Studio 