The Hidden Story Behind I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Few Christmas carols carry the weight of history quite like I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It’s a beloved hymn, yes — but did you know its origins are steeped in sorrow, hope, and even the American Civil War? For those who enjoy trivia connecting the literary and the historical, this tale is worth sharing over the holidays.

The carol’s journey begins on Christmas Day in 1863, when the renowned American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow sat down to write a poem titled Christmas Bells. At the time, Longfellow’s life was overshadowed by grief. Just two years earlier, in 1861, his wife, Frances Appleton, tragically died after her dress caught fire. Longfellow himself was injured trying to save her, and her loss left him devastated. To make matters worse, the nation was at war. The Civil War had torn the United States apart, and its horrors weighed heavily on Longfellow’s heart.

Adding to his sorrow, Longfellow’s eldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, had defied his father’s wishes by joining the Union Army. In November of 1863, Charles was severely wounded in battle. While he survived, the injury brought Henry to yet another breaking point. And so, on Christmas morning that same year, as the world outside his window echoed with the sound of church bells celebrating the holiday, Longfellow picked up his pen to wrestle…