Christmas songs usually focus on snow, gifts, and family gatherings.

But John Lennon and Yoko Ono had something different in mind. They wanted a holiday track that made people think.

In 1971, they released a song that asked a tricky question: What have you done this year to make the world better? It mixed jingle bells with a protest message.

The result was a Christmas classic that refuses to let listeners get too comfortable. This song challenges us every December.

About the Song

John Lennon and Yoko Ono created this song during a time of global unrest. The couple had been running billboard campaigns with the slogan “War Is Over! If You Want It” across major cities.

They wanted to turn that message into music. The track opens with their children whispering, “Happy Christmas, Kyoko. Happy Christmas, Julian.”

The Harlem Community Choir adds gospel warmth to the recording. Their voices turn a protest into a celebration of hope.

Complete Lyrics of War Is Over (Happy Xmas)

Below are the complete lyrics to “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song opens with a personal message from their children and builds into a powerful chorus that has inspired generations.

Intro

Happy Christmas, Kyoko
Happy Christmas, Julian

Verse 1

So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you had fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

Chorus

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

Verse 2

And so this is Christmas (War is over)
For weak and for strong (If you want it)
The rich and the poor ones (War is over)
The road is so long (Now)
And so happy Christmas (War is over)
For black and for white (If you want it)
For yellow and red ones (War is over)
Let’s stop all the fight (Now)

Chorus

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

Verse 3

And so this is Christmas (War is over)
And what have we done? (If you want it)
Another year over (War is over)
And a new one just begun (Now)
And so happy Christmas (War is over)
We hope you have fun (If you want it)
The near and the dear ones (War is over)
The old and the young (Now)

Chorus

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

Outro

War is over
If you want it
War is over
Now
Happy Christmas (happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (happy Christmas)

Songs Similar to War Is Over

If you love the peace-focused message of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” these songs carry similar themes. Each track combines powerful lyrics with calls for unity and change.

• “Give Peace a Chance” – John Lennon Lennon’s 1969 anthem became a rallying cry for anti-war movements worldwide.
• “Imagine” – John Lennon This 1971 classic asks listeners to envision a world without borders, religion, or war.
• “What’s Going On” – MarvinGaye’s 1971 soul masterpiece questions violence, injustice, and the state of humanity.
• “Blowin’ in the Wind” – Bob Dylan Dylan’s 1963 folk song poses timeless questions about peace, freedom, and human rights.
• “Redemption Song” – Bob Marley Marley’s 1980 acoustic track calls for mental freedom and liberation from oppression.

Artists Similar to John Lennon

If John Lennon’s music speaks to you, these artists share his spirit of innovation and social consciousness. Each brought their own voice to rock, folk, and experimental sounds.

• Paul McCartney
  Genre: Rock, Pop
  Top Album: Band on the Run

• Bob Dylan
  Genre: Folk, Rock
  Top Album: Highway 61 Revisited

• Yoko Ono
  Genre: Avant-garde, Experimental
  Top Album: Double Fantasy

• David Bowie
  Genre: Rock, Pop
  Top Album: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

• The Rolling Stones
  Genre: Rock
  Top Album: Exile on Main St.

Summing It Up

“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” remains powerful more than five decades after its release. The song proves that holiday music can do more than spread cheer.

It can challenge us to think about our role in creating peace. Lennon and Ono gave us a Christmas track that grows more relevant each year.

Every time you hear those opening whispers or the choir’s soaring voices, the message stays clear: war is over if we want it.

What’s your take on this song? Does it belong on your holiday playlist? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And if this track moves you, explore more protest songs that changed music history.