Totally Free 2 & 3-String Holiday Song Tablature (Some Bonus 4-String Tab, Too!)

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas quickly on the way, now’s the time to learn some holiday songs on your 3-string cigar box guitar and 2-string G-Bass.

Everyone loves to gather ‘round with friends and family to enjoy holiday revelling with song and cheer. Why not add your own festive twist to the merriment by learning one or all of the songs linked in this post?

Following are links to download free tablature for both 3-string cigar box guitars tuned GDG and 2-string basses tuned GD, such as the C. B. Gitty G-Bass. If you’re unfamiliar with tablature, fear naught! Here is a clear and concise video that will teach you how to read it. Although the step-by-step tutorial is for 3-string guitars, the principles taught therein equally apply the 2-string G-Bass.

After downloading all this free tab -- which you can print out and take with you to practice anywhere you bring your guitar or bass -- you’ll want to check out our growing library of beautiful self-published song-books, which include the Cigar Box Guitar Christmas Songbook, written by our own Ben “Gitty” Baker. Not only is our Christmas songbook a terrific resource to keep in your workshop, or wherever you keep your cigar box guitars, but it’s also an awesome addition to any cigar box guitars you’ve built as Christmas gifts!

Here now are links to 12 different Christmas tune tabs for both 3-stringers and 2-string G-Basses. Also, keep your eyes peeled for some special 4-string cigar box guitar tablature included with a few of these songs. With this much free tab, it seems Christmas has come early!

Here Comes Santa Claus

The lyrics for Here Comes Santa Claus were written by Gene Autry after he road a horse through a Christma parade and heard the cries of children, “Here comes Santa Claus!” Oakley Haldeman later composed the music for the tune, which Autry recorded in 1947. Like many American Christmas classics, the song has been covered countless times and endures as a favorite among children and adults, alike.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Bonus! 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature (tuned GDGB)

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, and presented to the world in 1944 by Judy Garland, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is a beautiful Christmas holiday song celebrating the present moment spent with loved ones. Story has it that the lyrics origin were about anticipating a better future, but over the years several artists asked writer Hugh Martin for upbeat lyrical revisions, making the song what it is today.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Bonus! 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature (tuned GDGB)

Frosty The Snowman

Written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson, Frosty the Snowman was popularized by the likes of Gene Autry and Jimmy Durante. Although there’s no mention of any holiday in the song, Frosty the Snowman is widely regarded as a Christmas-themed tune. So no matter the occasion, be prepared to surprise and delight friends and family with your rendition of this holiday classic.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Originally written by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker to encourage peace during the Cuban missile crisis, Do You Hear What I Hear? was recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale and released in 1962 on a Christmas album. It’s since been tied to the holiday as a traditional Christmas tune.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Bonus! 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature (tuned GDGB)

Deck The Halls

Based on an old Welsh melody, the English-language lyrics for Deck The Halls were written by Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant. Deck The Halls became a traditional Christmas and yuletide song telling of bountiful food, merriment, and good company.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Auld Lang Syne

Set to an traditional folk tune, Auld Lang Syne is the only one of these holiday tunes that really is geared more towards New Years Eve than it is Christmas. Written by Robert Burns in 1788, the poem Auld Lang Syne asks the question, "Should old acquaintance be forgot... ", urging the audience to remember long-time relationships. No matter the intended occasion, this heartwarming song is a favorite to croon in a crowd of friends and strangers alike, and will sound even better with you on guitar or bass.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Blue Christmas

Perhaps the most famous artist to record this song was none other than the King himself, Mr. Elvis Presley, but a whole cast of other singers and bands have done so as well. Written by Jay W. Johnson and Billy Hayes, Blue Christmas has also been recorded by Johnny Cash, Collective Soul, REO Speedwagon, Kelly Clarkson, Bruce Springsteen and Michael Buble, just to name a few.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Jingle Bells

Although originally written by James Lord Piedmont in 1857 as a Thanksgiving season song, Jingle Bells became widely accepted as a Christmas season tune many years later. Furthermore, Jingle Bells has become one of the most celebrated Christmas season songs the world over.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

Although credit for lyrical and musical composition is in question for this song, what is unquestionable is the childlike wonder Jolly Old Saint Nicholas instills in all who hear it’s melody. Now, with this tablature, you can play along with this Christmas classic on your 3-string cigar box guitar and your 2-string G-Bass.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Little Drummer Boy

Little Drummer Boy, originally titled Carol of the Drum, was written in 1941 by Katherine Kennicott Davis. The popular Christmas song has been covered by many artists since it was first recorded in 1951 and continues to be a favorite among carolers.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Bonus! 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature (tuned GDGB)

O Come All Ye Faithful

This is one of the classic Christian hymns, a great one for belting out with force and conviction when out caroling. While exactly who wrote the lyrics and composed the music is up for debate, it’s undeniable that O Come, All Ye Faithful touches all who hear it, especially around Christmas.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Quite possibly the most well-known Christmas tune, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer was written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Gene Autry in 1949, shooting all the way to number one on the U. S. charts. This jaunty ditty continues to delight Christmas fans of all ages, and you can now learn how to play both the bass line on your 2-string G-Bass and 3-string cigar box guitar!

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature

2-String G-Bass Tablature

Bonus! 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Tablature (tuned GDGB)

That there is enough tablature to keep you busy for a while. And when you're done enjoying all this tab, you're going to love playing the newly learned holiday classics on your 3-string cigar box guitar and 2-string G-Bass. And remember to deck the halls, remember old acquaintances, and have yourself a merry little christmas!