Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on Jan 27, 2026
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Do you love the Christmas spirit and look forward to that time of year when you can spot beautiful homes decorated with garlands, ornaments, and Christmas trees? Want to keep the magic alive by playing the melody of the famous song Petit Papa Noël on your kalimba? Look no further! Using official sources, we’ve faithfully created sheet music specifically for the kalimba so you can play this beloved Christmas classic.
The holidays are almost here! It’s time to discover the kalimba sheet music for Petit Papa Noël.
Tune your instrument slightly before playing the melody of Petit Papa Noël
To play the melody of Petit Papa Noël correctly, you’ll need to slightly adjust the tuning of your kalimba compared to a standard C major setup. Specifically, F3 or F4 must be tuned up to F#3 or F#4. If you don’t make this important change, parts of the melody will sound a bit off. In practical terms, you simply need to slide the corresponding tine about 1/16 in (a couple millimeters) toward the bridge. Does that sound complicated, and you’re not sure how to do it? Don’t worry—it’s very simple. Check out our detailed guide on tuning the kalimba. You’ll quickly understand how to do it in just a few minutes. Then you’ll be able to play Petit Papa Noël in the best possible conditions.
Finally, if you’re a beginner and you’re not really sure how to read kalimba sheet music, we recommend quickly reading this article, which will give you all the key elements you need to decode every type of kalimba sheet music or tablature.
Now that you’re ready, let’s dive into the sheet music for Petit Papa Noël without further ado.
Watch this tutorial for Petit Papa Noël on the thumb piano and give yourself the best chance of success
Petit Papa Noël is a beloved French classic, and this step-by-step tutorial shows exactly which tines to play.
And to get you in the Christmas spirit, be sure to listen to Tino Rossi’s famous hit Petit Papa Noël.
Learn Petit Papa Noël with a numbered score for kalimba
If you haven’t studied music theory and you’re looking for a quick, easy way to play the melody of Petit Papa Noël, use this numbered sheet music as your guide—success is guaranteed!
A lettered version of the mbira sheet music for this famous Christmas carol
Some musicians prefer sheet music written with letter names (A, B, C, etc.). It doesn’t change anything compared to the numbered version, and you’ll get exactly the same result. Still, we’ve converted the score for Petit Papa Noël.
Take your playing further with this sanza tablature for Petit Papa Noël
While it takes a bit of music-theory know-how, tablature is great for players who want to improve by learning the length of notes and rests in a melody. Here is the one for Petit Papa Noël for thumb piano.
Sharing, an important concept during the Christmas holidays
There’s no denying that Christmas is a time for sharing and giving. Instruments du Monde is keeping that spirit alive by providing you with a free PDF file containing the sheet music and tablature for the melody Petit Papa Noël. Feel free to send this file to all your friends to share the Christmas spirit with as many people as possible.
Who wrote the song Petit Papa Noël?
The song was first heard in 1944 at the Odéon theater in Marseille. It was sung by Xavier Lemercier and the music was written by Henri Martinet, a French composer and conductor. However, the original lyrics were quite different, describing a child praying to Santa Claus to bring back his father, who was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. Because of the occupation, the song was censored by the authorities.
In 1946, singer Tino Rossi was actively looking for a Christmas song to perform. He ended up choosing the melody of Petit Papa Noël and worked with lyricist Raymond Vincy to change the lyrics, removing all references to the war. The new version was an instant hit and quickly became a cult song in France. Tino Rossi’s single currently holds the sales record with over 5.7 million copies sold, far ahead of "La danse des canards," which ranks second with 3.1 million copies sold.
Who sang Petit Papa Noël?
As we’ve just mentioned, Tino Rossi remains the iconic voice of Petit Papa Noël. Given the song’s enduring popularity, dozens of French artists have also lent their voices to it. Among the best known are Dalida, Claude François, Mireille Mathieu, Chantal Goya, and Henri Dès.
As Tino Rossi’s version gained recognition beyond France’s borders, you can also find foreign singers who have performed "Petit Papa Noël" with the lyrics in French, such as Josh Groban, Mary J. Blige, and the renowned Red Army Choir.
Have a magical Christmas by giving a kalimba as a gift
The Christmas season is always synonymous with celebration and pleasant moments spent with family. What better way to make those moments even more magical than by playing “Petit Papa Noël” on your kalimba? You now have all the sheet music and tablature you need to perform this song beautifully. Enjoy family gatherings by the fireside, delighting kids and adults alike with the sweet sounds of the thumb piano.
However, it’s a safe bet you’ll make a few people jealous with such a musical instrument in your hands. And that’s the perfect opportunity to gift a kalimba to your loved ones. Easy to play, affordable, and delightfully different, the thumb piano makes an ideal present. It’s not always easy to find a trustworthy specialty shop that offers quality instruments. To help you choose, Instruments du Monde lists nearly 200 kalimba models we’re confident will delight their players. For example, check out this adorable 17-tine kalimba shaped like an animal.
Give an original gift and discover this adorable kalimba by clicking on the image below:
Are you a fan of the anime or manga One Piece and have you followed all the adventures of Luffy and his pirate crew? Take a look at our sheet music for the song "Binks' Sake" for thumb piano. Relive the spirit of this fantastic sea shanty, known in French as "Le bon rhum de Binks." This melody is part of our extensive selection of songs for 17-tine kalimbas.
