Under the heading of opus 1 Sibelius grouped together five Christmas carols for voice and piano, written between 1895 and 1913. Best known of these is Giv mig ej glans, ej guld, ej prakt (We ask for Nothing Rich or Rare, 1909) which exists in various choral arrangements. The song is one of Sibelius' most popular and has been included in many song books as well as the Finnish Psalter.

This version for male choir (TTBB) is written by the composer and is based on the complete critical edition "Jean Sibelius Works "(JSW).