How do you prepare the music for a Christmas show?
First ask how long your slot is and who will run the sound. Then list your excerpts with their start and end, add them in order and set that length as a maximum: MixClap warns you if the medley runs over. For a dance, join the excerpts on the beat or with a clean cut; for a choir, use a cut or a pause. Listen through, download one MP3 and hand it over about two weeks ahead, so everyone rehearses to the final version. Across the 47 Christmas medleys we measured on YouTube, the typical length is 4 min 2 s.
What making it looks like
Three screens: order the excerpts, set the maximum length, download one file.
Order the excerpts: the total length updates as you go. 
Enter the length of your slot: you are warned if the medley runs over. 
Listen to all of it, then download one file.
The medley in 6 steps
From the length you are given to the file you hand over, without editing software.
- 1
Ask for the length and who runs the sound
Every organizer sets their own rule: a school in Spain limits each group to 5 minutes, a dance school in Scotland each routine to 2 minutes. Write down your length, the date of the dress rehearsal and who will start the file.
- 2
Write the list of excerpts
For each song, note where the part you sing or dance starts and ends (for example "0:32 to 1:10"). That way whoever rehearses and whoever builds the file work from the same list. The table further down shows how many excerpts fit.
- 3
Add your files and set the maximum length
Drop your files into MixClap, in order: MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG, OPUS or MP4 video, up to 50 files of 200 MB. Tap the length shown at the bottom of the screen and enter your maximum. If the medley runs over, the figure turns red and the studio says by how much.
- 4
Cut each excerpt
Set the start and end on the waveform and listen. Cut where a phrase starts or a hit lands, never in the middle of a word.
- 5
Choose each join for what happens on stage
The default is an 8-beat crossfade that matches the tempo of the next song. Switch to a clean cut, a crossfade where each song keeps its tempo, a sound effect or a pause of 1 to 30 seconds so a group can change places. A pause counts in the total length.
- 6
Listen, download, hand over
Listen to the whole medley for free: playback pauses every 45 seconds and carries on with one click. When it is ready, download an MP3 at 320 kbps, which plays on any system, or WAV or FLAC if asked, with a clear name such as "Christmas Grade3 3m50.mp3".
How long should a Christmas medley be?
There is no standard: the organizer decides, so ask first. If nobody sets a length, a practical range is 3 min 30 s to 6 minutes.
We measured 47 videos of Christmas medleys published on YouTube (searches in Mexico, Spain, the US, Canada and France, 5 November 2026): the typical one runs 4 min 2 s and half of them last between 3 min 33 s and 5 min 49 s. They come from schools, dance studios, choirs and some professional groups, and a video may include the entrance and the applause, so treat this as an order of magnitude.
| Source | What it covers | Length |
|---|---|---|
| La Salle San Ildefonso (rules, Spain) | Each group | 5 min maximum |
| CEIP Ciudad Encantada (2017 programme, Spain) | 18 items by class | Most start 5 min apart |
| Moray Dance (Scotland, 2026) | Each routine | 2 min maximum |
| Starshine Music (UK) | A whole nativity play | 15 to 20 min at ages 3 to 5; 35 to 50 min at 9 to 11 |
| CEIP César Manrique Cabrera (2025, Spain) | The whole show, 450 pupils | 1 h 30 |
| Dance Parent 101 | Rule of thumb for a dance recital | 5 min per routine, getting on and off stage included |
| 47 medleys on YouTube (MixClap measurement) | One medley | Half between 3:33 and 5:49; typical 4:02 |
How many excerpts fit in your slot?
The arithmetic is simple: each join eats a few seconds. This table uses excerpts of 45 or 30 seconds and 4-second joins, the working values of our calculator for a show, not a standard. A pause adds its own seconds.
For the youngest children, fewer and longer excerpts are better: each change is one more thing to remember. The studio shows the exact length of the file at every step.
| Length | Excerpts of 45 s | Excerpts of 30 s |
|---|---|---|
| 2 min | about 3 | about 4 |
| 3 min | about 4 | about 7 |
| 4 min | about 6 | about 9 |
| 5 min | about 7 | about 11 |
School, dance studio or choir: what changes
One file means nobody touches the sound during the show, but a recorded pause always lasts the same. If applause or stage changes vary, keep one file per group. Each downloaded mix is paid once. These recommendations are our own.
| Show | What to watch | Best join | File |
|---|---|---|---|
| School | Each class has its slot, and stage changes do not always take the same time | Clean cut or pause | One per class, or a single one if everything is timed |
| Dance studio | Dancers rehearse at home with the cut version | On the beat, or a cut on the hit | Sent to families before the last rehearsal |
| Choir | Voices sit on top of the music: the backing must be in the choir’s key, and MixClap does not change the key | Cut or pause: a crossfade blends two keys under the voices | One per carol if the conductor cues each entry |
When should the file be ready?
Before the last rehearsal, not on the day of the show. One US studio (Amazin' Grace) shares its cut music and videos before Thanksgiving for a recital on 13 December, about two and a half weeks ahead. A school in the Canary Islands and a dance school in Scotland rehearse the day before. The French guide for school choirs asks for a dress rehearsal and a check of the equipment.
From those examples, this is the timeline we suggest. It is our proposal, not a rule.
- 3 weeks ahead: the length, who runs the sound, the list of excerpts and the audio files gathered.
- 2 weeks ahead: final version downloaded and sent to everyone rehearsing.
- The day before: a test on the real sound system, during the dress rehearsal.
- On the day: one copy on a USB drive, one on a phone, and the running order printed for whoever runs the sound.
- If something changes at the last minute: keep the source files together. MixClap lets you edit your mix after purchase at no extra cost, using those same files.
Do you need permission to use the music?
It depends on the country and on whether you charge admission. An old carol may be in the public domain; a recent recording or arrangement may not be. MixClap joins your files but gives you no rights to the songs. This is not legal advice.
- US: 17 U.S.C. § 110(4) exempts performances with no commercial purpose and no fee paid to performers, promoters or organizers, if there is no admission charge, or if the proceeds go only to educational, religious or charitable purposes (the copyright owner can object in writing at least 7 days before).
- That clause is about the performance. Posting a video of the show is another use of the music: check it separately.
- Canada, the UK and elsewhere: ask your school or your local rights society (SOCAN, PRS for Music).
Audacity, CapCut or MixClap?
All three can join excerpts. The difference is the time each join takes you, and whether you also need to edit a video.
| Option | Cost | Joins | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audacity | Free, to install | Crossfades you line up by ear | A voice over the music, full control |
| CapCut | Free (Pro features paid) | Cuts and fades by eye on a video timeline | Editing a video too |
| Phone "merge audio" apps | Free with ads | Songs end to end, often abrupt | Trimming a single song |
| MixClap | Free to build and hear; 4.99 € per download (less in some countries) | On the beat, cuts, effects and pauses | Several excerpts under a maximum length, in one file |
Christmas medley questions
How long should a Christmas medley be for a show?
Whatever the organizer says. If nobody sets a length, 3 min 30 s to 6 minutes is the most common: that is the middle half of the 47 medleys we measured on YouTube, with a typical length of 4 min 2 s.
How many carols or songs fit in 4 minutes?
About 6 excerpts of 45 seconds or about 9 of 30 seconds, with 4-second joins. A pause adds its own seconds.
How do I stay within a time limit?
In MixClap, tap the length shown at the bottom of the screen and enter your maximum. If the medley runs over, the figure turns red and the studio says by how much. The length already includes the joins.
One file or one per class?
One file if everything is timed and nobody touches the sound. One per class if the time between classes varies, because a recorded pause always lasts the same. Each downloaded mix is paid once.
Can I add a pupil’s voice or an announcement?
Yes. Record it as audio or video and add it as one more track: MixClap accepts M4A and MP4, and takes the sound from the video.
Does MixClap include carols or Christmas music?
No. MixClap includes no songs: you add your own audio files.
Can I make it on my phone?
MixClap works on phones and tablets, but a computer is recommended: cutting on a waveform and checking each join is much easier on a larger screen.
How much does it cost?
Building the medley and listening to all of it are free. Downloading the file costs 4.99 € per mix in the US, Canada and Europe, 2.49 € in Mexico and most of Latin America, and 1.49 € in the Philippines, India and other lower-price countries, paid once, with no subscription and no account. The studio shows the price for your country before you pay.
Are my songs uploaded anywhere?
The audio is processed in your browser, on your device. To check the quality of mixes, MixClap keeps a private copy of your songs for 30 days at most.
Sources
The lengths and rules on this page come from these pages, read on 5 November 2026. The YouTube measurement is our own.
- Colegio La Salle San Ildefonso — Bases del Festival de Villancicos
- CEIP Ciudad Encantada (Cuenca) — Festival de Navidad 2017
- CEIP César Manrique Cabrera (Canarias) — Gran encuentro navideño 2025
- Moray Dance — Christmas Performance 2026
- Amazin' Grace Dance Studio — Christmas Recital 2025
- Starshine Music — What Is a Nativity Play?
- Dance Parent 101 — Attending dance and ballet recitals
- La chorale à l'école, au collège et au lycée — Annexe 4
- 17 U.S.C. § 110(4) — Cornell Law School
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