Nice folk etymology, Parson, on "Noel < Nowell < Now...well", but the "scientifically valid" version of the history is that Noel is cognate with "Novel" ("Nowell" is just an oddball older English spelling) and means "New(s)" as in "Glad Tidings of Great Joy" as in "Evangel".

Liland

Speaking of Glad Tidings, does anybody have any verses beyond the first of the Fanny Crosby/Robert Lowry Christmas hymn by that title? The hymn is popular in Hawaii, and three verses are commonly printed in the Hawaiian version, but I've never seen more than one verse of it in English. (The Hawaiian title is Nu 'Oli.)