The Meaning of Noel
The word Nowell[1] comes from the French word Noël meaning "Christmas", from the Latin word natalis ("birth"). It may also be from the Gaulish words "noio" or "neu" meaning "new" and "helle" meaning "light" referring to the winter solstice when sunlight begins overtaking darkness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_No%C3%ABl
