Christmas Tunes and Hymns In the Last 100 Years

Last updated on: December 26, 2024 at 2:45 am
December 24, 2024 by
Christmas Tunes and Hymns In the Last 100 Years December 24, 2024

Over a century ago Christmas Music was mostly hymns about the birth of Christ, Mary and Joseph, Angels, Shepherds and Wiseman with a few songs about Santa and riding in a one horse open sleigh, Christmas trees  and Decking some Halls.

Sit down and watch Bing Crosby in White Christmas crooning the title song, among others. Watch The Polar Express and listen for “Silver Bells,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”

I enjoy those songs. But imagine a world without “Silent Night” or “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” without “What Child is This?” or “O Holy Night.” Unthinkable, isn’t it? – The trouble with Christmas movies – Decent Films

I mentioned those classic carols here.

Christmas Tunes And Hymns Before 1925 | A Timeline Of Christmas Songs In The 19th Century Till 1924.

After the 1920’s Christmas music  expanded to include more songs about Santa, reindeer, snowmen, snow, relationships, the holiday itself, some more songs about the Christ child, novelty songs and various other things associated with the Christmas season including many songs sung by Bing Crosby. Is it OK. to sing about Santa at the birth of Christ.

Why should our children not contemplate this mysterious (if almost entirely mythologized) saint, ever unseen but as consistent as clockwork, who loves us so much that he gratuitously brings gifts to the children of the entire world, accomplishing superhuman feats of logistics and undetectable intrusion all in the course of one cold and starry night as we ready ourselves to celebrate the birth of our Heavenly King?

In the blossoming young mind, the almost unbearable excitement of the Santa Claus story, properly cultivated, can’t help but set the stage for the incredible mystery of the Infant Christ, who comes to us as an unmerited gift to grant us every good thing; Whose very blood was shed to show us the great mercy of God and the infinite bounty of heaven. –The Ethics of Jolly Old Elfland, Steve Skojec

It seems as if most recording artists have at least recorded one Christmas song. Here is a list of most of the main ones you hear on the radio and in stores and sing along at Christmas concerts. Some of them you may not have heard of. I may have missed some that should have been included. But I feel rushed like Santa to deliver this by Christmas Eve so it is not as perfected as it should be and some formatting issues will probably be evident throughout. I simply ran out of time to completely fill in a century. But here is what I was able to accomplish.

The descriptions are taken directly from Wikipedia.

Remember…

100 Years Ago

2nd Part of the 1920’s

“Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)” (1925) by Associated Glee Clubs of America. The hymn was first published by John Francis Wade in his collection Cantus Diversi (1751), with four Latin verses, and music set in the traditional square notation used for medieval liturgical music. A recording of it by the Associated Glee Clubs of America Peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1925. This historic record was the first electrically recorded disc to create a popular impact, and featured the largest choir popular music has ever known: some 4,800 voices (according to Columbia Records). Over 150 versions of this standard have appeared in Christmas LPs since 1946.

Wexford Carol  (1928) “The Wexford Carol”, sometimes known by its first verse “Good people all this Christmas time”, is of uncertain origins, and, while it is occasionally claimed to be from the early Middle Ages, it likely was composed in the 15th or 16th century based on its musical and lyrical style. The song achieved a renewed popularity due to the work of William Grattan Flood (1859–1928), who was organist and musical director at St. Aidan’s Cathedral in Enniscorthy. He transcribed the carol from a local singer and had it published in The Oxford Book of Carols (1928), putting Enniscorthy into most carol books around the world.

Good people all, this Christmas timeConsider well and bear in mindWhat our good God for us has doneIn sending his beloved son
With Mary holy we should prayTo God with love this Christmas DayIn Bethlehem upon that mornThere was a blessed Messiah born.

 Santa Claus, That’s Me (1928) is sung by Vernon Dalhart. Vernon was was an American country music singer and songwriter. His recording of the classic ballad “Wreck of the Old 97” was the first country song reputed to have sold one million copies, although sales figures for pre-World War Two recordings are difficult to verify.

Way up above mid the ice and snow where the eyes of no one may beWith my dear little men and mywonderful shop lives oh, Santa Claus, that’s me!I’m building my toys for girlies and boysA labor of love is mineAnd I’m more than repaid for visits I’vemade when children’s eyes dance and shine!As time rolls along with a merry, old song at work I am always foundFor I’m busy each day in a wonderful wayBut when Christmas time comes ’round

⛪ “Silent Night, Holy Night” (1928) by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra with Bing Crosby.

1930’s

“I Wonder as I Wander” (1933) was written by American folklorist and singer John Jacob Niles. The hymn has its origins in a song fragment collected by Niles on July 16, 1933.

I wonder as I wander out under the skyHow jesus, the savior, had come for to dieFor poor on’ry people, like you and like i.I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

It was used in the movie The Ultimate Life (2013)

Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town  (1934)

This is a Christmas song written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra.  When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show in November 1934 it became a hit; within 24 hours, 500,000 copies of sheet music and more than 30,000 records were sold.

The song has been recorded by over 200 artists including

It was used in the movies

  • The Godfather (1972)
  • A Christmas Story (1983)
  • A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
  • Scrooged (1988)
  • Home Alone (1990)
  • It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)
  • Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)
  • The Santa Clause (1994)
  • Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
  • I’ll Be Home For Christmas (1998)
  • Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
  • Elf (2004)
  • The Polar Express (2004)
  • Fred Claus (2007)
  • Shrek the Halls (2007)
  • Merry Madagascar (2009)
  • Arthur Christmas (2011)
  • Wonder (2017)
  • The Grinch (2018)
  • The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
  • Noelle (2019)
  • Pentatonix: Christmas Under the Stars (2021)
  • Family Switch (2023)
  • Red One (2024)
  • Dear Santa (2024)
  • Carry-On (2024)

Rankin-Bass produced Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970) an hour-long animated TV film based on the song, with Fred Astaire narrating the origin of Santa Claus.

Sweet Little Jesus Boy (1934) This is a spiritual Christmas song composed by Robert MacGimsey  The song’s lyrics are retrospective, one person singing for a group of people, collectively asking Jesus for His forgiveness for the way He was treated- from being born in a manger to His crucifixion, with the recurring statement, “We didn’t know who you were” It was on the album Christmas by Rebecca St. James.

Sweet little Jesus boy, born in a mangerSweet little Holy Child, we didn’t know who You were
Long time ago it seems You were bornBorn in a manager Lord, sweet little Jesus boy
Didn’t know You’d come to save us allTo take our sins awayOur eyes were blind, we did not seeWe didn’t know who You were
It was used in the movie Black Nativity(2013)

Winter Wonderland (1934)

This  is a song written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith. Due to its seasonal theme, it is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere. Since its original recording by Richard Himber, it has been covered by over 200 different artists. Its lyrics are about a couple’s romance during the winter season.

Notable Covers of  Winter Wonderland include

It was used in the movies

  • Lake Placid Serenade (1944)
  • Better Off Dead (1985)
  • Rocky V (1990)
  • Elf (2003)
  • The Polar Express (2004)
  • Next Stop Christmas (2011)
  • The Three Kings Vs. Santa (2022)
  • Red One (2024)

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (1976) is a  animated Christmas television special and a standalone sequel to the 1969 special Frosty the Snowman, produced by Rankin/Bass Productions and animated by Topcraft. It is the second television special featuring the character Frosty the Snowman. Andy Griffith is the narrator.

Carol of the Bells  (1936)

This  is a popular Christmas carol, which is based on the Ukrainian New Year’s song “Shchedryk“. The music for the carol comes from the song written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914; the English-language lyrics were written in 1936 by Peter Wilhousky. It has been adapted for musical genres that include classical, heavy metal, jazz, country music, rock, trap, and pop. The music has featured in films and television shows.

Notable Covers of  Carol of the Bells include

It was also used in Die Hard 2 (1990)

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1939)

This is a song by songwriter Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Gene Autry‘s recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949.

Notable Covers of Rudolph include

1940’s

“Carol of the Drum” (“Little Drummer Boy“) (1941)

He was written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. First recorded in 1951 by the Austrian Trapp Family, the song was further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale; the Simeone version was re-released successfully for several years, and the song has been recorded many times since.

The Little Drummer Boy is a stop motion television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, based on the song of the same name. It was first televised in Canada on December 19, 1968, on the CTV Television Network, followed four days later by its American nationwide telecast on NBC. A sequel was broadcast in 1976.

Notable Covers of Little Drummer Boy include

Happy Holiday (1942)

This was introduced by Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds (dubbed by Martha Mears) in the 1942 film Holiday Inn in a scene when the Inn opens for the first time. While it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song, in the film it is performed on New Year’s Eve, and expresses a wish for the listener to enjoy “happy holidays” throughout the entire year. It contains certain melodic material first used in Berlin’s earlier song “Easter Parade“.

White Christmas (1942)

This is a song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. Written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn, the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. Originally sung by Bing Crosby, it topped the Billboard chart for 11 weeks and returned to the number one position again in December 1943 and 1944. His version would return to the top 40 a dozen times in subsequent years.

Since its release, “White Christmas” has been covered by many artists. Crosby’s version is the world’s best-selling single (in terms of sales of physical media), with estimated sales in excess of 50 million physical copies worldwide. When the figures for other versions of the song are added to Crosby’s, sales of the song exceed 100 million.

Notable Covers of “White Christmas”include

I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1943)

I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a Christmas song written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” has since gone on to become a Christmas standard.

The song inspired several movie titles including

I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998) A college student faces an impossible journey when he is left stranded in the desert, thousands of miles from home, with no money and only a few days left until Christmas.- IMDB

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas  (1944)

This  is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in North American cinema.

The Christmas Song (1945)

This is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio first recorded the song in June 1946.

It was used in the movies

  • The Sure Thing (1985)
  • A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
  • Scrooged (1988)
  • The Ref (1994)
  • Jingle All The Way (1996)
  • 101 Dalmatians (1994)
  • Christmas Unwrapped: The Story o Christmas (1997)
  • Catch Me If You Can (2004)
  • Christmas With the Kranks (2004)
  • The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
  • Prep & Landing (2009)
  • The Grinch (2018)
  • The Holdovers (2023)
  • Candy Cane Lane (2023)

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!  (1945)

This  is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, during a heatwave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. The song was first recorded that fall by Vaughn Monroe, was released just after Thanksgiving, and became a hit by Christmas.

Despite the lyrics making no mention of any holiday, the song has come to be regarded as a Christmas song worldwide due to its winter theme, and is often played on radio stations during the Christmas and holiday season, and having often been covered by various artists on Christmas-themed albums.

It was used in the movies

  • Die Hard (1988)
  • Die Hard 2 (1990)
  • While You Were Sleeping (1995)
  • Home Alone 3 (1997)
  • The Family Man (2000)
  • Unaccompanied Minors (2006)
  • Fred Claus (2007)
  • Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011)
  • A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
  • Pentatonix: Christmas Under the Stars (2021)
  • Red One (2024)

The Bells of St. Mary’s  (1945) was sung by   Bing Crosby in the film of the same name. It was first written in 1917.

Notable Covers of  The Bells of St. Mary’s Include

Here Comes Santa Claus (1947)

Gene Autry got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade (now the Hollywood Christmas Parade) in Los Angeles, during which crowds of spectators chanted, “Here comes Santa Claus“. Autry’s lyrics combined two veins of the Christmas tradition, the mythology of Santa Claus and the Christian origin of the holiday (most explicitly in its mention of the nativity promise of “peace on Earth” to those who “follow the light“).

Notable Covers of Here Comes Santa Claus Include

“Merry Christmas, Baby (1947) “Merry Christmas Baby” is an R&B Christmas standard credited to Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. In 1947, Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers recorded the tune, featuring vocals and piano by Charles Brown. Subsequently, many performers have recorded renditions of the song.

Sleigh Ride (1948)

This is a light orchestra standard composed by Leroy Anderson. He formed the idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and finished it in February 1948. Its first performance was by the Boston Pops Orchestra, with Arthur Fiedler conducting, on May 4, 1948. Anderson also made arrangements for wind band and piano. 

The original recordings were instrumental versions: it was first recorded in 1949 by Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

Notable Covers of  Sleigh Ride include

“American Homestead, Winter,” a lithograph by Currier and Ives, 1867. The song’s lyrics refer to a “picture print by Currier and Ives,” whose lithographs were popular in the 19th century.

All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth (1948)

This is a novelty Christmas song written in 1944 by Donald Yetter Gardner while teaching music at public schools in Smithtown, New York. He asked his second grade class what they wanted for Christmas, and noticed that almost all of the students had at least one front tooth missing as they answered in a lisp. Gardner wrote the song in 30 minutes. In a 1995 interview, Gardner said, “I was amazed at the way that silly little song was picked up by the whole country.” The song was published in 1948 after an employee of Witmark music company heard Gardner sing it at a music teachers’ conference.

The song was introduced in 1948 by singing group The Satisfiers on Perry Como‘s radio show, and originally recorded for RCA Victor by Spike Jones and His City Slickers on December 6, 1947, with lead vocal by George Rock. The record reached the top of the pop charts in 1948, and again in 1949. The song has also been recorded by numerous other singers and performers,

Baby, It’s Cold Outside (1948)

This is a popular song written by Frank Loesser in 1944 and popularized in the 1949 film Neptune’s Daughter.

While the lyrics make no mention of a holiday, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song owing to its winter theme. The song was released in eight recordings in 1949—including well-known versions by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan, Hot Lips Page and Pearl Bailey, and by Dean Martin and Marilyn Maxwell—and has been covered numerous times since. It was featured in Elf (2003) between Buddy and Jovie.

  Baby, It’s Cold Outside sung by  She & Him (20120

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (1949)  is a popular song written in 1947 by Frank Loesser as an independent song. It was first recorded by Margaret Whiting in 1947 and first charted for The Orioles, peaking at No. 9 on Billboard‘s Best-Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues chart in December 1949.

Although it is typically performed in December, that was not the composer’s intent. In A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life, his daughter Susan Loesser explains that “the singer, madly in love, is making a (possibly rash) commitment far into the future. (“Maybe it’s much too early in the game. Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same – What are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve?”) It always annoyed my father when the song was sung during the holidays”.

When the bells all ring and the horns all blowAnd the couples we know are fondly kissingWill I be with you or will I be among the missing?
Maybe it’s much too early in the gameAh, but I thought I’d ask you just the sameWhat are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s eve?

75 Years Ago

1950’s

Christmas in Killarney  (1950)

This is an Irish-American Christmas song written by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon, copyright 1950. This song has been performed by many artists. Two recordings made the Billboard retail chart in 1950: Dennis Day‘s version peaked at #10, while Percy Faith‘s reached #28. Most notably Bing Crosby, recorded it on 1 October 1951, and later included it on the 12-inch LP Merry Christmas. Other recording artists include Ruby Murray (1962), Bobby Vinton (1964), Joan Morrissey (1974), Anne Murray (1988), the Irish Rovers (2002), Neil Diamond on his Acoustic Christmas album (2016).

Frosty the Snowman (1950)

This is a song written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950 and later recorded by Jimmy Durante in that year. It was written after the success of Autry’s recording of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” the previous year. Rollins and Nelson shopped the new song to Autry, who recorded “Frosty” in search of another seasonal hit. Like “Rudolph”, “Frosty” was subsequently adapted to other media including a popular television special.

Frosty the Snowman (1969)  is a American animated Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. It is the first television special featuring the character Frosty the Snowman.

Notable Covers of  Frosty the Snowman include

Silver Bells (1950)

It debuted in the motion picture The Lemon Drop Kid (1951), where it was started by William Frawley, then sung in the generally known version immediately thereafter by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. The first recorded version was by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards on September 8, 1950, with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and the Lee Gordon Singers. The record was released by Decca Records in October 1950. When the recording became popular, Hope and Maxwell were called back in late 1950 to re-shoot a more elaborate production of the song.

 A Marshmallow World (1950)

This written by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose; released by Bing Crosby (backed by The Lee Gordon Singers and the Sonny Burke Orchestra).

Notable Covers of A Marshmallow World include

“Marshmallow World” (2017 )Francesca Battistelli

“Mele Kalikimaka“ (1950)

This written in 1949 by R. Alex Anderson; released by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters as a single (with “Poppa Santa Claus” on the reverse side). The title is the closest approximation of the pronunciation of “Merry Christmas” possible in the Hawaiian language.

Anderson recalled the inspiration for writing the song in 1949 while working at Vonn Hamm-Young:

Well, I’ll tell ya, a stenographer in our office, this was just before Christmas, and we are all leaving (5 o’clock), and she was next to me and she said, “Mr. Anderson, how come there’s no Hawaiian Christmas songs?” She said, “they take all the hymns and they put Hawaiian words to the hymns, but there’s no original melody.” Well, that spurred me right away – I thought, “what a good idea!” I thought this over, and over a period of a few days this came into my head, put it down on paper, and I’ve been singing it ever since.

The Song was used in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

“Suzy Snowflake” (1951) written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett; released by Rosemary Clooney as a 78 RPM record through Columbia Records. A cartoon short based on the song was made in 1953 by Centaur Productions, with stop-motion animation created by Wah Ming Chang.[2] It is annually shown during the Christmas season on WGN-TV in Chicago and WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, along with another production by Centaur, Hardrock, Coco and Joe and an early UPA version of Frosty the Snowman.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (1951)

The song has become a standard recorded by many artists. It was first a hit for Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra on September 18, 1951, released on RCA Victor as 47-4314 (45 rpm) and 20-4314 (78 rpm). Bing Crosby recorded a version on October 1, 1951 on Decca Records, which was also popular.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (TV Movie 2019) When a New England Christmas decorating competition searches for the town with the most Christmas spirit, the mayors of East and West Riverton go all out to get their towns to the top of the holiday heap.- IMDB

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (1952)

This is a Christmas song with music and lyrics by British songwriter Tommie Connor and first recorded by American singer Jimmy Boyd in 1952. The song has since been covered by many artists.

Notable Covers of a I Saw Mommy include

Santa Baby (1952)

It  is a song performed by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra and originally released in 1953. The song was written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, who also used the pseudonym Tony Springer in an attempt to speed up the song’s publishing process. Lyrically, the song is a tongue-in-cheek look at a Christmas list addressed to Santa Claus by a woman who wants extravagant gifts such as sables, yachts, and decorations from Tiffany, which become increasingly laced with innuendo and the implication that the woman has a crush on Santa.

Music critics gave mixed reviews to the single, with some calling it too suggestive for a holiday-themed song. Springer was initially dissatisfied with “Santa Baby” and called it one of his weakest works. It has since been included on lists of both the best and worst Christmas songs ever written.

“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (1953)

This is a Christmas novelty song written by John Rox (1907–1957) and performed by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey.

Publicity photo of Gayla Peevey in 1953

In October 1953, Peevey performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show in an episode that would air on November 15, 1953.

A popular legend holds that this 1953 hit had been recorded as a fundraiser to bring the city zoo a hippo, but in a 2007 radio interview with Detroit-based WNIC radio station, Peevey clarified that the song was not originally recorded as a fundraiser. Instead, the Oklahoma City Zoo and a local newspaper, picking up on the popularity of the song and Peevey’s local roots, launched the Gayla Peevey hippo fund so Peevey could be presented with an actual hippopotamus on Christmas.

The campaign succeeded, and she was presented with an actual hippopotamus, which – as had been planned all along – she donated to the city zoo. The hippopotamus lived for nearly 50 years. In 2017, Peevey, then 73 years old, was again present when the Oklahoma City Zoo acquired a rare pygmy hippopotamus from the San Diego Zoo.

In a 2010 interview, Peevey said that she had never received any royalties from the song. By 2016, however, she had discovered that there was an account under her name with Sony Music from which she could claim royalties and she was also getting revenue for the song through iTunes.

(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays (1954)

This is a 1954 song commonly associated with the Christmas and holiday season. The lyrics detail the joys of being in your home community during the holidays and give examples of how some people will travel long distances to be with their loved ones. The music was composed by Robert Allen, with the lyrics written by Al Stillman.

The best-known recordings of “Home for the Holidays” were made by Perry Como, who recorded the song twice, both times accompanied by Mitchell Ayres‘ Orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers.

Jingle Bells (1955)  The 1955 novelty version by Don Charles & The Singing Dogs made the Billboard special Christmas singles chart in 1971–1973, 1983 and 1984 peaking at #1 in 1972. Initially released as the b-side to “Oh! Susanna” which peaked at #22 on Billboard’s Top 100 in 1955.

Top row: Pussy, Pearl, Dolly
Bottom row: King, Caesar

Nuttin’ for Christmas (1955)

It is a novelty Christmas song written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett. It became a hit during the 1955 holiday season when it appeared in Billboard’s pop charts by five other artists. The highest-charting of the five recordings was released by Art Mooney and His Orchestra, with six-year-old Barry Gordon as lead vocalist. This version peaked at No. 6 and became a million-seller.

Children, Go Where I Send Thee is sung by  Tennessee Ernie Ford  (Dec 20, 1956) is a traditional African-American spiritual song.  Among the many different versions of the song, a defining feature is the cumulative structure, with each number (typically up to 12 or 10) accompanied by a biblical reference. Today, many Americans know it as a Christmas carol.

“Mary’s Boy Child” (1956)

This was written by Jester Hairston.  It is widely performed as a Christmas carol.  Harry Belafonte heard the song being performed by the choir and sought permission to record it. It was recorded in 1956 and released as a single that year. Belafonte released it again the following year in 1957 on his album An Evening with Belafonte, using a different, longer take.

Jingle Bell Rock (1957)

Jingle Bell Rock” has been performed by many, but Helms’ first version from 1957 produced by Paul Cohen is arguably the best known. The song’s title and some of its lyrics are an extension of the old Christmas standard, “Jingle Bells“. It makes brief references to other popular songs of the 1950s, such as “Rock Around the Clock“, and mentions going to a “Jingle hop”

Blue Christmas (1957)

“Blue Christmas” is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson and most famously recorded by Elvis Presley, although it was first recorded by Doye O’Dell in 1948. It is a tale of unrequited love during the holidays and is a longstanding staple of Christmas music, especially in the country genre.

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) (1958)

This is a novelty Christmas song written and recorded by Ross Bagdasarian (under the stage name of David Seville). Bagdasarian sang the song, varying the tape speeds to produce high-pitched “chipmunk” voices, with the vocals credited to Alvin and the Chipmunks, Seville’s cartoon virtual band[1] and later media franchise.[2] The song was nominated for Record of the Year in the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, where it also won three Awards.

After the success of “Witch Doctor” in early 1958, Liberty Records asked Bagdasarian to create another successful novelty record. He then came up with three singing chipmunks named after Liberty Records executives. In the song, the chipmunks Alvin, Simon, and Theodore express their lack of patience for the arrival of Christmas Day. “The Chipmunk Song” has been a staple on the Billboard charts and saved Liberty Records from near-bankruptcy. It has been featured in many movies and television shows, including a prominent appearance in the successful 2007 live-action film Alvin and the Chipmunks. The song helped launch the multimillion-dollar Alvin and the Chipmunks brand and has been ranked by Billboard and The New York Times as one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (1958)

This is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song’s 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee’s original version had sold over 15 million copies around the world with the 4th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single.  In 2019, Lee’s recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[5] In November 2023, Lee released a music video for the song, and in December, the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking Lee’s third number-one single and making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100 at age 78, later breaking the record once again one week later at the age of 79. The song also set the record for the longest period of time between an original release and its topping the Hot 100 (65 years), as well as the longest time between number-one singles by an artist: 63 years, one month and two weeks.

“Run Rudolph Run“(1958)

This was written by Chuck Berry (though Johnny Marks successfully took songwriting credit on derivative work grounds in a lawsuit), released as a single on Chess Records.

¿Dónde Está Santa Claus? (Where Is Santa Claus?) (1958) (Spanish for Where Is Santa Claus?) is a 1958 novelty Christmas song written by George Scheck, Rod Parker, and Al Greiner and performed by Augie Rios.

¿Mamacita, donde esta Santa Claus?¿Donde esta Santa ClausAnd the toys that he will leave?¿Mamacita (ooh), oh, where is Santa Claus? (Ohh)
I look for him because (ooh) it’s a Christmas Eve (ooh)
I know that I should be the sleepingBut maybe he’s not far awaySo, out of the window I’m peepingHoping to see him in his sleigh (ooh)

1960’s

“Dominick the Donkey” (1960) written by Ray Allen, Wandra Merrell, and Sam Saltzberg; recorded by Lou Monte on Roulette Records. The song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus bring presents (“made in Brooklyn“) to children in Italy “because the reindeer cannot climb” Italy’s hills.

“Please Come Home for Christmas” (1960) written by Charles Brown and Gene Redd; released by Brown on Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs (since becoming associated with the Eagles‘ 1978 cover).

“Blue Holiday“( 1961)recorded by The Shirelles. The song was featured in The Santa Clause 2.

“Little Altar Boy (1961): With the Hank Levine orchestra. Charted again in 1965.  Not explicitly a Christmas song, its inclusion on Christmas albums by Jack Jones, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell and (posthumously) the Carpenters established it as a Christmas song.

Little altar boy, I wonder could you pray for me?Little altar boy, for I have gone astrayWhat must I do to be holy like you?Little altar boy, oh, let me hear you pray

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” (1962)

With lyrics by Noël Regney and music by Gloria Shayne. The pair, married at the time, wrote it as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Regney had been invited by a record producer to write a Christmas song, but he was hesitant due to the commercialism of Christmas. It has sold tens of millions of copies and has been covered by hundreds of artists.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” was released shortly after Thanksgiving in 1962. The song was originally recorded for Mercury Records by the Harry Simeone Chorale, a group that had also popularized “The Little Drummer Boy“, and released as part of the album The Wonderful Songs of Christmas with the Harry Simeone Chorale. As a 45 rpm single, it went on to sell more than a quarter-million copies during the 1962 Christmas holiday season.

The song was used in the movie Gremlins (1984)

Bing Crosby made the song into a hit when he recorded his own version of it on October 21, 1963, with the record being released as a single on October 26. Crosby also performed the song on a Bob Hope Christmas television special on December 13 of that year. Over the years, Crosby’s recording of the song has been widely played on the radio and has been available on numerous compilation Christmas albums and compact discs put out by Capitol Records.

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (1963)

This written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry with Phil Spector; released by Darlene Love on A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

The Song was used in the movie Gremlins (1984)

Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1963) is sung by The Crystals on A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. It was originally written as an instrumental musical character piece, in the form of a popular jaunty march, written by German composer Leon Jessel, in 1897. A Betty Boop cartoon, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, was created with the music in 1933. Also in 1933, The Rockettes began annually performing their own choreographed version of the piece, based on Balieff’s original, in their Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The melody was also used in the Disney cartoon Polar Trappers (1938) to accompany a scene where penguins march behind Donald Duck as he tries to lure them to a trap.

An Old Christmas Card (1963) sung by Jim Reeves. From the album Twelve Songs of Christmas. Reached the Music Vendor Christmas chart the same year.

There’s an old Christmas card in an old dusty trunkAnd it brings back sweet mem’ries dear to meThough it’s faded and worn, it’s as precious as the mornWhen I found it ‘neath our first Christmas tree
I thrill with every word, every lineGuess I’m always sentimental ’round this timePardon me if a tear falls among my Christmas cheerIt’s the mem’ry of an old Christmas card

The Marvelous Toy (1963) Originally sung by the Chad Mitchell Trio and written by Tom Paxton. Peter, Paul & Mary released a version in 1969. A folk favorite, also recorded by The Irish Rovers and John Denver.

When I was just a wee little ladFull of health and joyMy father homeward came one nightAnd gave to me a toy
A wonder to behold it wasWith many colors brightAnd the moment I laid eyes on itIt became my heart’s delight
It went “Zip” when it movedAnd “Bop” when it stoppedAnd “Whirrr” when it stood stillI never knew just what it was and I guess I never will

A’ Soalin (1963) Peaked at #15 on Billboard’s Christmas Charts 12/28/1963. From the album Moving. Written by Paul Stookey, Tracy Batteste & Elaina Mezzetti. Contains an element of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen“.

Órla Fallon (2020) Did This Modern Version.
Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus, a soal cake
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (1963)

This is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album. However, the song was not released as a promotional single by Williams’ record label (Columbia Records) that year, as they instead opted to promote his cover of “White Christmas” as the official promo single from the album. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” has consistently made it onto pop singles charts around the world in the 2010s and 2020s. It peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 2020 and at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021.

“Little Saint Nick” (1963)

This written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love; released by the Beach Boys as a single and included on The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album in 1964.

“Pretty Paper” (1963) by Willie Nelson; sung by Roy Orbison. Nelson had a hit with his own song in 1978.

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blueWrap your presents to your darling from youPretty pencils to write “I love you”Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue

Amen (1964): Sung by The Impressions and the song featured in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field.

A Holly Jolly Christmas (1964/65)

This was written by Johnny Marks in 1962. It was the title song of The Quinto Sisters’ first album, Holly Jolly Christmas, recorded in June 1964 for Columbia Records, featuring guitarist Al Caiola with arrangements by Frank Hunter and Marty Manning.

The song was featured in the 1964 Rankin-Bass Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special), in which Burl Ives voiced the narrator, Sam the Snowman. Originally to be sung by Larry D. Mann as Yukon Cornelius, the song, as well as “Silver and Gold“, was given to Ives due to his singing fame. This version was also included on the soundtrack album.

The song’s enduring popularity is evidenced by its reaching No. 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1998, as well as No. 21 on the U.S. Country Digital Songs chart and No. 5 on the Holiday 100 chart in 2011. The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 2017, after rules on chart eligibility for older songs had been relaxed several years before, and reached a peak of No. 38. 

Cantares de Navidad is sung by the Billos Caracas Boys – Classic 1965 recording from Venezuela.

Navidad que vuelve
Christmas coming back
Tradición del año
Tradition of the Year
Unos van alegres
Some go cheerful
Y otro van llorando
And another one they’re crying
Hay quien tiene todo
Some have everything
Todo lo que quiere
Everything you want
Y sus navidades siempre son alegres
And your Christmas is always joyful
Hay otros muy pobres
There are other very poor

 “Christmas Time Is Here” (1965)

This written for A Charlie Brown Christmas animated TV special; harmonized by the choir of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael, California.

“My Favorite Things”  (1965)

This written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein for the 1959 musical, The Sound of Music; recorded by Diana Ross and the Supremes on Merry Christmas. Their version was featured in the 2018 Christmas film of The Grinch soundtrack.

In the original Broadway production, the song was introduced by Mary Martin playing Maria and Patricia Neway playing Mother Abbess. Julie Andrews, who had first performed the song in a 1961 Christmas special for The Garry Moore Show, reprised My Favorite Things in 1965 when she starred as Maria in the film version of the musical.

The list of favorite things mentions many holiday and winter time imagery including kettles, warm mittens, packages, sleigh bells, kittens, snowflakes, and silver white winters. The song has become a holiday staple on radio and in advertising.

Someday at Christmas (1966)

This is the eighth studio album by Stevie Wonder, first released on November 27, 1967 by Motown Records under its Tamla imprint. Produced by Henry Cosby, it marked Wonder’s first Christmas album. Someday at Christmas consists of twelve tracks, featuring four cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, as well as eight original songs, chiefly penned by Ron Miller along with his wife Aurora as well as Bryan and Deborah Wells, including its title track and “What Christmas Means to Me“. “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” had been included two years earlier on The Supremes‘ Christmas album Merry Christmas.

Someday at Christmas men won’t be boysPlaying with bombs like kids play with toysOne warm December our hearts will seeA world where men are free
Someday at Christmas there’ll be no warsWhen we have learned what Christmas is forWhen we have found what life’s really worthThere’ll be peace on earth

“We Need a Little Christmas“ (1966)

This written by Jerry Herman for the Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production; popularly covered by Percy Faith & His Orchestra on Christmas Is… Percy Faith.

 We Need A Little Christmas (2020) sung by Pentatonix

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (1966)

This is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 animated special Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The lyrics were written by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft. The soundtrack to the special won the Grammy Award for Best Album for Children at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards.

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Christmas Time (Is Here Again) (1967)  is a Christmas song by the English rock band the Beatles, originally recorded for their fifth fan club Christmas record, Christmas Time Is Here Again! (1967). One of the few Beatles songs credited to all four members of the band, it consists of a blues based backing track as well as double-tracked vocals sung by them, George Martin and Victor Spinetti. The lyrics are mostly made up of the song’s title refrain, repeated across nine verses.

This is Paul McCartney here. I’d just like to wish you everything you’d wish yourself for Christmas
This is John Lennon saying, on behalf of The Beatles, have a very Happy Christmas and a good New Year
George Harrison speaking. I’d like to take this opportunity of wishing you a very Merry Christmas, listeners everywhere
This is Ringo Starr, and I’d just like to say Merry Christmas and a really happy New Year to all listeners

Old Toy Trains (1967) is a Christmas song written and originally recorded by American musician Roger Miller. It was released in late 1967 as a single for Smash Records. Since the original recording, the song has also been covered by various other artists including Miller’s son Dean Miller (for whom the song was written), as well as Toby Keith.

Old toy trains, little toy tracksLittle boy toys comin’ from a sackCarried by a man dressed in white and redLittle boy, don’t you think it’s time you were in bed?

Snoopy’s Christmas (1967)

This is a song by The Royal Guardsmen which appears on the album Snoopy and His Friends (1967). The song references the 1914 “Christmas truce” of World War I which was initiated not by German and British commanders, but by the soldiers themselves.

1970’s

Feliz Navidad (1970)

This is a Christmas song written and first recorded   by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple, heartfelt lyrics—the traditional Spanish Christmas/New Year greeting “Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad” (“Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness”), followed by text in English words “I wanna wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart”—, it has become a Christmas classic and has gained popularity around the world.

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) (1971)

This is a Christmas song released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. It was the seventh single released by John Lennon outside his work with the Beatles.

If We Make It Through December (1973) This is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Merle Haggard and the Strangers. It was released in October 1973 as the lead single from the album Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present, and was the title track on a non-Christmas album four months later. In the years since its release, “If We Make It Through December” — which, in addition to its Christmas motif, also uses themes of unemployment and loneliness — has become one of the trademark songs of Haggard’s career.

Step into Christmas (1973)

This is a Christmas song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John.

The Heat Miser Song( 1974)

This is from the Rankin/Bass Productions  stop-motion animated Christmas television special The Year Without a Santa Claus.

50 Years Ago

Light of the Stable (1975): Featuring backing vocals by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young.

“Christmas Medley” (2) (1976) is sung by The Salsoul Orchestra. A 12-minute, 8-second disco medley of holiday songs performed by the backing band for Salsoul Records, containing the songs: “Joy To The World”/”Deck The Halls”/”O Come All Ye Faithful”/”Jingle Bells”/”Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”/”Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”/”The Christmas Song”/”White Christmas”/”Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”/”I’ll Be Home For Christmas”/”Winter Wonderland”/”The First Noël”/”We Wish You A Merry Christmas”. The B-side of the single was “New Year’s Medley”, a 7-minute, 17-second medley of new year’s-related songs.

“Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy“ (1977)

“The Little Drummer Boy” written in 1941 by Katherine Kennicott Davis; “Peace on Earth” written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan; medley recorded by David Bowie and Bing Crosby for the television special, Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas. (Bowie single released 1982.) The duet was one of Crosby’s final recordings before his death in October 1977. Elvis also died in 1977 along with a whole lot of other famous celebrities including Groucho Marx and Charlie Chaplin.

It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve (1977) is a song recorded by Barry Manilow and written by Manilow with Marty Panzer.[1] It was followed by the single “Can’t Smile Without You“.

… Don’t look so sad,It’s not so bad you know.It’s just another night,That’s all it is, it’s not the first,
… It’s not the worst you know,We’ve come through all the rest,We’ll get through this.We’ve made mistakes,
… But we’ve made good friends too.Remember all the nights we spent with them?And all our plans,Who says they can’t come true?
… Tonight’s another chance to start again.
It’s just another New Year’s Eve,Another night like all the rest.It’s just another New Year’s Eve,

“Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord“ (1978)

This written by Jester Hairston in 1956 with new song by Frank Farian, Fred Jay, and Hela Lorin; medley released by Boney M as a single.

“Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”  (1979)

This written by Randy Brooks; released by Elmo & Patsy as a single (with “Christmas” on B-side). Edison Media Research and Pinnacle Media Worldwide independently surveyed radio listeners on which Christmas songs they like and dislike. In both surveys, results of which were reported in 2007, the only song that reached the top of both liked and disliked lists was “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Its “loved” ratings in the Edison and Pinnacle polls were relatively high—47 and 32 percent, respectively—but so were the “hate” or “dislike” ratings—17 and 22 percent.

Wonderful Christmastime (1979)

This is a Christmas song by English musician Paul McCartney.

The Peace Carol (1979) is sung on John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together 

1980’s

“It Must Have Been The Mistletoe (Our First Christmas)” (1980) written by Doug Konecky and Justin Wilde; released by Barbara Mandrell on Christmas at Our House.

Christmas in the Stars  (1980) is a record album produced in 1980 by RSO Records. It features recordings of Star Wars-themed Christmas songs and stories about a droid factory where the robots make toys year-round for “S. Claus“.

Much of the album is sung and narrated by British actor Anthony Daniels, reprising his role as C-3PO from the Star Wars films, and written by composer-lyricist Maury Yeston. Sound designer Ben Burtt also provided sound effects for R2-D2 and Chewbacca.

  1. “Christmas in the Stars” – 3:17
  2. “Bells, Bells, Bells” – 3:15
  3. “The Odds Against Christmas” – 3:04
  4. “What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)” – 3:24
  5. “R2D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas” – 3:16
  6. “Sleigh Ride” – 3:36
  7. “Merry, Merry Christmas” – 2:09
  8. “A Christmas Sighting (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas)” – 3:43
  9. “The Meaning of Christmas” – 8:08

“Christmas Wrapping” (1981)

This written by Chris Butler; released by The Waitresses as a single (with “Christmas Fever” by Charlelie Couture on B-side). Also included in a Christmas compilation album.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – [1981] is sung by Bob & Doug McKenzie

Heirlooms (1983) sung by Amy Grant on her A Christmas Album

Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1984)

This is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of popular British and Irish musical acts. It was recorded in a single day at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, in November 1984.

Last Christmas (1984)

This is a song by British pop duo Wham!. Written and produced by George Michael.

Thank God It’s Christmas (1984) is a Christmas single by the British rock band Queen.

Christmas at Ground Zero (1986) is an original song by “Weird Al” Yankovic, the tenth and final track on his 1986 album, Polka Party! and the final single from the album, released just in time for the 1986 Christmas season. The song is a style parody of Phil Spector-produced Christmas songs.

Light One Candle (1986)

“Light One Candle” is a song by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. It is a popular Hanukkah song. Peter, Paul, and Mary performed the song in concerts starting in 1982, before recording it for their 1986 studio album No Easy Walk to Freedom. The lyrics commemorate the war of national liberation fought by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Greek empire from 167 to 141 BCE, a war described in the Books of the Maccabees and commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

“Christmas in Hollis” (1988)

This was written by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell; released by Run D.M.C. on two Christmas compilation albums: A Very Special Christmas and Christmas Rap, and as a single (with “Peter Piper” on B-side).

It was used in Die Hard (1988)

Fairytale of New York (1987)  is a song written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan and recorded by their London-based band the Pogues, featuring English singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl on vocals. The song is an Irish folk-style ballad and was written as a duet, with the Pogues’ singer MacGowan taking the role of the male character and MacColl playing the female character. It was originally released as a single on 23 November 1987 and later featured on the Pogues’ 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God.

Put a Little Love in Your Heart  (1988) “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” is a song originally performed in 1969 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. Annie Lennox and Al Green recorded a version that was released as the ending theme song to the  film Scrooged (1988).

‘Christmas 1915′  (1988) is sung by  Celtic Thunder.

Remember Me at Christmas (1988) sung by the Wolfe Tones

The Twelve Pains of Christmas (1988) on Twisted Christmas sung by Bob Rivers‘ Comedy Corp. This is a parody of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and it is sung as a normal Christmas carol, with each verse comedically recited by a participant in a painful activity.

This One’s for the Children (1989) is a  single by New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg. Taken from the group’s holiday album, Merry, Merry Christmas, the single peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1990, and number 9 on the UK Singles Chart 11 months later.

1990’s

“Grown-Up Christmas List“, (1990) written by David Foster, Linda Thompson-Jenner, and Amy Grant; released by David Foster with Natalie Cole for his album River of Love (with a 1992 version by Amy Grant).

Yo Ho Ho! (Forefront Records, 1990)  The Christian Hip-hop Christmas Album You Never Knew About! | The I’m Clifford Today Show #62

Mary, Did You Know?  (1991)

This written by Mark Lowry in 1985, and music written by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991.

I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary. You know, “What was it like raising God?” “What did you know?” “What didn’t you know?”- Mark Lowery

Lutheran clergyman Timothy Koch states that criticism of the song is unwarranted because Mary, Did You Know? is simply poetry using rhetorical questions and that it is “actually communicating to the singer and hearer the truths about Jesus”, including doctrines of salvation, homoousious, and the theotokos.

The song appeared on the The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs Soundtrack (2006) and in the movie The Star.

Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) by Amy Grant (1992)

Amy Grant wrote a book titled Breath of Heaven in 2001 based on this song. She wrote in the release of the book that she considers the intimate nature of this tune has transformed it into a prayer. She explained: “It is a prayer that fits a lot of people” circumstances, because it is a cry of mercy. Some nights on stage I can hardly get through the song for knowing all of the collective, unspoken pain of the lives in front of me. And so the words become my prayer for the listener and the reader, as well as the singer.”- Song Facts
The song appeared on the The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs Soundtrack (2006) and in the movie The Star.

 Christmas Eve  (1993) 山下達郎 (Tatsuro Yamashita) is Track 13 on Season’s Greetings .

All alone I watch the quiet rain
Wonder if it’s going to snow again
Silent night
Holy night

I was praying you’d be here with me
But Christmas Eve ain’t what it used to be
Silent night
Holy night

All I Want for Christmas Is You (1994)

This is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fourth studio album and first holiday album, Merry Christmas (1994).

She wrote and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. It was released as the lead single from the album on October 29, 1994, by Columbia Records. The track is an uptempo love song that includes bell chimes, backing vocals, and synthesizers. It has received critical acclaim, with The New Yorker describing it as “one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon”. The song has become a Christmas standard, with a significant rise in popularity every December. The song has been listed as the most “grating” or “annoying” for shoppers and retail clerks to hear repeatedly.

All I Want for Christmas Is You (Video 2017) Young Mariah Carey wishes for a puppy in time for Christmas.- IMDb

“The Chanukah Song“  (1994)

This written by Adam Sandler, Lewis Morton, and Ian Maxtone-Graham; originally performed by Sandler on Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update segment on December 3, 1994. Released as a single by Sandler in 1995 from What the Hell Happened to Me?.

Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (1995)

This is an instrumental medley of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Shchedryk” (the melody of which has been used for “Carol of the Bells“), first released on the Savatage album Dead Winter Dead in 1995 as “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24).” It was re-released by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a side project of several Savatage members, on their 1996 debut album Christmas Eve and Other Stories. The piece describes a lone cello player (based on Vedran Smailović) playing a forgotten Christmas carol in war-torn Sarajevo.

It was used in the movie Christmas Bells Are Ringing (TV Movie 2018) A freelance photographer, on her way to Cape Cod to celebrate her father’s Christmas Eve wedding, enlists the help of an old childhood friend to meet a deadline for a big Christmas spread that could ignite her career.- IMDb

Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs (1995) is a Christmas album by Australian comedy duo Colin Buchanan and Greg Champion as Bucko and Champs. Released in 1995, it peaked at number 39 in December 1997 and was certified gold. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1996, the album was nominated for Best Comedy

“Oh, Santa!” (1996)

A Veggie Tales Silly Song on Veggie Tales #6 The Toy That Saved Christmas.

One Small Child (1997) sung by Rebecca St. James. Originally written and sung by David Meece (1990)

Christmas Canon (1998) is a Christmas song by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) from their 1998 album The Christmas Attic.

The song is set to the tune of Johann Pachelbel‘s Canon in D Major with new lyrics added. The style is a departure from TSO’s usual rock arrangements, instead being performed in the style of a children’s choir with light accompaniment from piano and strings. The group would later create a rock version of the song, entitled “Christmas Canon Rock” with Jennifer Cella on lead vocals, which debuted on their 2004 album The Lost Christmas Eve.

It was used in the movie Instant Family (2018) A couple find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.- IMDb

Early Christmas Morning (1998) is a song by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper, from her sixth studio album and first Christmas album, Merry Christmas…Have a Nice Life (1998). Written by Lauper along with Jan Pulsford in 1996. It was only officially released in Japan.

Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake (1999) sung by the Irish Rovers.

21st Century

25 Years Ago

Where Are You Christmas?”  (2000)  “Where Are You Christmas?” is a song written by Mariah Carey, James Horner and Will Jennings for the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000. In the film, it is first sung by Taylor Momsen, who played Cindy Lou Who under the title, “Christmas, Why Can’t I Find You?”.

Mariah Carey wrote a full-length pop version of the song with additional lyrics for the film’s soundtrack. The song was originally recorded by Carey, but because of a legal case with her ex-husband Tommy Mottola, it could not be released, so it was re-recorded and released by Faith Hill. A CD single of Hill’s rendition was released December 11, 2000. A video was released featuring Hill singing from the Grinch‘s mountaintop home, interspersed with clips from the film and a cameo appearance by Momsen as Cindy Lou Who.

Oh, oh, hmmWhere are you ChristmasWhy can’t I find youWhy have you gone awayWhere is the laughterYou used to bring meWhy can’t I hear music play
My world is changingI’m rearrangingDoes that mean Christmas changes too

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (2002) is sung by the A*Teens.

When the snowman brings the snow
Well, he just might like to know
He’s put a great big smile on somebody’s face
If you jump into your bed
Quickly cover up your head
Don’t you lock the doors, you know that sweet Santa Claus is on the way

Well, I wish it could be Christmas every day
When the kids start singing and the band begins to play
Oh, I wish it could be Christmas every day
Let the bells ring out for Christmas

Believe (2004)

This written by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri for Josh Groban in the movie The Polar Express.

Snow is softly fallingDreams are callingLikes bells in the distanceWe were dreamersNot so long agoBut one by one, weAll had to grow up
When it seems the magic slipped awayWe find it all again on Christmas Day
Believe in what your heart is sayingHear the melody that’s playingThere’s no time to wasteThere’s so much to celebrateBelieve in what you feel insideAnd give your dreams the wings to flyYou have everything you needIf you just believe

The Polar Express had many other great songs including…

Joseph’s Lullaby (2004) is sung  MercyMe from the album The Christmas Sessions

Go to sleep my SonThis manger for Your bedYou have a long road before YouRest Your little head
Can You feel the weight of Your glory?Do You understand the price?Or does the Father guard Your heart for nowSo You can sleep tonight?
Go to sleep my SonGo and chase Your dreamsThis world can wait for one more momentGo and sleep in peace

All I Really Want (2005) is sung by Steven Curtis Chapman. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart in 2006. From the album All I Really Want for Christmas. Chapman’s adopted daughter, Shaohannah, appears with her father on the album cover.

… Well, I don’t know if you remember me or notI’m one of the kids they brought in from the homeI was the red-haired boy in an old, green flannel shirtYou may not have seen me, I was standing off alone
… I didn’t come and talk to you ’cause that’s never worked beforeAnd you’ll probably never see this letter, anywayBut just in case there’s something you can do to help me outI’ll ask you one more time
… All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me inA shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I winThere’s so much I could ask for, but there’s just one thing I needAll I really want for Christmas is a family

Journey of the Angels  (2008) is sung by Enya 

SomewhereIn a winter nightThe angelsBegin their flightDark skiesWith miles to goNo footstepsTo be lost in snow
They fly to youOh, newborn kingThey fly to youOh, angels sing

Candy Cane Christmas (2009) is sung by Darius Rucker.

Sleigh bells are ringin’ in their headsTwistin’ like little tops in their bedsTryin’ to sleep but it’s no useWith hoofs tap tappin’ on the roofPeakin’ out the window to see what they can seeIt’s a candy cane ChristmasSweet as it can beIt’s a candy cane ChristmasSweet as it can be

Candy Cane Christmas (TV Movie 2020) As Phoebe is searching for a new tradition to lift her holiday spirits, she realizes that it’s not the traditions we cherish, but the people with whom we share them. – IMDb

It Doesn’t Often Snow at Christmas (2009) is sung Pet Shop Boys (UK No. 40 hit)

Christmas is not all it’s cracked up to beFamilies fighting around a plastic treeNothing on the TV that you’d want to seeAnd it’s hardly ever snowingThe way it’s meant to beLike in White Christmas year after yearBing Crosby, Bing CrosbyAre you listening to me?
It doesn’t often snow at ChristmasThe way it’s meant to doBut I’ll still have a glow at ChristmasBecause I’ll be with you

2010’s

Christmas Lights (2010) sung by Coldplay

Oh, when you’re still waiting for the snow to fallIt doesn’t really feel like Christmas at allStill waiting for the snow to fallIt doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all
Those Christmas lightsLight up the streetDown where the sea and city meetMay all your troubles soon be goneOh, Christmas lights keep shining on

Christmas Without You is sung by OneRepublic

I missed Thanksgiving, missed a birthday or two
Didn’t make st. Valentines, but I was thinking of you
Only one thing in the world, I couldn’t do
Only one thing could kill me, Christmas without you
Oh, ooh, ooh the snow is on the ground
The day’s getting colder, I’m coming home now
So go ahead light the fire, turn that Christmas tree on
‘Cause I’ve been missing you so much that I wrote you this song
Yes, I did

Christmas in the Sand  (2012) is sung by Colbie Caillat.

I love Christmas in the snowBut Christmas in the sandOh, man, I tell you that’s where it’s atHawaiian Tropic on my skinCandy cane of peppermintA hint of cocoa on my lips
It could’ve been the sun, it could’ve been the seaCould’ve been my childhood fantasy
But I saw Santa in his bathing suitTryin’ to catch a wave, but he tried too soonHe laughed so hard that he could barely breatheAnd washed up next to meHe said, “You look naughty, but I’m sure you’re nice”He was soaking wet, but he cracked a smileWith a present in his handHe said, “It’s Christmas in the sand”

Underneath the Tree (2013)

Underneath the Tree” is a Christmas song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her sixth studio album and first Christmas album, Wrapped in Red (2013). It is a Christmas-themed song that sings of gratitude for companionship during the holidays, in which the loved one is referred to as the only present needed “underneath the tree“. Accompanied by various instrumental sounds, the song is given a Wall of Sound treatment, along with sleigh bells and bell chimes to create a holiday atmosphere.

You’re here where you should be
Snow is falling as the carolers sing
It just wasn’t the same
Alone on Christmas day
Presents, what a beautiful sight
Don’t mean a thing if you ain’t holding me tight
You’re all that I need
Underneath the tree

Was Used in the Movie That Christmas (2024)

That’s Christmas to Me  (2014)  Pentatonix 

I’ve got this Christmas song in my heart (song in my heart)I’ve got the candles glowing in the dark (oh)I’m hanging all the stockings by the Christmas treeOh, why? ‘Cause that’s Christmas to meOh, why? ‘Cause that’s Christmas to me

 Santa Tell Me (2014) is sung by Ariana Grande

Feeling Christmas all around, and I’m trying to play it cool
But it’s hard to focus when I see him walking ‘cross the room
“Let It Snow” is blasting out, but I won’t get in the mood
I’m avoiding every mistletoe until I know it’s
True love that he thinks of
So next Christmas I’m not all alone, boy
Santa, tell me if you’re really there
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me if he really cares
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year

The Star (2017)

The Star” is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 2017, as the first release from the soundtrack of the film of the same name. The song was nominated for the Best Original Song at the 75th Golden Globe Awards.

Follow that star above youShould the world try to break you downThere is one who waits for youThough you can’t see Him now
Thunder and rain surrounds youBut His love’s just a breath awayIf you follow your heart, follow the lightFollow that star

 Christmas Every Day  (2018) is sung by David Archuleta

Sidewalks covered up in snow
Lights up everywhere we go
Santa’s on his way
It’s Christmas every day

Christmas Every Day (TV Movie 1996) Billy Jackson is not having a good Christmas. He got a basketball and just can’t make a jump shot. His Uncle David is coming to town to open a Valu-Mall, which will put his dad’s store out of business. When he tells his little sister Sarah that there is no Santa, she makes a wish that it would be Christmas every day. Now he must relive it over and over again.- IMDb

Trivia -The plot is similar to the Sesame Street Christmas movie, Elmo Saves Christmas, which came out on video that same year.

‘Christmas The Way I Remember’ Live  (2019)
is sung by The High Kings 

The snows on the hills
Fill my heart with winter chills
Christmas has once again found me
Dreams of my childhood
And presents round the tree
Family and friends all around me

I’m coming home
Back to the place I love
I’m coming home this December
Old songs and cheer with the ones that I hold dear
Christmas the way I remember

 Driving Home For Christmas (2019) is sung by Chris Rea 

[Verse 1] I’m driving home for Christmas
Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces
I’m driving home for Christmas, yeah
Well, I’m moving down that line

[Pre-Chorus 1] And it’s been so long
But I will be there
I sing this song
To pass the time away
Driving in my car

[Chorus 1] Driving home for Christmas
It’s gonna take some time but I’ll get there

It was used used in the movie

Your Christmas or Mine? (2022) Hayley and James are young and in love. They both make the same mad split-second decision to swap trains and surprise each other. Passing each other in the station, they are completely unaware that they have just swapped Christmases.- IMDb

One in a Million (2019) is sung by Tenille Townes

If I could catch a snowflake
I’d save it just for you
Wrap it up in pretty paper
Let Mr. Mailman take it to
Your doorstep in the morning
So you can know my love is true
‘Cause darling you are one in a million too

Christmas Tree Farm (2019)

Christmas Tree Farm” is a Christmas song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. She wrote the song on December 1, 2019, inspired by her affection for the holiday season, Opening with a 1950-inspired jazzy intro, “Christmas Tree Farm” is a pop song driven by an upbeat arrangement, orchestral treatment, jingle bells, and lyrics on childhood memories of Christmas.

My winter nights are taken up by staticStress and holiday shopping trafficBut I close my eyes and I’m somewhere elseJust like magic
In my heart is a Christmas tree farmWhere the people would comeTo dance under sparkling lightsBundled up in their mittens and coatsAnd the cider would flowAnd I just wanna be there tonight

2020’s

Place in Your Heart Song ❤️
Angela’s Christmas Wish | Netflix Jr (2020)

The day has come
Now I must leave
Duty calls for me
When I return
We will join as one
Together you and me
Until then don’t ask why
Please don’t you cry

Keep a place in your heart for me
I’ll be home soon
Keep a place in your heart for me
My love, my love

The Spirit of Christmas (2020) (Full Song)
– Kurt Russell, Darlene Love | The Christmas Chronicles 2

You need the spirit of Christmas (ah-ah)The spirit of Christmas (tell it, Santa)Yeah, the spirit of ChristmasNever goes awayThe spirit of Christmas (that’s right)Spirit of Christmas (now you got it)Spirit of ChristmasGonna save the day

Chesterton Carol – A New Composition by 1P5’s Mark Nowakowski
performed by the Vos Omnes Virtual Choir

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

Love This Christmas (2020) is sung by  Rick Astley 

We all have hopesAnd we all have dreams for ChristmasAnd my hope and my dreamIs we all get our wish, this year
Someone to kiss under mistletoeSat by the fire in a warm winter glowAll we need is love, this Christmas
We need love right now (we need love)More than ever, more (more than ever)We need to be together somehowHanging out (hanging)Hanging decorations on that Christmas tree
The Dragons revise the ol Bing Crosby Classic.

Christmas Dance (2021) is sung by Darren Criss

Carols from a choirFamily by the fireListening to Mariah singThe happiness in my head isFuller than Santa’s sled isAnd the only coal I’ll get is on that caneAnd when they pump it up my favorite Yuletide cheerMy heart goes thumpity-thump-thumpEvery time you’re near, well, I’ll be
Get up, get down, well come on it’s ChristmasWalkin’ around, well come on it’s Christmas timeTime to really take a chanceCan I ask, may I have this ChristmasMay I have this Christmas dance?
 Christmas Without You (2021) is sung by  Sheppard
Christmastime is almost hereAnd just like that, we’ve lost another yearWhere do the seasons go?From sunny skies to snow, ohhWell, I’m sad to say it’s true, hmmIt ain’t Christmas without you

Merry Christmas [2021] is sung by Ed Sheeran & Elton John

We’ll dance in the kitchen while embers glowWe’ve both known love, but this love we got is the best of allI wish you could see it through my eyes then you would knowMy God, you look beautiful right nowMerry Christmas

Old 97’s I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)
From “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Dear Santa  (2023) is sung by OneRepublic

Dear Santa, make my wish come true
There’s only one thing on my list
To have my baby home for Christmas
Dear Santa, there’s nothing I won’t do
I don’t need a lot, just one wish
Bring my baby home for Christmas

In the Bleak Midwinter (2023) from Ghosts UK

“Good Afternoon”  (2023)from Spirited

Holy Night / Cantique de Noël (The Chosen Performance) (2023)
Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli and his son, Matteo Bocelli, singing “O Holy Night” in French at Christmas with The Chosen: Holy Night (2023)

 Wrap Me Up (2023)
is sung by Jimmy Fallon and Meghan Trainor

Come on, wrap me up (wrap me up)In your arms this ChristmasWrap me up (wrap me up)You don’t need a wishlistWrap me up (wrap me up)It’s like Christmas magicWrap me up (wrap me up)I’m the whole damn package

Journey To Bethlehem – Brand New Life  (2023)
(Steven Curtis Chapman, We The Kingdom)

It’s a brand new life, a gift from HeavenShowing hope will rise, and all’s forgivenIf you believe, then join with me and celebrate (celebrate)Celebrate this brand new life
All of creation on this silent night (silent light)Is being covered in a holy light (holy light)Now nothing looks the sameThe sound of Jesus’ nameBrings me to my knees (my knees)A new life a true life’s awakening (awakening)It’s calling me so I am answering (answering)Hallelujah

“Christmas Magic” (2024)by Laufey  for the film Red One

So, Santa, baby (Santa, baby)I know you’re busy (know you’re busy)But my one wish is (but my one wish is)That you work your Christmas magicI’m still missin’My one true loveSo, if you’re listenin’Can you work your Christmas magic?

Under the Tree (from “That Christmas”) (2024) sung by Ed Sheeran.

There is nothing under the treeThat I wished forI want you to come back to meAnd be like beforeHave I lost youAnd nothin’ will ever fill the hole?My heart will be here under the treeJust letting you know

– Ar Fa La La Lo (From “An Almost Christmas Story“/(2024)
is sung by John C. Reilly

Masaka Kids Africana Dancing Christmas Time (2024)

 Parson Brown (2024) is sung by Dan + Shay 

Has anybody seen Parson Brown?‘Cause I’ve been searchin’ all over townPretty soon, it’ll be JanuaryI wanna get married tonightTonight, tonightI wanna say, “I do”And when he asks you, baby, how ’bout you?We can dance in the snow while it’s fallin’Forever is callin’ tonightTonight, tonight, tonightLa-da-di-da-da

Hurray for Christmas Day (2024) is sung by The Irish Rovers,

Hear the bells of Christmas ring
Peace and joy good tidings bring
Raise your voices and we’ll sing
Hurray for Christmas Day, boys
Hurray for Christmas Day

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