What Christmas Song Was Popular The Year You Were Born?

Have you ever wondered what Christmas song was popular the year you were born? "NO!" Please don’t tell me that’s your answer- I’m going to pretend you said a rousing “YES”. Because it’s fun to keep learning new things!

Come on, who doesn’t want to know which holiday hit still has us bopping around the Christmas tree. Let’s dive in!

1920's

"Auld Lang Syne" by the Peerless Quartet

The Peerless Quartet released this iconic New Year's song in 1920. It peaked at No. 5 on the top-selling music charts and became synonymous with the Christmas season of celebrations.

As a movie buff, I loved this song, which plays in the final scene of "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), as everyone in Bedford Falls comes together to celebrate George Bailey's (Jimmy Stewart) return from a night of seeing what life wouldn't have been like without him.

This Scottish song celebrates old friendships and bids farewell to the past, remembering loved ones who are no longer with us.

1930's

"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie

A true Christmas song written with kids in mind, this song's playful and upbeat rhythm captures the hearts of children all around. The whimsical lyrics, "He's makin' a list, checkin' it twice," "They're gonna build a toy land town," and "Santa Claus is comin' to town," add to the buildup to Christmas Eve.

1940's

"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby

This is a true iconic Christmas song that leaves me with a magical wonderment feeling. Bing Crosby, one of the most famous 1930s and 40s singers with his smooth, deep, rich baritone voice, sings this classic holiday song. You feel like you are being lulled by his warm voice.

This Academy Award winning song ,"White Christmas" was written by the brilliant Irving Berlin for the 1942 musical that featured Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire's "Holiday Inn". Bing Crosby sang the song again a couple of times in the movie "White Christmas", in 1954.

1950's

"Santa Baby" (1953) by Eartha Kitt

It was 1953, and Eartha Kitt, with her suggestive and playful tone, belted out this flirty Christmas song. To this day, this song, with all the wishes of sables, yachts, and gifts from Tiffany's Christmas list for Santa, has hit the Billboard charts in the 2000s and 2010s!

Many famous artists have put their own spin on this song, such as Gwen Stefani, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Linsey Stirling, and Ariana Grande.

1960s

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams

In 1963, Andy Williams sang this upbeat, festive arrangement, which remains a holiday staple to this day! With its upbeat tempo, this song grabs your attention by listing all the fun Christmas activities and joyful moments you will have with family and friends.

If you ever wondered why the lyric "scary ghost stories" appears in the song, it is to pay homage to the fact that in the 19th century, people told ghost stories on Christmas Eve.

Another classic that has been cemented into the Christmas song history books, it has been featured in "Love Actually" (2003) with Liam Neeson and "The Polar Express" (2004), animated with Tom Hanks.

1970s

"Merry Christmas Darling" by the Carpenters

This classic was written by Richard Carpenter and Frank Pooler and became a #1 on Billboard's Christmas singles. With its soft percussion and Karen Carpenter's gentle, dreamy vocals, it gives a feeling of love and nostalgia for past holidays.

Feelings of hope and anticipation are often wrapped around Christmas. This song captures those sentimental vibes, especially for family members who can't be together for the holiday.

1980s

"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo' N Patsy

This festive, catchy tune is funny and will have you cracking up. It's a straightforward song, but it makes fun of the family gatherings that can occur during Christmas. It is a dark-humor song that quickly became popular on the radio, and many could relate to it.

1990's

"All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

This is a truly iconic Christmas song. If you haven't heard it yet, it's not Christmas because this song is played all over the place in the US.

Mariah released this song in 1994, and it's been on the top 100 billboards for many holiday years. This upbeat song captures the spirit of romantic love and Christmas joy.

You can hear this song not only on the radio but many romantic movies and TV shows have

used this song. It can be found in the movies "Love Actually" with Liem Neeson, "Bridget Jones’s Diary" with Rene Zellweger, and the hit TV show "The Mindy Project" with Mindy Kaling.

2000's

"My Only Wish (This Year)" by Britney Spears

This upbeat and heartfelt holiday pop song is a modern holiday classic.

The song focuses on the desire for love rather than material gifts. Britney's beautiful voice intertwines the modern pope with emotions of nostalgia. A perfect song to listen to when wrapping your Christmas gifts.

2020's

“Oh Santa!” by Mariah Carey with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson

Even though Mariah Carey's "Christmas" song was back up on the billboards again this year, I want to focus on another song. Another major hit of Mariah Carey’s was “Oh Santa!” with Mariah as the lead singer and Ariana Grande with Jennifer Hudson.

Mariah is the Queen of Christmas, evoking festive, dynamic vibes with this Christmas song. In 2020, she re-released this song on an Apple + special, “ Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special,” which got it back up on the Billboard charts!

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I hope you enjoyed sleighing down memory lane with these songs and learned what songs were popular the year you were born!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!