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December 25: Christmas Songs
Among the Christmas songs heard on this date this year and every year, the following were written by Jews:
“Winter Wonderland,” music by Felix Bernard (Bernhardt), 1934; “White Christmas”, by Irving Berlin, written circa 1940; “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” by Walter Kent (Kauffman) and Buck Ram (and Kim Gannon), 1943; “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”, by Mel Tormé (Torma) and Bob Wells (Levinson), 1944; “Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, 1945; “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949), “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958), “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (1965), all by Johnny Marks; “Silver Bells” by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, 1950; “Sleigh Ride,” co-written (lyrics) by Mitchell Parish (Michael Hyman Pashelinsky), 1950; “Santa Baby,” by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, 1953; “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” co-written by George Wyle (Bernard Weissman), 1963.
“All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names./They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.” —Johnny Marks
To see Eartha Kitt performing “Santa Baby,” look below.
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