Christmas music encompasses a lot of different genres, but still, my all time favorite Christmas song is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. Written in July of 1946 by Bob Wells and Mel Torme in a climate that rarely sees snow let alone cold weather at any time, the song has many simple, yet, enduring themes.

The Christmas Song Lyrics

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Help to make the season bright,
Tiny tots with their eyes all a-glow,
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa’s on his way
He’s loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh,
And ev’ry mother’s child is gonna spy,
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I’m offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although it’s been said
Many times, Many ways
Merry Christmas to you.

[musical interlude]

And so I’m offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although it’s been said
Many times, Many ways
Merry Christmas to you.

Love for family, friends, and coming together for the holidays. I have always really liked Nat King Cole, who was the first to record the song. He has a very soothing voice that moves the lyrics along like a lullaby.

Maybe that is one of the reasons it reminds me of my mother. She died when I was a teenager. I think it may have been one of her favorites as well, but I can’t seem to ever remember her singing it.

She probably loved it for all the same reasons that I do. It has the same feelings that Louis Armstrong stirs up in What a Wonderful World. My family and friends are a huge part of my life and the music that touches me most stirs up the emotions I have for the times we’re together. “The Christmas Song” is very reminiscent of so many Christmas get togethers with family and friends when I was young, when every weekend was like a family reunion.

As a child, growing up in Michigan, it’s cold in Winter–so we all dress up like Eskimos and as Christmas nears, the excitement of children builds with incredible anticipation..so it’s easy to see that as an adult, this song reminds me of what a blessing it is to have a family.

The song’s wish is so simple, but it makes me wish that the love and goodwill we feel for each other on one special day, lasted the rest of the year. It’s the one song I can count on making me cry every time I hear it.