A Holly Jolly Christmas
The song that made Burl Ives a Christmas icon
♫ Lyrics
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
But have a cup of cheer
And when you walk down the street
Say hello to friends you know
And everyone you meet...
Lyrics excerpt shown. This song is under copyright protection.
❄ The Story
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" was written by Johnny Marks — the same prolific Christmas songwriter behind "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Marks had an extraordinary knack for writing simple, irresistibly cheerful holiday songs, and this 1964 entry may be his most purely joyful.
The song was performed by folk singer and actor Burl Ives, who voiced Sam the Snowman in the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion TV special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1964). In the special, Sam sings the song while narrating the story, and the association between Ives's warm, avuncular voice and the charming animation has made the song inseparable from the beloved TV classic.
Like many songs from its era, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" has experienced a major resurgence in the streaming age, re-entering the Billboard Hot 100 annually and reaching the top 10 in recent years — over half a century after its release.
🎶 Notable Recordings
The original — from the Rudolph TV special
A big-band revival
A jazzy, playful rendition
Fun Facts
Johnny Marks wrote this, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," AND "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
Burl Ives sang it as Sam the Snowman in the 1964 Rudolph TV special.
The Rankin/Bass TV special has aired every December since 1964 — over 60 consecutive years.