"A Holly Jolly Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and sung by Burl Ives, notably featured at the end of the Rankin/Bass Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Originally recorded by The Quinto Sisters in 1962, it wasn't until Ives, as the voice of Sam the Snowman, performed the song in Rudolph that it became very popular. He then released it along with "Silver and Gold", which he also sang in Rudolph, as singles for the 1965 holiday season. This version - featuring a guitar and piano instrumental and a small chorus of background singers - is the one usually played on radio stations during the holiday season; it is now considered a holiday "standard" and forever linked with his musical legacy and his performance in the program.
The song has been covered by a few others, most notably country singer Alan Jackson, who recorded it for the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Lyrics[]
Have a holly jolly Christmas
It's the best time of the year
I don't know
If there'll be snow
But have a cup of cheer
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And when you walk down the street
Say "hello"
To friends you know
And everyone you meet
Oh ho the mistletoe hung
Where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn't hear
Oh by golly have a
Holly jolly Christmas this year.
[Instrumental bridge]
Holly jolly
Holly jolly
Oh
[Repeat fourth stanza]
Appearances in Christmas media[]
- Albums
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) - Burl Ives
- The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas (1986) - Ives
- Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs (1996) - Ives
- Nick at Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas (1996)
- Happy Holidays Love, Barney (1997)
- Radio Disney Holiday Jams (2000) - Ives
- Now That's What I Call Christmas! (2001), The Essential Now That's What I Call Christmas (2008), Now That's What I Call Christmas! 4 (2010) and Now That's What I Call Merry Christmas (2016) - Ives
- Fisher Price Christmas Sing-Along (2003)
- Disney Princess Christmas Album (2005) - Snow White
- Disney's Holiday Celebration 2007
- The Archies Christmas Album featuring Betty & Veronica (2008)
- Dora's Christmas (2008)
- Disney Holiday Magic 2009
- Kidz Bop Christmas (2018)
- Productions
- Burl Ives (single)
- The Ref (1994)
- The Family Man (2000)
- Bad Santa (2003)
- Weihnachts-Männer (2015)
- Cannonball: "Christmas Cannonball" (2017)
- Violent Night (2022) - Starts at the zoom-out in the 87North Productions logo, continues into the opening scene.
- Dear Santa (2024)
- Others
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) - Alan Jackson (also used in Home Alone Christmas (1993) album)
- Prancer Returns (2001) - Do Re Mi Children's Choir
- The Grinch (2018) - Mr. Bricklebaum sings it in his introductory scene.
- Last Christmas (2019)
- Saving Santaland (2020) - John Schneider
- Love Hard (2021) - The Lubin Brothers
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024) - The River Cryers
- Carry-On (2024) - Michael Bublé
- Uncredited
-
- Ives (single)
- My Name is Earl: "White Lie Christmas" (2005)
- Bones: "The Santa in the Slush" (2007)
- Chuck: "Chuck vs. The Crown Vic" (2007)
- Eureka: "Do You See What I See" (2011)
- Regular Show: "The White Elephant Gift Exchange" (2014)
- Bull: "Home for the Holidays" (2017)
- Others
- The Chuck E. Cheese Christmas Special (1995)
- Chuck E.'s Magical Holiday Celebration (1996)
- Chuck E.'s Holiday Party (1999)
- Roswell: "Samuel Rising" (2001) - Old 97's
- Malcolm in the Middle: "Christmas Trees" (2003)
- The Simpsons: "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II" (2006) - as "A Grumply Grumply Christmas"
- Saturday Night Live: "Jimmy Fallon" (2011) - Bublé
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