There are a lot of Christmas songs to be played in celebration of the beloved holiday. There are classics, favorites, and of course, must hears. Following "Fun Facts And Tidbits Of Favorite Christmas Songs," here are some more interesting did-you-knows of some favorite Christmas songs' histories.
1. "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"
It all started with a question, "What do you want for Christmas?" In 1944, music teacher, Donald Gardner, asked his second graders to finish the sentence, "All I want for Christmas is..." When listening to their responses, he noticed that most of them had a lisp due to missing one of their front teeth, for some both. It was those lisps which inspired Gardner to write one of the most beloved Christmas songs we know today later that night in a matter of 30 minutes.
2. "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer"
Truth be told, this song was actually meant to be a joke. A punchline that writer, Randy Brooks, never thought would become a hit, especially among the kids.
3. "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
When hearing Grinch, most think of Theodor Giesel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss. Along with the book, Dr. Seuss also wrote the lyrics to this song which accompanied the film adaptation of his book. Although Seuss wrote the lyrics, Thurl Ravenscroft was the voice behind the song. His voice may seem familiar for he also voiced Tony the Tiger for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, voicing the infamous catchphrase, "Good? They're grrrrreat!"
4. "The 12 Days of Christmas"
A widely popular song that is quite interesting is "The 12 Days of Christmas." Its history is enriched with meanings and symbolism -- and there is the belief that it was meant to be a memory game first. However, many think that the twelve days is actually referencing the days before December 25, but is actually referencing the days after.
5. "Up On the House Top"
Benjamin Russell Hanby, a native Ohioan, wrote "Up On the House Top," the second oldest song that does not have any religious ties, succeeding "Jingle Bells." This song marked the first to state that Santa Claus traveled house to house by rooftops.
6. 1984's "Do They Know It's Christmas Time?"
Some of the most famous lyrics of this song include "Feed the world. Let them know it's Christmas time," and it is these words that embody the very reason why the song was written in the first place. After Bob Geldof, Irish singer and songwriter, watched a BBC news report on the famine struggles many were facing in Ethiopia, he took action. Along with fellow musician, Midge Ure, they wrote "Do They Know It's Christmas Time?" in 1984. In order to raise enough funds, Geldof and Ure recruited a group of diverse artists wanting to help as well to sing the song under the name Band Aid. Due to its efforts, Band Aid raised eight millions pounds, according to BBC.
7. 2014's "Do They Know It's Christmas Time?"
In 2014, again a group of diverse artists came together to sing the same song to help others through the Ebola epidemic this time under the name Band Aid 30.
