Movies & Music: A Holiday Tradition

Christmas is my very favorite holiday. I love everything about it. I love that Christmas lasts all month and one radio station plays nothing but Christmas music. I love trimming the tree and hanging stockings, baking cookies and eating them, too! I love giving presents (and receiving presents), dreaming of a white Christmas, and spending time with family. Most of all, I adore singing all my favorite Christmas songs and curling up on the couch and watching all my favorite Christmas movies.

It seems that no Christmas movie is complete without the accompanying soundtrack of popular Christmas songs. Some of today’s most beloved holiday songs originated in a movie - and sometimes not even a Christmas movie! Other Christmas songs were so popular on their own, that entire movies were created around them. Either way, Christmas songs and movies are inextricably connected.

If you’re in the mood for a holiday classic, browse the HCPL catalog and request a movie today!

Christmas Songs First Introduced in Movies or Musicals:

• “Believe” performed by Josh Groban in The Polar Express
• “Christmas Time Is Here” in A Charlie Brown Christmas
• “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” performed by Judy Garland in Meet Me In St. Louis
• “Holly Jolly Christmas” performed by Burl Ives in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• “My Favorite Things” performed by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music
• “Silver Bells” performed by Bob Hope & Marilyn Maxwell in The Lemon Drop Kid
• “We Need a Little Christmas” performed by Angela Lansbury in the Broadway Musical and Lucille Ball in the movie Mame
• “White Christmas” and “Happy Holiday” performed by Bing Crosby & Marjorie Reynolds in Holiday Inn
• “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” performed by Thurl Ravenscroft in How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Christmas Songs Often Associated with Specific Movies:

• “All I Want for Christmas Is You” performed by Olivia Olsen in Love Actually
• “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” performed by Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone in Elf
• “Frosty the Snowman” performed by Jimmy Durante in Frosty the Snowman
• “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” performed by Burl Ives in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” performed by Fred Astaire in Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
• “White Christmas” performed by Bing Crosby in White Christmas

Flickr CC: origami ornament Photo by: divadea