It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Last updated
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
Song by Perry Como, Bing Crosby
LanguageEnglish
Published1951 by Plymouth Music
Recorded1951
Genre Christmas
Length2:45
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Meredith Willson

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is a Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson. The song was originally titled "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas". Perry Como was the first to record and release the song in 1951.

Contents

The song has become a standard recorded by many artists. It was first a hit for Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra on September 18, 1951, released on RCA Victor as 47-4314 (45 rpm) and 20-4314 (78 rpm). Bing Crosby recorded a version on October 1, 1951 on Decca Records, which was also popular.

History

Background and writing

A popular belief in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, holds that Willson wrote the song while staying in Yarmouth's Grand Hotel. [1] The song refers to a "tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well..."; the park being Frost Park, directly across the road from the Grand Hotel, which still operates in a newer building on the same site as the old hotel. [2] It also makes mention of the five and ten which was a store operating in Yarmouth at the time.

It is also possible that the "Grand Hotel" Willson mentions in the song was inspired by the Historic Park Inn Hotel in his hometown of Mason City, Iowa, US. The Park Inn Hotel is the last remaining hotel in the world designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and is situated in downtown Mason City overlooking Central Park.

Perry Como version

Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra released their cover of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" on September 18, 1951. Their edition became one of the most successful versions of the song, which is still widely played today, with over 382 million streams on Spotify as of May 1, 2024. The song was used in the 2004 film The Polar Express .

Weekly charts

Chart (2008–2024)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [3] 24
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [4] 56
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [5] 47
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [6] 32
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) [7] 44
Estonia Airplay (TopHit) [8] 39
France (SNEP) [9] 124
Germany (GfK) [10] 83
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [11] 22
Greece International (IFPI) [12] 30
Hungary (Stream Top 40) [13] 19
Iceland (Tónlistinn) [14] 7
Ireland (IRMA) [15] 34
Italy (FIMI) [16] 93
Latvia (LaIPA) [17] 19
Lithuania (AGATA) [18] 25
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [19] 33
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [20] 24
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) [21] 45
Portugal (AFP) [22] 56
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) [23] 41
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [24] 45
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [25] 39
UK Singles (OCC) [26] 40
US Billboard Hot 100 [27] 12
US Holiday 100 ( Billboard ) [28] 8
US Rolling Stone Top 100 [29] 5

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [30] Platinum70,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [31] Gold45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [32] Platinum600,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece) [33] Gold1,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Michael Bublé version

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
Single by Michael Bublé
from the album Christmas
Released18 November 2012 (2012-11-18)
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:27
Label Reprise
Songwriter(s) Meredith Willson
Michael Bublé singles chronology
"Georgia on My Mind"
(2012)		"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
(2012)		"White Christmas"
(2012)
Music video
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" on YouTube

Canadian singer Michael Bublé's version was first released on October 24, 2011, as the first track of Bublé's Christmas album. However, it was then re-released as the album's second single on November 18, 2012, achieving greater success. In the UK, the song peaked at number 6 in 2022.

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–2025)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [34] 3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [35] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [36] 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [37] 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [38] 4
Croatia ( Billboard ) [39] 14
Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) [40] 18
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) [41] 8
Denmark (Tracklisten) [42] 7
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [43] 5
France (SNEP) [44] 8
Germany (GfK) [45] 6
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [46] 6
Greece International (IFPI) [47] 6
Hungary (Single Top 40) [48] 6
Hungary (Stream Top 40) [49] 2
Iceland (Tónlistinn) [50] 10
Ireland (IRMA) [51] 7
Italy (FIMI) [52] 3
Japan Hot Overseas ( Billboard Japan ) [53] 16
Latvia (LaIPA) [54] 3
Lithuania (AGATA) [55] 5
Luxembourg ( Billboard ) [56] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [57] 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [58] 4
Norway (VG-lista) [59] 2
Philippines (Philippines Hot 100) [60] 65
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) [61] 36
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) [21] 5
Portugal (AFP) [62] 7
Romania ( Billboard ) [63] 22
Scotland (OCC) [64] 60
Singapore (RIAS) [65] 9
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) [66] 75
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) [67] 6
South Africa (RISA) [68] 23
South Korea (Circle) [69] 128
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [70] 27
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [71] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [72] 4
United Arab Emirates (IFPI) [73] 9
UK Singles (OCC) [74] 6
US Billboard Hot 100 [75] 12
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [76] 2
US Christian Songs ( Billboard ) [77] 32
US Holiday 100 ( Billboard ) [78] 8
US Rolling Stone Top 100 [79] 19
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100) [80] 90

Year-end charts

Chart (2020)Position
Hungary (Single Top 40) [81] 100
Hungary (Stream Top 40) [82] 71
Chart (2021)Position
Hungary (Single Top 40) [83] 70
Hungary (Stream Top 40) [84] 83
Chart (2022)Position
Global 200 (Billboard) [85] 199
Hungary (Single Top 40) [86] 70
Hungary (Stream Top 40) [87] 85
Chart (2023)Position
Hungary (Single Top 40) [88] 50
Chart (2024)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [89] 72

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [90] 3× Platinum270,000‡
Germany (BVMI) [91] Platinum600,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [92] 2× Platinum200,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [93] 2× Platinum60,000‡
Portugal (AFP) [94] Platinum10,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [95] Platinum40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [96] 4× Platinum2,400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Meghan Trainor version

In 2020, Meghan Trainor recorded a version of the song for her album A Very Trainor Christmas . This version peaked at number 27 on the Holiday Digital Songs chart. [97]

Meredith Willson incorporated the song into his 1963 Broadway musical Here's Love , where it is sung in counterpoint to the newly composed song "Pine Cones and Holly Berries".

Johnny Mathis recorded the song for his 1986 album Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis ; this version gained popularity after its inclusion in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York . Gradually, Mathis's recording began to receive wide radio airplay, and in later years this version became a Top 10 Christmas hit.

References

  1. ↑ Medel, Brian (2011-11-20). "Christmas looks a lot like Yarmouth in classic tune". The Chronicle Herald. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  2. ↑ Yarmouth, N.S. Landmarks - The Old Grand Hotel, archived from the original on 2010-12-11, retrieved 2014-11-07
  3. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 30, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Perry Como Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5152. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart: Dec 26, 2024". TopHit . Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Top Singles (Week 52, 2023)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Perry Como Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 48/2024" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Latvijas mūzikas topā gada nogalē valda nostalģija un svētku noskaņa" [Nostalgia and festive mood prevail in Latvian music chart at the end of the year] (in Latvian). TV Net  [ lv ]. December 30, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ "2024 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  20. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 20.12.2024–26.12.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  23. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5152. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52, 2023". Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Perry Como Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Perry Como Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard . Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone . December 17, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Danish single certifications – The Fontane Sisters, Perry Como, Mitchel Ayres – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  32. ↑ "British single certifications – Perry Como – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  33. ↑ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 48/2024" (in Greek). IFPI Greece . Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  34. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 3, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  37. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Michael Bublé Chart History (Croatia Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  40. ↑ "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1060 - Issue Date: January 2nd 2023" (PDF). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  41. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 51. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  42. ↑ "Track Top-40 Uge 52, 2018". Hitlisten . Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  43. ↑ "Michael Bublé: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  44. ↑ "Top Singles (Week 52, 2022)" (in French). SNEP . Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  45. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  46. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  47. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) - Week 49/2023". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  48. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  49. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  50. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on December 30, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  51. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  52. ↑ "Classifiche" (in Italian). Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  53. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of December 28, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  54. ↑ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 52. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LaIPA. December 31, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  55. ↑ "2022 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  56. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  57. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  58. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  59. ↑ "Singel 2022 uke 51". VG-lista . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  60. ↑ "Philippines Hot 100 for week of January 4, 2025". Billboard Philippines . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  61. ↑ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 16.12.2023–22.12.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS . Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  62. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  63. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Romania Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  64. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  65. ↑ "RIAS Top Charts Week 52 (22 - 28 Dec 2023)". RIAS. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  66. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 51. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  67. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 51. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  68. ↑ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: Week 52". The Official South African Charts . Recording Industry of South Africa . Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  69. ↑ "Digital Chart – Week 51 of 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  70. ↑ "Top 100 Canciones – Semana 52: del 22.12.2023 al 28.12.2023". Productores de Música de España . Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  71. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  72. ↑ "Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  73. ↑ "This Week's Official UAE Chart Top 20: from 22/12/2023 to 29/12/2023". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  74. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  75. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  76. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  77. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  78. ↑ "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard . Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  79. ↑ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone . December 24, 2020. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  80. ↑ "Michael Bublé Chart History (Billboard Vietnam Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  81. ↑ "Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2020". Mahasz . Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  82. ↑ "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2020". Mahasz . Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  83. ↑ "Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2021" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  84. ↑ "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2021" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  85. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
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  87. ↑ "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2022" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  88. ↑ "Single Top 100 - digitális és fizikai értékesítés alapján - 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  89. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2024". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  90. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Michael Buble – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  91. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Michael Bublé; 'It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  92. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  93. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  94. ↑ "Portuguese single certifications" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  95. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Michael Bublé – It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  96. ↑ "British single certifications – Michael Buble – It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  97. ↑ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)". Billboard . Retrieved December 23, 2023.
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