Here Are the Lyrics to Burl Ives’ ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas’

 

Johnny Marks wrote "A Holly Jolly Christmas" in 1962, and it became famous when Burl Ives sang it as the narrating snowman in the 1964 stop-motion picture Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In 1965, Ives re-recorded the song for his holiday album, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

The song eventually charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 2017, peaking at No. 38. It hit its top position of No. 4 on the January 4 chart in 2020. Lady Antebellum and Michael Bublé have both recorded versions of the song for Christmas albums.

Check out the lyrics to this holiday classic and watch the original recording of it from the final scene of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer.

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

(Have a holly, jolly Christmas

It’s the best time of the year)

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

 

Lyrics © ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC.

Written by: Johnny Marks