1960s Christmas Songs – Ten Classics That Still Sound Amazing Today
Discover the best 1960s Christmas songs – from Brenda Lee and Elvis to The Beatles and Andy Williams. Ten wonderful festive classics still loved today!
Updated: May 2026
1960s Christmas songs are without question some of the most magical and enduringly beloved festive music ever recorded.
The swinging sixties gave us an extraordinary collection of Christmas classics that still fill living rooms dance floors and shopping centres every single December.
From the powerhouse vocals of Ella Fitzgerald and Brenda Lee to the unmistakable voices of Elvis Dean Martin and The Beatles.
The sixties truly was a golden decade for Christmas music. So settle in and let us count down ten absolute festive classics together!
1960s Christmas Songs – Top Ten
1 – Ella Fitzgerald – Frosty The Snowman
Powerhouse vocalist Ella Fitzgerald released her gloriously warm and playful version of Frosty The Snowman in December 1960, and it immediately became one of the most beloved Christmas recordings of the entire decade. We cannot get it out of our heads as we write this — and we absolutely refuse to apologise for it!
2 – Brenda Lee – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
Whether you listen to this every Christmas or you recognize it from the movie “Home Alone“, everyone knows this song. The song was also released in December 1960 and is probably one of the worlds most popular Christmas songs to date.
3 – Johnny Mathis – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Dozens of artists have covered Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas over the years and yet somehow every version seems to blur into the next — all except this one. Johnny Mathis brings something so uniquely warm and tender to this 1963 recording that it stops you completely in your tracks the moment that voice fills the room. Released in December 1963, this was a popular track during the sixties.
4 – The Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick
We feel a little bit strange listening to Christmas songs by a band called the ‘beach’ boys but the band is so iconic and the song remains a Christmas anthem to this day, we have no shame in singing along with it as loud as we can.
🎵 Listen on YouTube →
5 – Andy Williams – It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Another classic that was born in the 60’s! ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ by Andy Williams, is an all time Christmas classic and was released in December 1963. The song continues to feature in television adverts across the festive season.
6 – Barbra Streisand – The Christmas Song
We all have heard different versions of ‘The Christmas Song‘ – we’ve even sang our own versions! (not suitable for the website unfortunately, Mandy’s singing skills are far from good!) Barbra Streisand released her version of this hit song in December 1967.
7 – A Marshmellow World – Dean Martin
Dean Martin is truly the king of the crooner’s and this song just makes us melt. On a cold winters day Deano’s voice is guaranteed to make you feel warm inside. ‘A Marshmellow World‘ was released in December 1966.
8 – If Everyday Was Like Christmas – Elvis Presley
Any song that was released by Elvis Presley was a huge hit and this was no exception. ‘If everyday was like Christmas’ was released by Elvis in 1965 and while we don’t hear the song often nowadays, it was a firm favourite during the decade.
9 – You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch – Thurl Ravenscroft
Again, this song shot to fame in more recent years, thanks to Home Alone which shows Kevin McCallister being left alone at home for Christmas. The song originally shot to the top of the charts in 1966. In fact, we’re noticing a trend, 1966 was certainly a year full of Christmas cheer!
10 – Christmastime Is Here Again – The Beatles
The biggest ‘boyband’ of all time, the Beatles, released a Christmas song back in 1967. The group could have released humpty dumpty and it still would have went to number one because they were so popular. This song had girls all across the globe swooning at the sound of the fab four’s voices.
Where To Listen To 1960s Christmas Songs Today
Every single one of these brilliant 1960s Christmas songs is available to enjoy today completely free.
Spotify YouTube and Amazon Music all have superb collections of sixties festive classics perfect for setting the most wonderful Christmas mood.
🔗 Shop 1960s Christmas Classics Compilation CD from Amazon UK
More Bygone Christmas Music
Loved the sixties? The Christmas songs from the decades before and after are equally wonderful head to our full Bygone Christmases music collection for more magical festive nostalgia:
👉 Don’t miss our 1930s Christmas Songs for the swing era classics that started it all.
The 1960s was a truly golden decade for Christmas music.
A time when the greatest voices in the world turned their talents to the festive season and created recordings that have genuinely never been bettered.
👉 Curious about what else was happening at Christmas in the sixties? Don’t miss our Top Christmas Toys Of The Sixties and 1960s Christmas TV Specials for the complete picture!
🎄 Christmas Countdown 🎄
The magic of Christmas is just around the corner!
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