White Christmas
Bing Crosby / David Bowie Lyrics


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I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
"May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write




May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

Overall Meaning

The song "White Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, and Trudy Stevens is a classic Christmas tune that speaks to the nostalgic memories of a snowy Christmas. The singer is dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones they used to know. They are transported back to a time where the treetops glisten and children listen for the sound of sleigh bells in the snow. The song touches on the beauty and magic of the winter season, highlighting the joy that comes with sharing the holiday with loved ones.


The song also incorporates the tradition of sending Christmas cards, a practice that was popularized in the mid-19th century. The singer wishes their friends and family to have merry and bright days, and that all of their Christmases be white. The reference to a white Christmas has become a symbol of the perfect holiday for many people.


The lyrics of "White Christmas" are simple yet emotive, and the song has become a holiday standard worldwide. It has been covered by countless artists and has remained a beloved holiday staple for over 70 years.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
I long for a Christmas that is snowy and joyful.


Just like the ones I used to know
Similar to the happy Christmases I once experienced.


Where the treetops glisten and children listen
In a place where the trees shine and children pay attention.


To hear sleigh bells in the snow
To listen to the sound of bells ringing when a sleigh travels through snow.


With every Christmas card I write
As I write each card I send out to those I care about.


May your days be merry and bright
I hope that your days will be happy and full of light.


And may all your Christmases be white
And may all your Christmases be filled with the joy and peace that comes from a snowy holiday.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@laurensavard6506

Thank you for sharing, John! Your words really resonated with me and my own sentiments regarding this song, and I wondered if you might appreciate an additional fact on it.

In late 2020, I learned through an ordinary internet search for facts about this song that it was recorded on September 11, 1978. To think that exactly 24 years to the day before 9/11 occured, two men from two different generations and countries would get together and sing such a beautiful song praying for peace on earth and goodwill among humanity gets me every time it comes to mind!

Something that especially touches me is when David Bowie shares before they sing that his son was 6 at the time they recorded the song, and he soon sings the line that his child would see a "day when men of goodwill would live in peace again." Interestingly, I've felt called to serve in response to 9/11 longer-term and plan to move from my home in Maryland to greater NYC (likely North Jersey) to do so. Since I was born in 1995, I was the age his son was on 9/11 (age 6). I've started listening to this song year-round as my sense of calling has developed, as it reminds me to do my part to work towards the vision Bing Crosby and David Bowie sang about all those years ago and to do what I can to encourage others to do the same thing.

While I've always loved it, this song has become so dear to me with these thoughts in mind over the past two years. I hope and pray their masterpiece can help many others in their own ways! 💙🙏🏻🇺🇸🇬🇧🌏

Best wishes and blessings for you and your loved ones from Harford County, MD, for Christmas, 2023, and always! 🙏🏻🎄☃️



All comments from YouTube:

@dorisblack7631

This song touches my soul everytime I hear it! Still listening in 2023! Two phenomenal artists. May they both rest in peace!!

@bottletree33

Yeah it’s beautiful. I try to listen to it every year. Great voices coming from two very different worlds.

@christinehughes6928

So magical love it ❤

@majorthumbsup8563

The finest!

@72mossy

It was like passing the old to new,

@DeborahAbelha

Me too 😢😢😢❤❤love

9 More Replies...

@EriksAngel15

Whoever came up with the idea to pair these two singers together was an absolute genius.

@bren4061

Took the word's out of my head

@I_Am_The_Paulrus

Bing Crosby's kids apparently

@stone1andonly

It was the combination of a couple very quirky tv producers and Bowie's mother's love of Bing Crosby that made it happen. They get the credit for putting together the icons of two different ages to create one of the holiday season's most immortal duets, one that will outlive us all. I was fortunate enough to be watching that show that night.

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