1965.

For once this song is absolutely bang on trend. Have you seen it out there? This is proper snow (even from a Northerner’s perspective) and a proper winter wonderland indeed. It’s beautiful!

Technically this isn’t a Christmas song, it makes no mention of Christmas whatsoever, and yet it has become synonymous with the season over the decades. The lyrics were written in 1934 by Richard B. Smith, inspired by the sight of a local park in Pennsylvania covered in snow, he later penned the song whilst being treated for tuberculosis. The music was later written by Felix Bernard. 

The first recording of the song was in 1934, by Richard Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra. The story is that with time left to spare at the end of a recording session, it was suggested by the record company that they record an arrangement of this song, so they did.

Since then it has been covered by over two-hundred artists, including Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, Eurythmics, Michael Bublé, Kylie Minogue, Air Supply and even Billy Idol (you should check out that video!)

This is the version I know best for some reason, from Peggy Lee’s 1965 album Happy Holiday, although the song was never released as a single.