Top 10 Favorite Kids' Christmas Songs of All Time

For me this was a milestone year; I hit the big 4-0! Forty years of experiences and memories. When thinking of my favorite memories Christmas always tops the list. Many songs inspire a feeling of being home for the holidays taking me back to my treasured childhood.

Born in 1969, many of my favorite songs were released long before my time; however you can't keep a good song down! My children now 3 and 5 happily sing along to those good, old holiday tunes. You know the ones; they have been released and re-released over and over again by the latest pop stars.

Which songs have stood the test of time? Here's a list of my top ten favorite kid's Christmas songs not necessarily in order. Who can choose one over the other? That being said, "Jingle Bell Rock" is hard to shake. It seems to pop into my head whenever I feel exceptionally happy winter, summer, spring, or fall.

1. "Jingle Bell Rock", originally released in 1957 by Joseph Beal. This was my mother's favorite lullaby.

2. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", brought to you by Brenda Lee in 1958 and reprised by Hannah Montana in 2007. My little one sings this song every time she gets a chance. The quintessential holiday party song.

3. What would a favorite Christmas song list be without The Chipmunk's hit, "Christmas Don't be Late". Originally, released by Dave Seville, a.k.a Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958, the furry little guys returned to the top 10 again and again. Most popular in the 80s with the onset of their Saturday morning cartoon, they hit again with the release of the movie in 2005. Songfacts.com describes this little ditty as the only Christmas single ever to reach #1 on the pop charts.

4. You know the kids love this one, "Jingle Bells" by the Barking Dogs originally debuted in the 1950's. Wanna take a listen? Check out Mistletunes, www.mistletunes.com

5. The Royal Guardsman released their third album in 1967 with the Christmas hit album, Snoopy's Christmas and "The Red Baron". Don't remember this one? Visit www.songfacts.com for more information.

6. Another one of my favorite songs can be found on that album, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". First sung by 13 yr. old Jimmy Boyd in 1953 this song was considered risque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Saw_Mommy_Kissing_Santa_Claus). Listen carefully people, Daddy is Santa Claus but don't tell your little ones. In 1990, John Mellencamp brought this one back to pop culture.

7. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo & Patsy Shropshire (1979),you may not love it but you know it. I remember singing this one to my grandmother who hated it but Grandpa sang along!

8. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". I first heard this on the pagan, Rankin & Bass Christmas special
of the same name but Bruce Springsteen sung it best in the 80's.

9. And what is a kid's Christmas party without Frosty? "Frosty the Snowman", Jimmy Durante, 1969 makes my list. Wikipedia notes Gene Autry's version as the original in 1950, Perry Como next in 1957, Johnny Mathis in 2003, and American Idol's, Kimberly Locke in 2007.

10. You may not know the composer of this one, perhaps you haven't even heard of it. The title has been made into a holiday special, "Christopher the Christmas tree". Written by an Indiana musician and his wife who owned a Christmas tree farm and taught tap (my personal instructor) as truly stood the test of time. If you find it somewhere online please share details.