It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

History

Background and writing

A popular belief in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, holds that Willson wrote the song while staying in Yarmouth's Grand Hotel. The song refers to a "tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well..."; the park being Frost Park, directly across the road from the Grand Hotel, which still operates in a newer building on the same site as the old hotel. It also makes mention of the five and ten which was a store operating in Yarmouth at the time.

It is also possible that the "Grand Hotel" Willson mentions in the song was inspired by the Historic Park Inn Hotel in his hometown of Mason City, Iowa, US. The Park Inn Hotel is the last remaining hotel in the world designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and is situated in downtown Mason City overlooking Central Park.

Perry Como version

Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra released their cover of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" on September 18, 1951. Their edition became one of the most successful versions of the song, which is still widely played today, with over 382 million streams on Spotify as of May 1, 2024. The song is featured in the 2004 film The Polar Express.

Weekly charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|certweek=48|id=20241204124119|archive-date=December 4, 2024|access-date=December 4, 2024}}

Michael Bublé version

Canadian singer Michael Bublé's version was first released on October 24, 2011, as the first track of Bublé's Christmas album. However, it was then re-released as the album's second single on November 18, 2012, achieving greater success. In the UK, the song peaked at number 6 in 2022.

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

In popular culture

Meredith Willson incorporated the song into his 1963 Broadway musical Here's Love, where it is sung in counterpoint to the newly composed song "Pine Cones and Holly Berries".

Johnny Mathis recorded the song for his 1986 album Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis; this version gained popularity after its inclusion in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Gradually, Mathis's recording began to receive wide radio airplay, and in later years this version became a Top 10 Christmas hit.

References

References

1. Medel, Brian. (2011-11-20). "Christmas looks a lot like Yarmouth in classic tune". The Chronicle Herald.
2. "Yarmouth, N.S. Landmarks - The Old Grand Hotel".
3. (December 30, 2024). "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". [[Australian Recording Industry Association]].
4. "Top Singles (Week 52, 2023)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
5. "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 48/2024". [[IFPI Greece]].
6. "Tónlistinn – Lög". Plötutíðindi.
7. "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52". [[Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana]].
8. (December 30, 2024). "Latvijas mūzikas topā gada nogalē valda nostalģija un svētku noskaņa". {{Ill.
9. (December 27, 2024). "2024 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)". [[AGATA (organization).
10. (December 27, 2024). "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". [[Recorded Music NZ]].
11. "Singel 2025 uke 52". [[IFPI Norge]].
12. "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie". [[OLiS]].
13. "Top 200 Singles Semana 52 de 2025". [[Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa]].
14. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52, 2023". [[Sverigetopplistan]].
15. "Perry Como Chart History (Holiday 100)".
16. (December 17, 2020). "Top 100 Songs".
17. "Top All Internet Hits Russia Decade Chart: 20s". [[TopHit]].
18. (3 January 2023). "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1060 - Issue Date: January 2nd 2023". [[Croatian Radiotelevision]].
19. "Michael Bublé Chart History (Croatia Songs)".
20. "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) - Week 49/2023". [[IFPI Greece]].
21. "Tónlistinn – Lög". Plötutíðindi.
22. "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of December 28, 2022".
23. (December 31, 2023). "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 52. nedēļa". [[Latvian Music Producers Association]].
24. (December 30, 2022). "2022 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)". [[AGATA (organization).
25. "Michael Buble Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)".
26. "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay". [[OLiS]].
27. (December 26, 2025). "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Dec 25, 2025". [[TopHit]].
28. "Michael Buble Chart History (Romania Songs)".
29. "RIAS Top Charts Week 52 (22 - 28 Dec 2023)". [[Recording Industry Association Singapore.
30. "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: Week 52". [[Recording Industry of South Africa]].
31. "Digital Chart – Week 52 of 2025".
32. "This Week's Official UAE Chart Top 20: from 22/12/2023 to 29/12/2023". [[International Federation of the Phonographic Industry]].
33. "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday 100)".
34. (December 24, 2020). "Top 100 Songs".
35. "Michael Bublé Chart History (Billboard Vietnam Hot 100)".
36. (December 24, 2025). "Top Radio Hits Estonia Monthly Chart: December 2025". [[TopHit]].
37. "Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2020". [[Mahasz]].
38. "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2020". [[Mahasz]].
39. "Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2021". Mahasz.
40. "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2021". Mahasz.
41. "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022".
42. "Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2022". Mahasz.
43. "Stream Top 100 - darabszám alapján - 2022". Mahasz.
44. "Single Top 100 - digitális és fizikai értékesítés alapján - 2023". MAHASZ.
45. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2024".
46. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts – Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2025". [[GfK Entertainment]].