Winter Wonderland

"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly regarded as a Christmas song, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard (music) and Richard B. Smith (lyricist). Through the decades it has been recorded by over 200 different artists.

History
Dick Smith, a native of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was reportedly inspired to write the song after seeing Honesdale's Central Park covered in snow. Smith had written the lyrics while in the West Mountain Sanitarium, being treated for tuberculosis, better known then as consumption. The West Mountain Sanitarium is located off North Sekol Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The original recording was by Richard Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra on RCA Bluebird in 1934. At the end of a recording session with time to spare, it was suggested that this new tune be tried with an arrangement provided by the publisher. This "studio" orchestra included many great New York studio musicians including the legendary Artie Shaw. The biggest chart hit at the time of introduction was Guy Lombardo's orchestra, a top ten hit. Singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer took the song to #4 in Billboard 's airplay chart in 1946. The same season, Perry Como hit the retail top ten. Como would record a new version for his 1959 Christmas album.

Due to its seasonal theme, "Winter Wonderland" is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere, although the holiday itself is never mentioned in the lyrics. There is a mention of "sleigh-bells" several times, implying that this song refers to the Christmas period. In the Swedish language lyrics, "Vår vackra vita vintervärld", the word tomtar is mentioned.

In the Johnny Mathis version on his 1958 Merry Christmas LP, the introduction is sung between the first and the second refrain.

Recordings

 * 1934: Richard Himber & his Ritz-Carlton orchestra (feat. Joey Nash)
 * 1934: Lew Stone & his band (feat. Alan Kane)
 * 1934: Ted Weems & his orchestra (feat. Parker Gibbs)
 * 1934: Guy Lombardo & his Royal Canadians (feat. vocal trio)
 * 1946: The Andrews Sisters with Guy Lombardo & his Royal Canadians
 * 1946: Perry Como & The Satisfiers
 * 1946: Johnny Mercer
 * 1948: Frank Sinatra on Christmas Songs by Sinatra
 * 1955: Jo Stafford on Happy Holiday
 * 1958: Johnny Mathis on Merry Christmas
 * 1959: Connie Francis on Christmas in My Heart
 * 1959: Perry Como on Season's Greetings from Perry Como
 * 1959: Dean Martin on A Winter Romance
 * 1960: The Ray Conniff Singers on Christmas with Conniff
 * 1960: Ella Fitzgerald on Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
 * 1961: Chet Atkins on Christmas with Chet Atkins
 * 1961: The Ramsey Lewis Trio on Sound of Christmas
 * 1962: Bing Crosby on I Wish You a Merry Christmas
 * 1962: Chico Hamilton on the compilation Jingle Bell Jazz
 * 1963: Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles on Sleigh Bells, Jingle Bells & Bluebelles
 * 1963: Darlene Love on A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector
 * 1963: The Miracles on Christmas with The Miracles
 * 1964: Doris Day on The Doris Day Christmas Album
 * 1964: Jo Stafford on The Joyful Season
 * 1964: Bobby Timmons on Holiday Soul
 * 1965: Burl Ives on Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
 * 1965: Andy Williams on Merry Christmas
 * 1966: Booker T. & the M.G.'s on In the Christmas Spirit
 * 1966: Lena Horne on Merry from Lena
 * 1966: Dean Martin on The Dean Martin Christmas Album
 * 1968: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass on Christmas Album
 * 1968: Tony Bennett on Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album
 * 1971: Elvis Presley on Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas
 * 1971: The Partridge Family on A Partridge Family Christmas Card
 * 1973: Merle Haggard on Merle Haggard's Christmas Present
 * 1977: Burl Ives on Christmas by the Bay
 * 1978: The Carpenters on Christmas Portrait
 * 1984: Dolly Parton in a medley with "Sleigh Ride" on Once Upon a Christmas
 * 1986: George Strait on Merry Christmas Strait to You!
 * 1987: Air Supply on The Christmas Album
 * 1987: Eurythmics on the compilation A Very Special Christmas
 * 1988: Steve Taylor on the Sparrow Records compilation Christmas; later on his own compilation Now the Truth Can Be Told
 * 1989: Kenny Rogers on Christmas in America
 * 1989: Randy Travis on An Old Time Christmas
 * 1992: Amy Grant on Home for Christmas
 * 1993: Cocteau Twins on Snow
 * 1994: Neil Diamond on The Christmas Album, Volume II
 * 1994: Kenny G on Miracles: The Holiday Album
 * 1998: Cap'n Jazz on Analphabetapolothology
 * 1998: Chicago on Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album
 * 1998: Etta James on 12 Songs of Christmas
 * 1999: Garth Brooks on Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas
 * 1999: Jewel on Joy: A Holiday Collection
 * 1999: Martina McBride on White Christmas
 * 2000: Charlotte Church on Dream a Dream
 * 2000: Macy Gray on a single
 * 2001: Mannheim Steamroller on Christmas Extraordinaire
 * 2002: Barry Manilow on A Christmas Gift of Love
 * 2002: Jo Dee Messina on A Joyful Noise
 * 2003: Ashanti on Ashanti's Christmas
 * 2003: Joy Electric on The Magic of Christmas
 * 2003: The Flaming Lips on the compilation Maybe This Christmas Too?
 * 2003: Pat Green on the compilation A Very Special Acoustic Christmas
 * 2003: Steve Lukather on Santamental
 * 2004: Clay Aiken on Merry Christmas with Love
 * 2004: Hellogoodbye on the compilation Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records
 * 2004: James Taylor on James Taylor: A Christmas Album
 * 2005: The Reverend Horton Heat on We Three Kings
 * 2006: Aimee Mann on One More Drifter in the Snow
 * 2006: Bette Midler on Cool Yule
 * 2006: Billy Idol on Happy Holidays
 * 2006: Brad Paisley on Brad Paisley Christmas
 * 2008: Anne Murray on Anne Murray's Christmas Album
 * 2009: Selena Gomez & the Scene on All Wrapped Up Vol. 2
 * 2009: Joey McIntyre on Come Home for Christmas
 * 2011: Deana Martin on White Christmas
 * 2011: Scott Weiland on The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
 * 2011: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John on This Christmas
 * 2012: Colbie Caillat on Christmas in the Sand
 * 2014: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga plus Earth, Wind & Fire on Holiday
 * 2015: Kylie Minogue on Kylie Christmas
 * 2016: Pandora with a Spanish version titled "Llegó la Navidad" on Navidad con Pandora
 * 2017: Hanson on Finally It's Christmas

Awards and achievements
In November 2007, ASCAP, a performance rights organization in the United States, listed "Winter Wonderland" as the most-played ASCAP-member-written holiday song of the previous five years, and cited the Eurythmics' 1987 version of the song as the one most commonly played.