Bing Crosby has been called the “Voice of Christmas.” Rightfully so. There were many years that Bing’s music was the background soundtrack as my family and I opened gifts.
His versions of White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Mele Kalikimaka, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town are holiday staples. You simply cannot turn on the radio during the holidays without hearing them. Today, however, I share with you a Bing song that is less familiar, but has a powerful message.
Give The Secret of Christmas a listen:
It’s such a simple song. But there is one line that just rings true all these years later:
“It’s not the things you do at Christmas time but the Christmas things you do all year through.”
Read that again.
Everyone is a bit nicer, more loving, more generous, more compassionate, and just overall – better people at Christmas. Imagine if we acted like we do at Christmas time throughout the year!
My friend, that is my challenge to you today and in the year ahead.
The Secret of Christmas
It’s not the glow you feel
When snow appears
It’s not the Christmas card
You’ve sent for years
Not the joyful sound
When sleigh bells ring
Or the merry songs
Children sing
The little gift you send
On Christmas day
Will not bring back the friend
You’ve turned away
So may I suggest, the secret of Christmas
It’s not the things you do
At Christmas time but the Christmas things you do
All year through
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
The secret of Christmas in times long ago was merely an excuse for a drunken party which is why the Puritans banned it when they immigrated to America.
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I love this idea
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Have not heard this song in a long while. Bing really delivered on the Christmas tunes for sure, some great writing as well. Not as frequently covered for an Xmas song, I looked it up and there are 28 versions. As I perused the list I now recall the song got some airplay in Canada in 1994 as two acts covered this, John McDermott and The Nylons. Thanks for the post!
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I think Nat King Cole did a version, too. Might be wrong.
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Not that I’m aware but he certainly did a wonderful job on so many Christmas Songs.
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Cool…this one I’ve never heard and it’s a great message.
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I only stumbled on it this year. I like it a lot.
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A good message indeed! curiously, we just watched ‘White Christmas’, the movie yesterday. I’d never seen it before
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Hate to admit it, but I’ve never seen it before
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I enjoyed his duet with David Bowie. This one is new.
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I liked that duet, too, which I just recently heard for the first time… And I REALLY like the sentiment about the holidays. It reminds me of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s (yes, from the Little House on the Prairie fame) “Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.”
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