It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Fun Facts:

• Written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963.
• Andy Williams was the first to record the song; he included it in his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams’ Christmas Album.
• Wyle wrote over 400 songs among them the theme for Gilligan’s Island.
• The song includes lyrics that aren’t part of any Christmas celebrations in the US: “marshmallows for toasting” and “scary ghost stories” and “tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago.”
• Every year, the song increases in popularity.
• Christmas Seals chose the song as its theme during 1968 and 1976.

Featured Artist: Andy Williams

• Columbia Records had no faith in the other songs on the album, so executives decided to release the Irving Berlin classic White Christmas as the single.

Notable Covers:

• Johnny Mathis, 1986
• Amy Grant, 1992
• Peabo Bryson, 1998
• Toni Braxton, 2005
• The Muppets, 2006
• Brian McKnight, 2008