Have Yourself A Jewish Little Christmas Pop-Up Book

Have Yourself A Jewish Little Christmas Pop-Up Book 2.0

By Alana Hayes VOA OPs shared services

Rudolph The Jewish Reindeer

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, you know Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all and his creator Robert L. May?

Robert L. May grew up in Long Island, NY in a secular Jewish home and created Rudolph in 1939 as an assignment for Chicago-based Montgomery Ward. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. May considered naming the reindeer Rollo or Reginald before deciding upon using the name Rudolph. In a lot of ways Rudolph is an allegory for being an outsider during one of the culturally biggest American holidays. He is almost an autobiographical account of Robert's own contribution to the American Christmas lexicon.

+ Story Time

John David Marks

This Jewish composer is responsible for some of your favorite and most famous Christmas carols including: Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer, Have A Holly Jolly Christmas, and Rocking Around The Chrismas Tree.

Was the brother-in-law to Rudolph's creator Robert L. May. He was born in Mount Vernon, NY and is of German Jewish ancestry. Johnny is resposnible for a long list of beloved Christmas songs a few are featured in the playlist below, but for a complete list click here: One of his most well-known works is obviously his song Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer which was inspired by the story of the same name. He went on to be rather prolific in the Christmas song writing business and was a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

+Playlist

Nice

Naughty

Saint Nick

Merry Christmas!!

Comet

Vixen

Prancer

Dancer

Dasher

Clarice

Rudolph

Blitzen

Donner

Cupid

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – 1949 (inspired by a poem by Robert L. May, Marks's brother-in-law) I Don't Want a Lot for Christmas - 1950 When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter – 1952 The Night Before Christmas Song – 1952 An Old-Fashioned Christmas – 1952 Everyone's a Child at Christmas – 1956 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – 1956 (words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, adapted by Marks) Run Rudolph Run - 1958 Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree – 1958 A Merry, Merry Christmas to You – 1959 The Santa Claus Parade – 1959 A Caroling We Go - 1966 Joyous Christmas - 1969 From the 1964 NBC/Rankin-Bass TV Production Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer A Holly Jolly Christmas – 1965 (separate single release), 1964-65** Jingle, Jingle, Jingle – 1964 The Most Wonderful Day of the Year – 1964 Silver and Gold – 1964-65** We Are Santa's Elves – 1964 There's Always Tomorrow - 1964 The Island of Misfit Toys - 1964 We're a Couple of Misfits - 1964 Burl Ives released "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silver and Gold," From the 1975 DePatie-Freling TV Production The Tiny Tree[6][7] To Love And Be Loved - 1975 When Autumn Comes - 1975 Tell It to a Turtle - 1975 A Caroling We Go - 1966 A Merry Merry Christmas To You - 1959 Joyous Christmas - 1969 From the 1976 ABC/Rankin-Bass TV Production Rudolph's Shiny New Year The Moving Finger Writes – 1976 Turn Back The Years – 1976 It's Raining Sunshine – 1976 What A Wonderful World We Live In - 1976 Fourth Of July Parade - 1976 Have A Little Faith In Me - 1976 Have a Happy New Year - 1976

Dear Santa

Silver Bells

Written by Jay Livingston & Ray Bernard Evans. Both grew up in Jewish households. The song was original written for Bob Hope. The original title was “Tinkle Bells,” until the composer’s wife persuaded him to change the name.

Livingston (left) and Evans (right) were the songwriting and composing team of Jay Livingston (1915–2001) and Ray Evans (1915–2007), who worked on movies, television and stage. They met while attending the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. They played together in bands. In the late 1930s the pair moved to New York City to begin their songwriting careers. They wrote the 1940 hit song "Goodbye Now" for the 1938 Broadway musical revue Hellzapoppin, but years went by without further success. There most famous Christmas song is 'Silver Bells'.

+SIlver Bells

A White Christmas

Irving Berlin, also known as”America’s composer,” was a Jewish immigrant who wrote “White Christmas” for a 1942 movie called Holiday Inn.

Irving Berlin was orignailly born Israel Berlin and was a Jewish-Russian immigrant who came to the U.S. in 1893. Believe it or not the song 'White Christmas was not originally written for the 1954 movie of the same name. It was actually written to reminisce about an old-fashioned Christmas setting, for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn. He wrote it at the La Quinta Hotel in California and referred to it as the best song anyone ever wrote. The composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. It has also been covered multiple times since Holiday Inn, including in the movie White Christmas.

+White Christmas

The Most Wonderful Time

It's the most wonderful time of the year. With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer! It's the most wonderful time of the year. At least that's how Edward Pola & George Wyle like to tell it.

Edward Pola, (bottom left corner), birth name, Sidney Edward Pollacsekwas, born to Hungarian Jewish parents, while George Wyle (left) originally born Bernard Weissman was also born and raised Jewish. Amongst many other musical compositions they both co-wrote the famous Christmas song 'It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year'. George went on in the early 1970s to serve as music director and arranger for 'John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together'.

+It's the most Wonderful Time

Let It Snow!

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful and since we've no place to go. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Maybe it's a Chrismas song, or maybe Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne just really liked the snow that year!

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as simply "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, during a heatwave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. The song was first recorded that fall by Vaughn Monroe, was released just after Thanksgiving, and became a hit by Christmas. Sammy Kahn (right), born Samuel Cohen, was the child of Jewish immigrants from Galicia, then ruled by Austria-Hungary. Jule Styne (left), born Julius Kerwin Stein, was born in London to a Ukranian-Jewish family.

+Let it snow

Santa Baby

This song was written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer in 1953. The pair made a deal with Victor Publishing, who asked them to write a song specifically for Eartha Kitt. I personally prefer the updated version by Miley Cyrus though.

Co-writer and composer Phillip Springer was born in New York City in 1926 to Jewish parents. His mother, Sylvia, was a concert pianist and his father, Mordecai, a lawyer by profession. Springer is best known for writing "Santa Baby" with lyricist Joan Javits. They were commissioned to write a Christmas song for Eartha Kitt in 1953. "Santa Baby" has since been covered by a large number of major recording artists, including Cher, Madonna, Michael Buble, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, andGwen Stefani to name a few. Tamir Music is Springer's publishing entity, and he owns 100% of the publishing rights for "Santa Baby".

+PlayList

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Written by Richard B. Smith and Felix Bernard, in 1934. Smith originally wrote the lyrics as a poem. He later brought the poem to Bernard, who wrote music for it. The song has been recorded by Snoop Dogg and Anna Kendrick, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Taylor, and Michael Bublé.

Richard, who wrote the original poem that would become the song 'Walking In A Winter Wonderland' is not Jewish. However, the composer who helped him bring the song to life, Felix, is. Felix Bernard (Bernhardt) was born to a Jewish family in New York City on April 28, 1897 and was a professional pianist from childhood. Throughout his career he was a conductor, pianist and a composer of popular music. His writing credits include the popular songs 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Dardanella'.

+Winter wonderland

Sleigh Ride

Written by composer Leroy Anderson and lyricist Mitchell Parish. While it is seen as a Christmas song, the song, in reality, is just about winter, rather than about the Christmas specifically. The song has been recorded by the Spice Girls, Bill Murray and Miley Cyrus, and the Carpenters.

Mitchell Parish (bottom left) was the lyricist behind Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride". Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 1900. His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901, aboard the SS Dresden when he was less than a year old. They settled first in Louisiana where his paternal grandmother had relatives, but later moved to New York City, where he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. While this song is considered a "Christmas" song it actually doesn't refrence any holidays. The lyrics were just written about winter time.

+Sleigh Ride

The Christmas Song

Robert Wells, whose original name was Robert Levinson, wrote this with Mel Tormé. Both were Jewish Americans, and they wrote this song in response to the 1945 heatwave in California.

Mel Tormé's parents were Jewish immigrants from what is now modern-day Belarus. He grew up in a home filled with music and entertainment. His father, whom he recalled as having the pure voice of a cantor. Robert Wells was born to a Jewish family in 1922 in Raymond, Washington. In July of 1945 the 2 sat down together and wrote 'The Christmas Song'. This song, commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You", is a classic Christmas song. The song was written during an exceptionally hot summer. It was in an effort to "stay cool by thinking cool", but a Christmas song was born.

+The Christmas Song

More Activities

Have you tried our our Hanukkah and Kwanzaa games yet? If not click on the dreidel (left) or the Kinara (right) to play the escape room games now! You can also click on the snowflake to access a special gift!

Open gift

Decorate The Tree!

• Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

• Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

• Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

• Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt

• Santa Baby - Miley Cyrus