Unkillable Holiday Songs: Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Recorded when Brenda Lee was just 13 years old, this song blended rockabilly swing with Christmas imagery at a time when holiday music was still largely traditional and conservative. It didn’t explode immediately—but once it did, it never stopped.

What makes this song immortal is its effortless joy. The groove is infectious, the vocals are playful, and the track feels less like a performance and more like a party you’ve been invited to every year since the late ’50s.

Brenda Lee photographed in 2024

Why it still works:

• Timeless rhythm that transcends eras

• Nostalgic without feeling outdated

• Fits every Christmas setting—from vinyl to TikTok

By the numbers:

• Charted in multiple decades, including the 2020s

• Over 1 billion streams across platforms

• One of the oldest songs to re-enter modern Billboard charts