[dennisw]

Irving Berlin, 1906. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

 

[MissEdie]

This song was my mom’s favorite, and every time I hear it I think of her, God rest her soul. When I hear this song, I get peace knowing she is spending Christmas in Heaven, with our Savior.

[Fiji Hill]

"White Christmas" has a verse that is rarely heard:

The sun is shining, the grass is green,
The orange and palm trees sway.
There's never been such a day
In Beverly Hills, L. A.
But it's December the 24th,
And I'm longing to be up north.

When my father, a church music director put on the church's annual Christmas program, he would always have the choir along with the audience sing "White Christmas" with the verse. However, the only commercial recording of "White Christmas" that includes the verse is by Darlene Love, from 1963, which can be heard here.

[Fiji Hill]

My favorite version:

White Christmas--Freddy Martin & His Orchestra (1942)

[silverleaf]

The article does not mention that Irving Berlin and his wife lost their infant son to SIDS on Christmas Day.

As I read they continued to celebrate Christmas for the sake of their daughters ( wife was a Christian) but when the children left home , they never again celebrated.

[Jeff Chandler]

I read somewhere he was staying at the Biltmore in Phoenix when he got the inspiration for the song.