While the annual tradition of holiday-themed carols may go back more than 700 years, the rise of popular music over the past 70 has led to the Christmas song evolving faster than ever before.
Over that time, singers and composers used the subject matter to compose various tributes, observations and laments about what it means to be human and the state of the world around us.
Inspiring artists in a wide range of genres, from pop and punk to hip-hop, Christmas continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for each generation.
Here are 10 examples of how the popular Christmas song evolved over the years.
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby (1942)
Regarded as a cultural milestone in the US, the song was composed by Irving Berlin and performed by Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.
In addition to its seasonal lyrics, White Christmas's timeless melodies struck a chord for its yearning sense of nostalgia.
In addition to becoming an immediate hit and one of the highest-selling singles of all time, White Christmas's legacy extends to the the end of the Vietnam War, when it was broadcast on the US's Armed Forces Radio in 1975 to signal the start of the US evacuation of Saigon.
2. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Vaughn Monroe (1945)
While White Christmas focuses on the memory of winter holidays past, this jaunty track celebrates the moment, whenever that may be.
That versatility has allowed the song to be used in films and campaigns not limited to Christmas in the years since its release, becoming an anthem of the winter season.
The track has also experienced enduring success over the decades, with covers by Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Carly Simon and Rod Stewart all becoming hits in the US.
3. Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry (1958)
Coming off the success of 1957’s Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms, Chuck Berry cemented rock ’n’ roll’s contribution to the Christmas songbook with the influential Run Rudolph Run.
While basically a carbon copy of Berry's hit Little Queenie, recorded the same year, the blistering guitars, locomotive groove and Berry's irresistible performance all contributed to the song’s enduring appeal.
Run Rudolph Run’s success and Berry's stature as a genre pioneer encouraged more rock acts to try their hand at Christmas tracks in the following decade, including The Beach Boys with Little Saint Nick and The Beatles with Christmas Time (Is Here Again).
4. Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto by James Brown (1968)
Christmas can also sound funky, courtesy of this classic by James Brown.
Released as part of his holiday season-themed album A Soulful Christmas, Brown pairs his taut rhythms and squalling horns with reflective lyrics about poor families struggling over the holidays.
Written as a letter to Saint Nick, Brown urges him to spread happiness in these struggling communities: “Santa Claus, go straight to the ghetto. Tell 'em James Brown sent you.”
5. River by Joni Mitchell (1971)
Is this really a Christmas song?
While popular culture seems to think so, this is essentially a stark ballad about the dissolution of a relationship during the Christmas period.
Nostalgia pervades this track that went on to be covered more than 400 times by artists ranging from James Taylor and Barry Manilow to Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding.
6. Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid (1984)
Released in response to famine in Ethiopia, British singers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure corralled more than 30 artists for this charity single.
Those lending their voices to the track were a who's who of the pop scene at the time, including Wham, Bono, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, Bananarama and Sting.
The song's immediate success, with five weeks spent on top of the UK charts, led to the establishment of the Live Aid concert the following year.
7. Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC (1987)
One of the biggest crossover pop groups at the time, Run DMC was tapped to record a Christmas song for the charity album Soul Christmas.
The trio explored how the season was celebrated in their neighbourhood of Queens, New York.
Judging by the lyrics, the Adidas-wearing group indulged in quite the feast: "Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens / Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese / And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees."
8. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) by The Ramones (1989)
This punk anthem was written from the point of view of a warring couple who cease hostilities for the Christmas period.
Fun, manic and powered by Joey Ramone's sneering vocals, this has become a December staple of the punk music community.
9. All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey (1994)
For the US singer, Christmas has become one of the defining themes of her more than three-decade career, thanks in large part to this enduring bop.
For many, the annual re-emergence of this song on the pop charts is a sign that the Christmas season has arrived. Carey has embraced its growing stature atop many a playlist, unleashing the song a day after Halloween via increasingly elaborate annual videos on her social media channels.
Initially released as part of Carey's first Christmas album Merry Christmas, it took the song 25 years to finally top the US charts in 2019 before repeating the feat for the next two consecutive years.
10. Mistletoe by Justin Bieber (2011)
Not every Christmas track has to be slathered with saccharine melodies and lyrics.
With Mistletoe, Bieber brings to the tradition some welcome pop panache with its warm acoustic guitars and playful falsetto.
While the song is an original, written by Bieber with Adam Messinger and Palestinian singer Nasri Atweh, contemporary pop stars would go on to update existing Christmas tracks with a similar modern approach, including efforts from Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)
Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14
Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)
Perera 47; Sohail 2-18
