Four Christmas Song Authors

Interesting that four popular Christmas songs were actually written by Jewish authors. "White Christmas" was written by Irving Berlin in 1940. "Silver Bells" was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans in 1951. "Let it Snow. Let it Snow. Let it Snow" was written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn in 1945. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was written by Johnny Marks in 1949.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

The most famous reindeer of them all. The song is one of the best selling of all time as sung by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. It is also on albums by the Supremes and the Jackson 5.

Rudolph was created ten years before the song in 1939, by Johnny Marks' brother-in-law Robert L. May for Montgomery Ward. The store wanted something to bring in holiday shoppers and the story/poem was given out to children as an advertising gimmick.

Modern reaction to this song about a reindeer, written by a Jewish author - "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" caused a stir at a New Hanover County school at Christmas time in 2008.  A parent complained about the song's religious reference and got it pulled from her child's kindergarten Christmas show at Murrayville Elementary School. The song was pulled “because it had the word Christmas in it,” said Rick Holliday, assistant school superintendent. A Jewish mother, who didn't want her name published, objected to what she called "religious overtones" in the song. So the principal agreed to pull it from the program. Luckily the board and attorneys reviewed it and decided the song was not religious and had it reinstated into the kindergarten program.