It’s Chriiiiiiiistmaaaas! So, it’s time to start rocking around the festive tree but which are the best Santa songs for children?
This is a special time for youngsters so that means the searing honesty of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl rasping through Fairytale of New York is not an option.
Instead, there are traditional songs for Christmas and hymns that will do the trick. We look at some of the best – and some more modern versions (Sadly, this involves a Christmas version of Baby Shark. We are saving that until the very end of this article, so be prepared!).
Perhaps the most famous Santa song that every child knows is ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’. Make this the song you have your children sing in the run-up to Christmas. Really focus their little minds on good behaviour, Santa won’t be coming to visit them if they’re naughty! In case you don’t know the lyrics:
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list
And checking it twice;
He’s gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
Oh! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
We also love ‘Santa Claus, You Are Much Too Fat’. It’s a popular song among American schoolchildren and is a Santa song that really says it like it is, no punches pulled with this one!
I heard a reindeer hoof, then Santa dressed in red,
Came crashing thro’ the roof and landed on my bed.
I thought it was a dream, but quickly did I wake,
As soon as I heard Santa scream, “I want a piece of cake!”
These US primary school children share it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8jwMf0WxlM
For toddlers, there’s the excellent ‘I’m a Little Santa’ which is sung to the tune of ‘I’m a Little Teapot’. So cute!
I’m a little Santa, short and fat,
Here is my beard and here is my sack,
On Christmas Eve I hop in my sleigh,
With a “Ho ho ho” I’m on my way.
Another toddler favourite is the song, ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ which has a range of fun actions that go with it. The first verse goes like this:
Here comes Santa Claus! Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane! Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer
Are pulling on the reins.
Bells are ringing, children singing; All is merry and bright.
Hang your stockings and say your prayers, ‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Here comes Santa Claus! Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane! He’s got a bag that is filled with toys
For the boys and girls again.
Another popular ‘song with actions’ that little ones love is ‘He has a Red, Red Coat’ However, since this is only a short song, we should warn parents that the refrain of ‘one more time!’ may drive you mad as your little ones sing the song and do the actions, many, MANY times.
This animated video explains all you need to know about ‘He Has a Red, Red Coat’.
Then there is the awesome, if morally dubious, ‘I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus’. It’s a cracking song for older children to sing along with! It was written by Tommie Connor and has been recorded by many famous artists over the years so it’s going to be a long-time favourite for years to come.
For toddlers, there are other YouTube choices for them including this animated version:
In the age of the Internet there are Christmas songs and videos available that many parents will have never even heard of. Humming along to festive tunes on YouTube is a great way to engross your young one while you try and wrap a few presents.
Here at Christmas.co.uk we particularly like the ‘Silly Santa Song’ which goes through what Santa might have forgotten. Luckily, the video goes on for 37 minutes with other silly Christmas songs, that’s at least ten presents wrapped and half a glass of Eggnog sipped in peace.
The team at Super Simple Songs have also put together a song called ‘S-A-N-T-A ‘which has lyrics and actions that very young children join in with. This is another long play list, more than an hour in fact! Each song is easy for little children to join in with. Sit them at the kitchen table and sing along as you do a bit of Christmas dinner prep.
There some fantastic Santa tunes that used to be more popular. This one by Gene Autry, ‘When Santa Gets Your Letter’ is a good example of a once loved but now forgotten tune. The lyric starts with:
When Santa Claus gets your letter
You know what he will say
“Have you been good the way you should
On ev’ry single day?”
And if you fancy a festive ‘wrapping’ song (geddit??) called ‘Yo. Santa Claus’ then Easy Peasy have one for you.
https://youtu.be/f8Hx2rwtA24
Not every child will be singing Santa songs in the depths of winter, in some places Christmas is a summertime holiday. The thoughtful folks at Pinkfong Songs have acknowledged that and written about it in ‘Summer Santa’.
And here it is. We promised (or threatened…it’s all the same!) one of the world’s most annoying catchiest songs which has been transformed into a Santa version with a Yuletide makeover. Be aware, before you allow your kids to hear it, that ‘Santa Shark’ may be played on repeat for your entire Christmas, tread carefully….
And don’t forget: ‘Santa shark, ho ho ho ho ho ho ho, Santa shark, ho ho ho ho ho ho ho, Reindeer sharks, do do do do do do do, do do do do do do do ….’.
