Christmas carol countdown #7

"I'll Be Home for Christmas"

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a Christmas staple, but many people don’t know the story behind the song. It was recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943 when a great many Americans longed to be home with their loved ones but could do so “only in my dreams.”

The song is particularly meaningful in 2020 when fear of spreading Coronavirus to our loved ones is keeping many families apart. This year more than 100,000 Americans won’t be home for Christmas because they are hospitalized with COVID-19. Many other families are separated because of military deployments, work requirements, or a myriad of other reasons.

One final bit of trivia is that the B-side of the original record single contained “Danny Boy,” which has become a St. Patrick’s Day standard.