For fans of American Oldies music, few artists capture the warmth of the holiday season quite like Elvis Presley. Among his catalog of festive recordings, “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” stands out as a gentle, heartfelt tune that captures the nostalgic magic of the season — a feeling that has kept listeners returning to it decade after decade. Written by Elvis’s longtime friend and collaborator Red West, the song reflects on how wonderful the world would be if the spirit of Christmas could last all year round.
The Story Behind the Song
Red West, a childhood friend of Elvis from Memphis who later became part of his inner circle known as the “Memphis Mafia,” penned this song as a simple, sincere meditation on the joy of the holidays. The lyrics describe the sound of church bells ringing out the arrival of the season, a choir singing somewhere in the distance, and a child excitedly telling Santa Claus what gifts he hopes to receive. Rather than dwelling on commercial aspects of Christmas, the song focuses on the emotional warmth and togetherness the holiday inspires — themes that resonate deeply within the broader tradition of American Oldies music, where sincerity and simplicity often took precedence over spectacle.
The central message of the song is both wistful and hopeful: wouldn’t it be wonderful if every day carried the same peace and joy that Christmas brings? It’s a sentiment that has helped the recording endure as a beloved seasonal classic among Elvis Presley fans and Oldies music enthusiasts around the world.
Recording History and Context
“If Every Day Was Like Christmas” was recorded on June 10, 1966, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee — one of the most storied recording locations in American music history and a frequent home base for Elvis during this period of his career. The track was completed with vocal overdubs on June 12, 1966, and a celeste overdub was added on June 20, 1966, giving the recording its light, bell-like musical texture that perfectly complements the holiday theme.
This session took place during an especially productive stretch for Elvis, sandwiched between work on other notable recordings, including “Indescribably Blue” and “I’ll Remember You.” That same month, Elvis also recorded classic gospel material that would appear on the acclaimed How Great Thou Art album, a project that showcased his deep roots in gospel and spiritual music — a genre that profoundly shaped his vocal style throughout his career.
The Nashville sessions of May and June 1966 were particularly fruitful, producing gospel standards such as “Run On,” “Where No One Stands Alone,” “Farther Along,” “In The Garden,” and “Without Him,” alongside secular material like “Love Letters” and “Down In The Alley.” This period illustrates the remarkable range Elvis brought to the studio — moving fluidly between heartfelt gospel performances and tender pop songs like this Christmas tune within the span of just a few weeks.
“If Every Day Was Like Christmas” was released as a single and later included on Elvis’s holiday collections, cementing its place alongside his other Christmas recordings as part of the enduring soundtrack of the American holiday season. For international listeners exploring the golden era of American music, this song offers an accessible entry point into understanding how deeply Christmas traditions are woven into the fabric of Oldies music — not just as commercial holiday fare, but as genuine expressions of hope, family, and community.
Elvis’s Broader Christmas Legacy
Elvis Presley’s connection to Christmas music runs deep. His holiday recordings, including this track, reflect the way mid-century American singers approached the season: with warmth, reverence, and an emphasis on universal human emotions rather than elaborate production. This approach helped define what many now consider the golden age of American Christmas music, a period stretching roughly from the 1940s through the 1960s when artists like Elvis, Bing Crosby, and others shaped the holiday listening traditions still celebrated today.
For those interested in the film side of Elvis’s career during this same era, it’s worth noting that shortly after these Nashville sessions, he traveled to Hollywood to record material for the movie Double Trouble, further demonstrating his packed schedule and remarkable output during 1966 — a year that balanced spiritual reflection, holiday sentiment, and mainstream entertainment all at once.
Conclusion: Why This Song Still Matters
“If Every Day Was Like Christmas” endures because it taps into something universal: the wish that kindness, peace, and togetherness didn’t have to be reserved for just one season. Recorded during one of Elvis Presley’s most musically diverse periods, the song remains a cherished piece of American Oldies music and a testament to the emotional depth Elvis brought to even his simplest recordings.
For anyone discovering the golden era of American music for the first time, this song is a wonderful starting point — a reminder of why Oldies music continues to captivate listeners across generations and borders. Explore more of Elvis Presley’s timeless recordings and discover why his music remains such an essential part of America’s musical heritage.
References
- Elvis Presley Music. (n.d.). If Every Day Was Like Christmas — Recording Sessions. Retrieved from elvispresleymusic.com.au
- Elvis Presley Shop. (n.d.). How Great Thou Art: The Complete Gospel Recordings. Retrieved from elvispresleyshop.com
- Elvis Australia. (n.d.). Red West: Writing for the King. Retrieved from elvis.com.au