I took another tumble down the YouTube rabbit hole recently where I discovered these wonderful videos from the folks at Fantoon Studios. What could be more fun than watching animated renderings of classic Christmas songs by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin? All you need is a cup of hot chocolate and cozy jammies and you’re all set.

 

“Winter Wonderland” – Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby *is* the voice of Christmas. The video is lighthearted and fun, like the song. It perfectly represents how hearing Bing’s voice can take away your blues.

 

 

“Mistletoe and Holly” – Frank Sinatra

The song is more laid back, but the video does a great job of depicting the small scenes of the holidays – “fancy ties, Granny’s pies, and folks stealing a kiss or two.”

 

 

“White Christmas” – Bing Crosby

Prepare your handkerchiefs for this one. This is the newest of the videos, premiering just last week. (And if you listen closely, you can actually hear the snap and crackle of the vintage recording they used!) There’s more of a story in this video, and it’s for a good reason. I won’t ruin it for you, but it’s worth your while to watch until the end.

 

 

“Christmas Waltz” – Frank Sinatra

When Sinatra comes in with that “Frosted windowpanes” line, it’s like a shot of pure Christmas goodness straight to your veins. The creators also chose a beautiful version of this song, the remastered version with Gordon Jenkins from the album “A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra”. I also have a special love for this video because it includes a cute pupper who reminds me so much of my sweet baby potato.

 

 

“Jingle Bells” – Frank Sinatra

This is my favorite version of the song – jazzy and swinging. I wish I knew who the backing singers are, but so far all my research shows me is that Sinatra performed this with the American composer Gordon Jenkins, also on the “Jolly Christmas…” album. The music video is upbeat, and it’s great to see a cartoon Sinatra that hasn’t lost its swagger for being animated. The Chairman is cool no matter what iteration!

 

 

“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” – Dean Martin

I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of Dean Martin, but I consider this a bonus anyway. These cartoons are the closest we’ll come to high-definition videos of these classics, and I’d love to see more. Wouldn’t it be cool if we get a Sammy Davis video too?