The Beatles' Christmas records

• Recorded: 17 October 1963[1]
• Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
• Writer: Tony Barrow[2]
• Producer: Tony Barrow
• Issued: 6 December 1963
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 492
• Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 5:00

The first Christmas recording[3] from the Beatles featured several renditions of the traditional carol "Good King Wenceslas" and individual messages from the four, ending with a closing chorus of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo".[4][5] This offering, as well as 1964's, was scripted by Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow, who had instigated the Christmas message programme.[6][7]

An edited version of this recording was sent to members of the Beatles' American fan-club in December 1964.

• Recorded: 26 October 1964
• Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
• Writer: Tony Barrow
• Producer: Tony Barrow
• Issued: 18 December 1964
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 757
• Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 45 RPM
• Total time: 3:58

The song "Jingle Bells" is sung, followed by individual messages to the fans. John Lennon mocks the script by making it obvious he's reading from a prepared text; when Paul McCartney asks him if he wrote this himself, he says, "No it's somebody's bad handwrouter." John continues: "It's been a busy year, Beatle peedles, one way and another, but it's been a great year... too. You fans have seen to that, page two... Thanks a lot, folks, and a hap-py, er, Christmas and a merry goo year. Crimble maybe." (The statement is apparently handwritten as at various points in the recording, McCartney reads "making them" as "melting them" before correcting himself and George Harrison reads "quite a time" as "quiet time" before correcting himself with "great time" as well.) Finishing up the record is a brief rendition of the traditional song "Oh Can You Wash Your Father's Shirt?"[8][9][10]

Another Beatles Christmas Record was not sent to American fans. Instead, US-based fans received an edited version of The Beatles Christmas Record, which had been sent to British fan-club members in 1963. Also, as opposed to using flexi-discs, the US fan-club sent the message in a tri-fold cardboard mailer, with the "record" embedded in one of the flaps of cardboard.[11]

• Recorded: 8 November 1965
• Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
• Writer: Tony Barrow, The Beatles
• Producer: Tony Barrow
• Issued: 17 December 1965
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 948
• Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 6:20

Several off-key, a cappella versions of "Yesterday" are dispersed throughout the record, alongside Lennon's "Happy Christmas to Ya List'nas", "Auld Lang Syne" (which briefly morphs into an impression of Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction"), then begin singing the Four Tops' "It's the Same Old Song" (but stop after George tells them they can't continue because the song is copyrighted), and an original poem titled "Christmas Comes But Once a Year".[12][13][14]

Members of the Beatles US fan-club did not receive this (or any) Christmas flexi-disc in 1965. Rather, they received a black and white postcard, with a photo of the Fab Four and the message "Season's Greetings – Paul, Ringo, George, John." The Beatle Bulletin, the publication of the US fan-club, explained in its April 1966 edition that the tape arrived too late to prepare the record in time for Christmas.[15]

• Recorded: 25 November 1966
• Location: Dick James Music
• Writer: The Beatles
• Producer: George Martin
• Issued: 16 December 1966
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 1145
• Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 6:36

Recorded between sessions for "Strawberry Fields Forever", for the 1966 offering, the usual greetings and thanks gave way to a 'Pantomime'-themed collection of original songs and comic skits. The songs include "Everywhere It's Christmas", "Orowayna", and "Please Don't Bring Your Banjo Back". McCartney plays the piano. The sketches performed include "Podgy the Bear and Jasper" and "Felpin Mansions."[16][17]

Once again, the US fan-club members did not get a flexi-disc. Instead, they received a postcard with the message on one side and a short version of The Beatle Bulletin on the other, with enough room for a mailing label and postage.[18]

• Recorded: 28 November 1967
• Location: Studio Three EMI Studios, London
• Writer: The Beatles
• Producer: George Martin
• Issued: 15 December 1967
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 1360
• Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 6:06

An elaborate production, Christmas Time Is Here Again! was developed around the concept of several groups auditioning for a BBC radio show. The title song, "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)", serves as a refrain throughout the record.[19] The Beatles portray a multitude of characters, including game show contestants, aspiring musicians ("Plenty of Jam Jars", by the Ravellers), and actors in a radio drama ("Theatre Hour"). At the end Lennon reads a poem, "When Christmas Time Is Over." This offering was likely a deliberate homage to/continuation of the broadly similar "Craig Torso" specials produced for BBC Radio 1 that same year by the Beatles' friends and collaborators the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and also shares much in common with their then-unreleased track "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)", recorded six months previously.[20][21]

While UK fans received a flexi-disc in an elaborate sleeve, North American fans received a postcard similar to that of 1966.[22]

• Recorded: November–December 1968
• Location: various
• Writer: The Beatles
• Producer: Kenny Everett
• Issued: 20 December 1968
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 1743/4
• Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 7:48

The first Beatles Christmas fan-club disc to be recorded by the individual Beatles separately, the 1968 offering is a collage of odd noises, musical snippets and individual messages. McCartney's song "Happy Christmas, Happy New Year" is featured, along with Lennon's poems "Jock and Yono" and "Once Upon a Pool Table". Also notable is a rendition of "Nowhere Man" by the ukulele-playing Tiny Tim, which Harrison recorded in New York. Also included is a sped-up snippet of the Beatles' own "Helter Skelter" and a brief snippet of Perrey & Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown", which was used three years later in Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Yer Blues" and "Birthday" are also heard in the background for part of the message. The dialogue and songs for the flexi-disc were organised and edited together by DJ and friend of the Beatles, Kenny Everett.[23][24]

Finally, the US fans got a flexi-disc for Christmas in 1968, but it came in a modified version of the 1967 UK sleeve.[25]

• Recorded: November–December 1969
• Location: various
• Writer: The Beatles
• Producer: Kenny Everett
• Issued: 19 December 1969
• Label: Lyntone, LYN 1970/1971
• Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 33⅓ RPM
• Total time: 7:39

The final Beatles Christmas offering was also recorded separately, as the band had effectively split by this point. It features an extensive visit with Lennon and his wife Yoko at their Tittenhurst Park estate, where they play "what will Santa bring me?" games. Harrison and Ringo Starr appear only briefly, the latter to publicise his recent film, The Magic Christian. McCartney sings his original ad-lib, "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas." Starting at 1:30, at the tail-end of Starr's song, the guitar solos from "The End" are heard, followed by Ono interviewing Lennon.[26][27]

For the only time, the North American and UK album sleeve jackets were identical. The North American version of the flexi-disc had an elaborate collage of the Beatles' faces on it (drawn by Ringo), while the rear album sleeve contained stick-figure scribbles made by his son, Zak Starkey.[28]

• Badman, Keith (2005). The Beatles After the Break-Up 1970–2001: A Day-by-Day Diary. London: Omnibus. ISBN 978-0-7119-8307-6.
• Calkin, Graham (2002). "The Beatles Discography". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
• Gilliland, John (1969). "The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!: The U.S.A. is invaded by a wave of long-haired English rockers" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
• Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-517-57066-1.
• Spizer, Bruce (2003). The Beatles on Apple Records. New Orleans: 498 Productions. ISBN 978-0-9662649-4-4.