# List of Billboard Best Bets for Christmas 1963–1973

American music chart publisher Billboard magazine began publishing annual Christmas singles and albums charts, the Billboard Best Bets for Christmas, in surveys from 1963 to 1973 for a total of 46 weeks. Each survey included a top-selling Christmas LP's and a Christmas Singles chart that ran for 3–5 weeks each holiday season expanding in size as sales activity increased. Before then, Christmas-themed hits were only included on the Hot 100 or on their other weekly charts. Billboard charted Christmas albums and singles exclusively in this section until 1972.

## Billboard number one Best Bets For Christmas

These are Billboard's Best Bets for Christmas number-one albums and singles:
| Issue date | Albums | Artist | Singles | Artist |
| November 30, 1963 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "White Christmas" | Andy Williams |
| December 7, 1963 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "White Christmas" | Andy Williams |
| December 14, 1963 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "White Christmas" | Andy Williams |
| December 21, 1963 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "White Christmas" | Andy Williams |
| December 28, 1963 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "White Christmas" | Andy Williams |
| December 5, 1964 | The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | "Blue Christmas" | Elvis Presley |
| December 12, 1964 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 19, 1964 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 26, 1964 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 11, 1965 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 18, 1965 | The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 25, 1965 | The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 3, 1966 | The Dean Martin Christmas Album | Dean Martin | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 10, 1966 | Merry Christmas | Andy Williams | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 17, 1966 | The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 24, 1966 | Merry Christmas | Andy Williams | "Sleep in Heavenly Sleep (Silent Night)" | Barbra Streisand |
| December 2, 1967 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Snoopy's Christmas" | The Royal Guardsmen |
| December 9, 1967 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Snoopy's Christmas" | The Royal Guardsmen |
| December 16, 1967 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Snoopy's Christmas" | The Royal Guardsmen |
| December 23, 1967 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Snoopy's Christmas" | The Royal Guardsmen |
| December 30, 1967 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Snoopy's Christmas" | The Royal Guardsmen |
| December 7, 1968 | Christmas Album | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass | "The Christmas Song" | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass |
| December 14, 1968 | Christmas Album | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass | "The Christmas Song" | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass |
| December 21, 1968 | That Christmas Feeling | Glen Campbell | "The Christmas Song" | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass |
| December 28, 1968 | That Christmas Feeling | Glen Campbell | "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale |
| December 6, 1969 | Give Me Your Love for Christmas | Johnny Mathis | "White Christmas" | Bing Crosby |
| December 13, 1969 | The Christmas Song | Nat King Cole | "The Christmas Song" | Nat King Cole |
| December 20, 1969 | Merry Christmas | Andy Williams | "Jingle Bell Rock" | Bobby Helms |
| December 27, 1969 | Jim Nabors' Christmas Album | Jim Nabors | "Jingle Bell Rock" | Bobby Helms |
| December 19, 1970 | Jackson 5 Christmas Album | Jackson 5 | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" | Jackson 5 |
| December 26, 1970 | Jackson 5 Christmas Album | Jackson 5 | "Merry Christmas, Darling" | Carpenters |
| December 18, 1971 | A Partridge Family Christmas Card | The Partridge Family | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" / "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year" | Jackson 5 |
| December 25, 1971 | A Partridge Family Christmas Card | The Partridge Family | "Merry Christmas, Darling" | Carpenters |
| December 9, 1972 | Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas | Elvis Presley | "Jingle Bells" | The Singing Dogs |
| December 16, 1972 | The Christmas Song | Nat King Cole | "Please Come Home for Christmas" | Charles Brown |
| December 23, 1972 | Jackson 5 Christmas Album | Jackson 5 | "The Christmas Song" | Nat King Cole |
| December 8, 1973 | Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas | Elvis Presley | "Merry Christmas, Darling" | Carpenters |
| December 15, 1973 | A Motown Christmas | Various artists | "Step into Christmas" | Elton John |
| December 22, 1973 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | "Blue Christmas" | Elvis Presley |

## Top 10 Christmas Albums

These are the LPs that reached the top 10 on Billboard's Christmas Record charts from 1958 until 1973. Record collectors and holiday music fans believe that every contemporary holiday album owes a debt to one or more of the albums below.
| Rank | Album | Artist | Year Rlsd. | Peak Date | Peak Pos. | Weeks | Weeks | Weeks |
| Rank | Album | Artist | Year Rlsd. | Peak Date | Peak Pos. | Peak | Top 10 | Chart |
| 1 | The Andy Williams Christmas Album | Andy Williams | 1963 | 11/30/1963 | #1 | 9 | 23 | 30 |
| 2 | A Christmas Album | Barbra Streisand | 1967 | 12/2/1967 | #1 | 6 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 | The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | 1959 | 12/5/1964 | #1 | 4 | 25 | 35 |
| 4 | Merry Christmas | Andy Williams | 1966 | 12/10/1966 | #1 | 3 | 12 | 20 |
| 5 | Jackson 5 Christmas Album | Jackson 5 | 1970 | 12/26/1970 | #1 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | The Christmas Song | Nat King Cole | 1963 | 12/13/1969 | #1 | 2 | 29 | 35 |
| 7 | Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas | Elvis Presley | 1971 | 12/9/1972 | #1 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Christmas Album | Herb Alpert | 1968 | 12/7/1968 | #1 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 9 | That Christmas Feeling | Glen Campbell | 1968 | 12/21/1968 | #1 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 10 | A Partridge Family Christmas Card | The Partridge Family | 1971 | 12/18/1971 | #1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 11 | The Dean Martin Christmas Album | Dean Martin | 1966 | 12/3/1966 | #1 | 1 | 14 | 19 |
| 12 | Jim Nabors' Christmas Album | Jim Nabors | 1967 | 12/27/1969 | #1 | 1 | 13 | 21 |
| 13 | Give Me Your Love For Christmas | Johnny Mathis | 1969 | 12/6/1969 | #1 | 1 | 10 | 12 |
| 14 | A Motown Christmas | Various Artists | 1973 | 2/15/1973 | #1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 15 | Music of Christmas | Percy Faith And His Orchestra | 1957 | 11/24/1958 | #1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | Elvis' Christmas Album | Elvis Presley | 1957 | 12/11/1965 | #2 | 7 | 23 | 31 |
| 17 | Merry Christmas | Johnny Mathis | 1958 | 11/30/1963 | #2 | 6 | 27 | 29 |
| 18 | Merry Christmas | Bing Crosby | 1955 | 12/26/1964 | #2 | 3 | 34 | 40 |
| 19 | Sounds of Christmas | Johnny Mathis | 1963 | 12/21/1963 | #2 | 2 | 7 | 20 |
| 20 | Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! | Lou Rawls | 1967 | 12/9/1967 | #2 | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| 21 | Christmas with Mahalia | Mahalia Jackson | 1968 | 12/13/1969 | #2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 22 | Christmas Album | Bobby Sherman | 1970 | 12/19/1970 | #2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 23 | A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra | Frank Sinatra | 1957 | 11/24/1958 | #2 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 24 | John Gary Christmas Album | John Gary | 1964 | 12/5/1964 | #3 | 1 | 4 | 17 |
| 25 | Handel: Messiah | The Philadelphia Orchestra / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy | 1959 | 12/13/1969 | #3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 26 | The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas | Frank Sinatra featuring Frank Sinatra Jr., Nancy Sinatra and Tina Sinatra | 1969 | 12/13/1969 | #3 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 27 | This Christmas I Spend With You | Robert Goulet | 1963 | 12/21/1963 | #4 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
| 28 | Sound of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio | 1961 | 12/18/1965 | #4 | 1 | 8 | 24 |
| 29 | The Temptations Christmas Card | The Temptations | 1970 | 12/23/1972 | #4 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 30 | Merle Haggard's Christmas Present | Merle Haggard | 1973 | 12/8/1973 | #4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 31 | Merry Christmas | Jackie Gleason | 1956 | 11/24/1958 | #4 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 32 | We Wish You A Merry Christmas | Ray Conniff | 1962 | 12/9/1972 | #5 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| 33 | Season's Greetings from Perry Como | Perry Como | 1959 | 12/7/1963 | #5 | 1 | 2 | 20 |
| 34 | O' Bambino — The Little Drummer Boy | Harry Simeone Chorale | 1965 | 2/3/1966 | #5 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 35 | Merry Christmas! | New Christy Minstrels | 1963 | 12/28/1963 | #5 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 36 | Christmas Carols | Mantovani | 1954 | 11/24/1958 | #5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Noël | Joan Baez | 1966 | 12/3/1966 | #6 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| 38 | Merry Christmas | The Supremes | 1965 | 12/11/1965 | #6 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
| 39 | Snoopy And His Friends | The Royal Guardsmen | 1967 | 12/23/1967 | #6 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 40 | The Beach Boys' Christmas Album | The Beach Boys | 1965 | 12/18/1965 | #6 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 41 | A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector | Various Artists | 1963 | 12/23/1972 | #6 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 42 | Songs of Christmas | The Norman Luboff Choir | 1956 | 11/24/1958 | #6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 43 | Merry Christmas from the Brady Bunch | The Brady Bunch | 1970 | 12/25/1971 | #6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 44 | Christmas Greetings From Mantovani And His Orchestra | Mantovani | 1963 | 12/21/1963 | #7 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| 45 | Merry Christmas from Brenda Lee | Brenda Lee | 1964 | 12/16/1972 | #7 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| 46 | Christmas with Conniff | Ray Conniff | 1959 | 12/27/1969 | #7 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 47 | The Christmas Spirit | Johnny Cash | 1963 | 12/13/1969 | #7 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 48 | Now Is The Caroling Season | Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians | 1957 | 11/24/1958 | #7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 49 | Handel's Messiah | Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra | 1966 | 12/7/1968 | #8 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 50 | Christmas in My Home Town | Charley Pride | 1970 | 12/23/1972 | #8 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 51 | More Sounds of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio | 1964 | 12/26/1964 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| 52 | Merry Christmas | Al Martino | 1964 | 12/19/1964 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 53 | Christmas with The King Family | The King Family | 1965 | 12/18/1965 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 54 | The Joy of Christmas | The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / The New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein | 1963 | 12/11/1965 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 55 | Soul Christmas (Atco Records 33-269) | Various artists | 1968 | 12/6/1969 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 56 | Beloved Choruses | The Philadelphia Orchestra / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy | 1958 | 12/18/1965 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 57 | Christmas '64 | Jimmy Smith | 1964 | 12/5/1964 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 58 | The Voices of Christmas | The Voices of Walter Schumann | 1955 | 11/24/1958 | #8 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 59 | Ventures' Christmas Album | The Ventures | 1965 | 12/18/1965 | #9 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 60 | Christmas Hymns & Carols | Robert Shaw Chorale | 1957 | 11/24/1958 | #9 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 61 | 12 Songs Of Christmas | Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Fred Waring | 1964 | 12/19/1964 | #9 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 62 | Merry Xmas From José Feliciano | José Feliciano | 1970 | 12/8/1973 | #9 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 63 | Navidad Means Christmas | Eydie Gorme & Trio Los Panchos | 1966 | 12/17/1966 | #9 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 64 | Holiday Sing Along with Mitch | Mitch Miller and The Gang | 1961 | 12/28/1963 | #9 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| 65 | Christmas with The Chipmunks Volume 2 | David Seville & The Chipmunks | 1963 | 12/21/1963 | #9 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 66 | A Christmas Treasure | Julie Andrews with Andre Previn | 1967 | 12/2/1967 | #9 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 67 | A Christmas Festival | Arthur Fiedler & Boston Pops Orchestra | 1970 | 12/19/1970 | #9 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 68 | Joy to The World | Roger Wagner Chorale | 1956 | 11/24/1958 | #9 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 69 | Songs For A Merry Christmas | Wayne Newton | 1966 | 12/3/1966 | #10 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 70 | Christmas Wonderland | Bert Kaempfert | 1963 | 12/7/1963 | #10 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 71 | Christmas Present...And Past | Paul Revere & the Raiders | 1967 | 12/9/1967 | #10 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 72 | Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album | Tony Bennett | 1968 | 12/14/1968 | #10 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 73 | A Soulful Christmas | James Brown | 1968 | 12/13/1969 | #10 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 74 | The Perry Como Christmas Album | Perry Como | 1968 | 12/26/1970 | #10 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 75 | The Christmas Album: 20 Great Christmas Favorites By 20 Great Artist (Columbia Records 30763) | Various artists | 1972 | 12/8/1973 | #10 | 1 | 1 | 3 |