Today’s Christmas song is an all-time classic. The Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler were the first to perform Sleigh Ride, back in 1949, and since then it’s become one of the most frequently performed holiday songs ever. This particular recording is from ten years later, but it’s probably as close as you’ll get in digital form to the original.

As much as I love the modern pop version of Sleigh Ride, the Boston Pops’ orchestral version is unmatched in its elegance. Between the ever-present sleigh bells and the consistent beat, it really captures the feel of adventuring through a wintery landscape. And to top it off it includes the distinguishing feature of Sleigh Ride, the trumpet horse whinny at the end. This song definitely deserves a spot in any holiday music collection.

You can now get the entire series of songs as a Spotify playlist.