In Santa Plays Jingle Bells on the Recorder, Santa puts a fresh, fun spin on a beloved Christmas carol by picking up a new instrument. It’s a lighthearted, playful entry in the House of Kringle video collection.
Cheerful and a little unexpected, the video is a delightful watch for families who love Jingle Bells and enjoy seeing Santa try something new — proof that the holidays always have room for a little surprise.
Jingle Bells is one of the most recognizable songs in the world, and its history is full of surprises. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and first published in 1857 — and, despite its place at the heart of the Christmas songbook, it wasn’t originally a Christmas song at all. It was written about wintertime sleigh racing, with no mention of the holiday anywhere in its lyrics.
The song has carried other distinctions over the years. It is often cited as one of the first songs broadcast from space, performed by astronauts aboard a Gemini mission in 1965 — a small, cheerful piece of history for a tune that began as a simple ode to dashing through the snow. Few Christmas songs have traveled quite so far.
The recorder gives the carol a playful new character. Familiar to generations of schoolchildren as their first instrument, the recorder is humble, simple, and instantly nostalgic — and hearing Santa take it up to play a tune everyone knows brings a smile. It’s a reminder that music doesn’t have to be grand to be joyful; sometimes the simplest instrument and the most familiar song are exactly enough.
That spirit of cheerful surprise is what makes this video fun. Children delight in seeing Santa try something new, and a familiar carol played a new way invites them to listen closely, hum along, and maybe even pick up an instrument of their own. It’s a few minutes of light, festive fun from the House of Kringle.
For a Christmas surprise your family will never forget, Santa would love to pay a visit.
Santa Can Visit From Anywhere
Not in Southern California? Santa can still visit your family — virtually, from anywhere in the world.