Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Christmas future is far away
Christmas past is past
Christmas present is here today
Bringing joy that will last

I just love this sweet little holiday classic. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, was sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis—and then performed by many artists since. But my favorite version, hands down, is the 1978 release by the Carpenters.

One of the most memorable lines in the song is the starkly simple: “Christ...