# What is this no-lyrics Christmas tune?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 18, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157 "2019-05-18T18:49:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157/1 "2019-05-18T18:49:12Z")

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Best I can describe it is a short chimes and horn piece. I originally heard it in a Christmas-themed online game [noparse][https://www.365escape.com/House-Santa.html[/noparse]](https://www.365escape.com/House-Santa.html%5B/noparse%5D), and had presumed it was composed for the game. But recently I heard it in another context, so now I’m wondering if it’s better known than I thought.

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**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157/2 "2019-05-18T18:58:52Z")

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> [@Lumpy](#):
>
> Best I can describe it is a short chimes and horn piece. I originally heard it in a Christmas-themed online game [noparse][https://www.365escape.com/House-Santa.html[/noparse]](https://www.365escape.com/House-Santa.html%5B/noparse%5D), and had presumed it was composed for the game. But recently I heard it in another context, so now I’m wondering if it’s better known than I thought.

It sounds like glockenspiel arpeggios and and a basic brass trio, in a 12 bar loop, in other words the basic elements of midcentury Christmas music.

If you heard it in another context then I’d want to hear that context, whether it’s someone else just imitating the stereotype, or if it’s a direct copy.

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157/3 "2019-05-18T21:29:41Z")

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> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#):
>
> It sounds like glockenspiel arpeggios and and a basic brass trio, in a 12 bar loop, in other words the basic elements of midcentury Christmas music.
> 
> If you heard it in another context then I’d want to hear that context, whether it’s someone else just imitating the stereotype, or if it’s a direct copy.

The second place I’ve found it (which prompted this question) was this Christmas themed short on YouTube (background music): [noparse][https://youtu.be/YdYryrSyiDo?t=278[/noparse]](https://youtu.be/YdYryrSyiDo?t=278%5B/noparse%5D)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-no-lyrics-christmas-tune/834157/4 "2019-05-18T21:41:43Z")

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> [@Lumpy](#):
>
> The second place I’ve found it (which prompted this question) was this Christmas themed short on YouTube (background music): [noparse][https://youtu.be/YdYryrSyiDo?t=278[/noparse]](https://youtu.be/YdYryrSyiDo?t=278%5B/noparse%5D)

To me, that doesn’t sound like a duplication of the song so much as a duplication of the style. Glockenspiel arpeggios.

Bottom line, I don’t think it’s a notable/named thing.