Celebrating Christmas Number Ones with new book and discussion in Kirkcaldy
Ever since records were made and charts devised the prestige of being the best seller at Christmas has been headline news.
The Christmas number one still gets reported today although the days of Top Of The Pops on BBC TV are long gone, and let’s face it who knows what the number one is this week anyway?
Award winning author and comedian Marc Burrows put together The Story Of The Christmas No.1 last year in his book Mistletoe & Vinyl (£14.99, McNidder & Grace), and a newly updated revision has just been published for 2026.
His meticulous research will astound the most seasoned music fan and covers all the chart years since they began. This was of course the New Musical Express chart of 1952 when Al Martino became not only the first chart topper but the first Christmas number one in the Hit Parade as it became known.
Many interesting facts are revealed such as 1955 before a song about Christmas actually became top at Christmas. That honour went to Dickie Valentine with Christmas Alphabet. The author also reveals the absence of White Christmas by Bing Crosby which we all thought to be the biggest seller of all time until Band Aid and Do They Know It’s Christmas, and all discussed in depth.
In December 1973 the Edward Heath government announced a state of emergency with high oil prices and a miners’ strike. Offices were banned from heating and television closed down at 10:30pm.
Amid all this we had the joy of Slade and Merry Xmas Everybody going straight to number one plus competition from Elton John (Step Into Christmas) and Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday. A golden era of hits which still get played today. From Cliff to Kylie, we can read about them all in this comprehensive book.
> Marc Burrows will be in conversation with Phill Jupitus at Waterstones Kirkcaldy, December 3 at 7:00pm (free).