The covers of the eight Christmas greetings albums that the Beatles sent to their fan club members from 1963-1969 and one last album from 1971 following their breakup.

As a huge Beatles fanatic, I have amassed a gargantuan collection of their music over the more than 45 years since they became immensely popular, first in Britain, of course, and then in America. One of the rarest items I own are the seven individual recordings they made each year that were sent to their British Beatles fan club members…sort of an audio Christmas card, if you will.

Because the Fabs were most appreciative of their fans buying their records, especially when their real fame was just beginning, they wanted somehow to get across their thanks and well-wishes to each fan club member during the Christmas season. Not having access to home addresses, they decided to do the next best thing.

Each year, beginning in 1963, a flexi disc (a soft, thin, vinyl phonograph record; the type often attached to the spine of a magazine) was mailed to fan club members at no charge. The contents of the Christmas recordings contained holiday greetings and thanks from John, Paul, George and Ringo via the spoken word, through renditions of holiday songs, and/or through skits. Some of the treats on the recordings include playful renditions of traditional Christmas songs such as “Jingle Bells” and “Good King Wenceslas,” a quite humorous version of the Beatles classic, “Yesterday,” original ditties such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo,” and “Christmastime is Here Again” as well as cover versions of songs by the Four Tops and Barry McGuire.

So for me, rather than looking each December in my mailbox for Christmas cards from the Beatles (which will never come), I turn on the old stereo and have a great time each holiday season listening to those delightful Christmas wishes from the band that has given me so much joy!