[5][6] The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, writing a letter to his family.

In the message, he tells his family he will be coming home and to prepare the holiday for him, and requests snow, mistletoe, and presents "on" the tree.

Songwriter Buck Ram, known for his hits including "Only You", "The Great Pretender", "Twilight Time", and "The Magic Touch", wrote the original lyrics in 1922, while a student at the University of Illinois, as a poem for his mother.

A songwriter, producer and manager for groups that included The Platters, The Penguins, and The Flares, Ram was credited as a co-writer as a result of a lawsuit brought by his publisher, Mills Music.

In the midst of World War II, the song touched the hearts of Americans, both soldiers and civilians, and it earned Crosby his fifth gold record.

In December 1965, astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, while on Gemini 7, requested "I'll Be Home for Christmas" be played for them by the NASA ground crew.