Santa Baby: From 1953 to 2026, Eartha Kitt Is Still Making Christmas Magic

From the original 1953 recording to a newly remastered version and a collaboration with K-pop sensation aespa, Eartha Kitt’s Christmas classic continues to find new audiences as we approach her 100th birthday on January 17, 2027.

When your mother sings Santa Baby, the man himself delivers your gifts.

Growing up as Eartha Kitt's daughter, Christmas was always an interesting time of year. After all, when your mother is the voice behind one of the most recognizable Christmas songs ever recorded, Santa tends to take notice.

And here we are, 73 years after my mother first recorded Santa Baby, and the song is still making news. This year, in more ways than one!

Santa Baby was written for my mother by Philip Springer, Joan Javits, and Tony Springer. She recorded it in New York City in July 1953, accompanied by Henri René and his orchestra.

The song was a huge hit, and my mother often said it was one of her favorites to record and perform.

One of the last times she performed Santa Baby was at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., in 2006, for President and Mrs. George W. Bush.

Over the years, other artists have recorded their own versions of the song, but I think there's something about my mother's original that continues to make it special. That unmistakable voice, her sense of humor, and the way she could make a lyric sound both innocent and also a little bit naughty.

It is all very Eartha.

This year, Universal Music Group has released The Best of Eartha Kitt (2026 Remaster), a 16-song collection that includes Santa Baby, I Want to Be Evil, C'est Si Bon, Uska Dara, and several other recordings.

I am biased, but I do think it's cool how Santa Baby continues to receive so much attention, but what I really love about this remastered collection is that it gives listeners a chance to discover, or rediscover, some of my mother's other music. She was so much more than Santa Baby.

Her career spanned decades, languages, genres, and generations. She sang in numerous languages, including French, Spanish, German, and Turkish. She could be funny, seductive, dramatic, and heartbreaking, sometimes all in the same performance.

There is something so beautiful about preserving original performances while at the same time, introducing them to an entirely new audience.

And speaking of new generations, here's where things get really interesting!

This holiday season, my mother's voice will be featured alongside the popular South Korean girl group aespa, in a new Santa Baby collaboration being released November 13, 2026.

Yes, you read that correctly. Eartha Kitt and K-pop!

I don't think my mother saw this one coming, but I do think she would get a kick out of the fact that even after she is no longer physically present, she is now collaborating with a group of young women whose fans span the globe. Many of these young fans have probably never heard of Eartha Kitt before, and now they'll hear that unique voice and, hopefully, become curious about the woman behind it. 

My mother was never one to follow the rules or worry about fitting into someone else's idea of who she should be. She was an original, and she worked incredibly hard to remain true to herself.

So the thought of her music continuing to cross generations and cultures feels quite fitting.

I have been saying recently, that my mother has a funny way of showing up in the most unexpected places. Sometimes it's a photograph that appears out of nowhere, a mention in a television show, or hearing her voice when I least expect it.

And now, a K-pop collaboration! 

My mother passed away on Christmas Day in 2008, so the holidays are always significant for me. It warms my heart to know that every year families who listened to Santa Baby with their parents and grandparents are now sharing it with their own children. And that young people may find themselves exploring even more music that was recorded long before they were born.

That's the power and the beauty of The Arts.

So this holiday season, I hope you'll take a moment to listen to the remastered collection, enjoy the new collaboration with aespa, and maybe even discover a few Eartha Kitt songs you haven't heard before.

Seventy-three years later, Santa Baby is still going strong. And something tells me my mother would be quite pleased.

 

 Santa Baby 'certified gold', my mother and, Elf on the Shelf  

  
I wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season, filled with love and laughter.

 Remember ~ Treasure ~ Love.... Kittxx