Hi Alice in Montana and thanks! I've been wondering about this for a long time. I am really surprised that the date is 1949. Thought it would be a lot older! I think I read somewhere that Harry Belafonte was the first to record it...not sure. To me it is one of the sweetest, saddest songs. Can hardly sing it without tears. My sister raised her girls on this song and at Christmas time , a beautiful arrangement of scarlet ribbons are found under their pillows though they may be hundreds of miles away. In song, Rebecca