Snoopy’s Christmas is a somewhat popular novelty Christmas song by The Royal Guardsman. If you recall, Snoopy had to fight the Red Baron on Christmas Eve, and as the Baron has Snoopy in his sites, he suggests they share a toast, instead.
The holiday song is a follow-up to the original Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, which was recorded at Charles Fuller Productions studio in Tampa. 
In fact, the Guardsmen discovered the song while playing a gig at Curtis Hixon Hall.
A while back, Sticks reader Nick left a comment on the Twist being born in Tampa, and let us know of a couple other songs that were born in Tampa Bay, including The Royal Guardsmen’s nationwide hit “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron,” so we had to learn more.
The Royal Guardsmen formed in Ocala in 1966 with Bill Balough on bass, John Burdette on drums, Tom Richards on guitar, Billy Taylor on organ, Barry Winslow on vocals and guitar and Chris Nunley on vocals.
One night, while opening for Monti Rock the III at the Curtis Hixon Hall in downtown Tampa, The Royal Guardsmen were seen by a producer named Phil Gernhard. He went backstage and handed the guys a legal pad with the lyrics to “Snoopy Vs The Red Baron” along with a note that said “give me a military feel or cadence.”
They didn’t think much of it, but after putting it off for a while, the high schoolers eventually wrote the music and recorded it for Gernhard. The song turned them into superstars.
Bob Ross
2 months ago
I went to high school with Tom Richards, unfortunately now deceased. As I heard it, the Guardsmen never received much of the profit Gerhard made off of their records.
Rick
2 months ago
We played Snoopy at WLCY and believed we played a small role in making it a national hit.