“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is one of those honest songs that calls for strength and hope while recognizing the sadness of the times.

It was written by Hugh Martin in the thick of World War II and first sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie “Meet Me in St. Louis.” And it hit home with our troops and those who prayed for their return.

Garland insisted on lighter lyrics than the composer’s original gloomier version, and those changes made the song a hit: “Someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”

Years later, Frank Sinatra wanted something more festive than “muddle through,” and he recorded this ending: “So hang a shining star upon the highest bough.”

Since then, both Garland’s and Sinatra’s versions have been recorded by hundreds of artists, according to Martin Chilton, who recently wrote about the history of the song for udiscovermusic.com. Chilton says that Linda Ronstadt “liked the ‘muddle through’ ” line and the bravado of the “hanging the shining star” replacement, so she included both in her 2000 recording.

And even though the words differ, both versions include the sense of resolve and hope that we need now. Just as our families did during WWII, we are living through a crisis with no predictable end. But we learned from them that we can make it through this and that better times are ahead.

For me, the biggest change from last year was brought home by one of those “one year ago today” photos that pop up on our Facebook pages. It was a photo of a Dr. Anthony Fauci Christmas ornament that was on our tree during that first pandemic Christmas.

The small fabric facsimile of Fauci is holding a sign that says, “Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands,” which was the only defense we had last year but for quarantine. Now we have the vaccines to protect and save us.

And the vaccines have calmed us, too. Last year, parents and grandparents were desperate for contact with those we love, and our youngest daughter Addy moved heaven and earth to get back from San Francisco for Christmas. She made it — with connecting flights, fully masked and gloved, with her boxer Porter at her side. Once here, it was constant testing and quarantining before each distanced visit. It was her gift to us.

This year, thanks to the vaccines, we believe that there is an end in sight. And our gift to Addy this year was to tell her that it is OK to stay put — avoiding the risk and aggravation of travel. There is hope now and, as the song says, “Someday soon we all will be together.”

This Christmas is better than the Christmas of 2020. And next Christmas can be better still. So, as we are muddling through, let’s keep an eye on the shining star on the highest bough. And be sure to have a merry little Christmas.

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