when was have yourself a merry little christmas

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was first written for the 1944 MGM film Meet Me in St. Louis, which starred Judy Garland as the oldest daughter of a family moving from St. Louis to New York City. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, who were inspired by the Christmas spirit of the film and the emotions of the characters. The song was originally called "Have Yourself a Merry Little Xmas," but was later changed to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to reflect the sentiment of the season.