when was white christmas written

The song "White Christmas" was written in 1940 by Irving Berlin, who wrote the music and lyrics for the famous holiday classic. It was inspired by the nostalgia for a white Christmas that Berlin experienced while living in California. He wrote the song with the hope that the song would help bring joy to those who are far from home during the holidays. The song was first performed by Bing Crosby in 1942 and quickly became a beloved Christmas song.