It's not a sentence we imagined typing twelve months ago but The Beatles have had an amazing 2009. Remasteredboxsets, video games, solo DVDs, signature kit… With all that cash sloshing about, it's unlikely anyone's going short of Christmas presents this year.

Rewind then 42 years to more innocent times and this curio (click here to watch). Released as mail order-only single for fan club members in 1967 and featuring a John and Ringo designed cover, Christmas Time (Is Here Again) is a genuine treat.

The lyrics are loosely based around some imaginary bands turning up at the BBC to audition for a talent show before spiralling into some best wishes from the band and Lennon's Ivor Cutler-alike freeverse poetry but far better than this is the actual music.

Featuring some of Ringo's best drum work, a lovely psychedelic refrain ebbs and flows throughout the song and it's this that has elevated the song above the other throwaway ditties eventually compiled on 1970 fan club album, The Beatles Christmas Album.

A truncated version was eventually released as the B-side to 1995's controversial single Free As A Bird so YouTube is obviously your friend if you want if you want to hear Christmas Time (Is Here Again) as originally intended.

Ringo recorded his own version for 1999 album I Wanna Be Santa Claus while cover versions by REM (for their own fan club single in 2000) and The Smithereens exist.

Our recommendation? Ignore all those, hit that YouTube link, enjoy the one verse career of The Ravellers ("Plenty of jam jars, baby/Plenty of jam jars for you…") and think about putting those wonderful boxsets on your Xmas list. You won't be disappointed.