1857年，美国波士顿假日学校的学生在教堂有一场感恩节演出，学生们请邻居皮尔庞特写了一首新歌，轻快的旋律让孩子们马上就学会了，这首名为“One Horse Open Sleigh”的歌一经演唱就引起了轰动，并很快成为了一首快炙人口的经典圣诞歌曲。两年后，这首歌再度公开发表，正式命名为Jingle Bells(The One Horse Open Sleigh)。
需要说明的是，很多中文网页把Jingle Bells的词曲作者写成了约翰·皮尔彭特(John Pierpont,1785-1866)，甚至在那个流行甚广的“美国畅销书作家罗伯特讲过的故事”里，也写成了“约翰·皮尔彭特”、“在他81年的生涯中”……等等。相关人士查阅了很多英文网页和一些Jingle Bells的五线谱原件后，证实其词曲作者应该是詹姆斯·罗德·皮尔庞特(James Lord Pierpont,25 April 1822 - 5 August 1893)，有的英文资料上甚至特意指明：“"Jingle Bells" was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893) in 1857; Pierpoint (not to be confused with lyricist John Pierpont, 1785-1866)”。
Jingle Bells的词曲作者詹姆斯·罗德·皮尔庞特(James Lord Pierpont,25 April 1822 - 5 August 1893)毕业于耶鲁大学，他遵照祖父的意愿，做了一名教师。由于他对学生总是慈祥宽容而缺乏严厉，保守的教育界就把他挤走了。皮尔彭特又当了律师，他渴望用自己的努力来维**律的公正，他不屑于当时美国律师界流行的“谁有钱就为谁服务”的原则，看到好人受到不公正的待遇，他总是不计报酬地为之奔忙，而如果当事人是恶棍，即使酬金丰厚，他也不予理睬。其他律师对于皮尔彭特这样的做法，自然是无法容忍的，很快，他只好又离开了律师的职位，做了一名推销纺织品的商人。可是，在竞争残酷的生意场上，他总是因为心地仁慈而使对手获利、让自己吃亏。最后，他只好又当了牧师，想引导人们的心灵走向善良。然而，由于他极力支持禁酒和反对奴隶制而得罪了教区信徒，只好被迫辞职。
英文歌词
Jingle Bells
(The One Horse Open Sleigh)
Lyrics:James Lord Pierpont Music:James Lord Pierpont
Dashing through the snow,
In a one horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bobtails ring,
Making spiritis bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song to night.
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride,
And soon Miss Fannie Bright,
Was seated by my side;
THe horse was lean and lank,
Misfortune seemed his lot,
He got into a drifted bank,
And we, we got upsot.
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
Now the ground is white,
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight,
And sing this sleighing song.
Just get a bobtailed bay,
Two-forty for this spead, Then hitch him to an open sleigh,
And crack! You'll take the lead.
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!