"Jingle Bells" has always struck me as being a tad too simple for a Christmas tune. Nevertheless, there are at least two strong instrumental versions of it.
Paul Mauriat and his orchestra give "Jingle Bells" a gloss I haven't heard in any other rendition. The orchestral flourishes at the beginning and end and the unobtrusive vocal backing during the chorus make it possibly the best easy listening version of the tune.
Joel Mabus recorded a lesser known version of "Jingle Bells" under the title, "The One Horse Open Sleigh." His brisk arrangement for acoustic guitar says all it needs to say in one minute and 39 seconds. It could also work in a Christmas-themed commercial for Motel 6; it's easy to imagine Tom Bodett's voice over the guitar.
Hearing "Jingle Bells" with the right instrumental presentation makes all the difference. Otherwise, it just amounts to, "Gee, it's fun to travel by sleigh." I haven't heard either of these versions on the radio in years, but perhaps there's a place on the right noncommercial station for both of them.
