The Ultimate Christmas Music Playlist
I love Christmas music. There I said it. I know my enthusiasm for Christmas music isn’t matched by the general public, but that’s okay. I am who I am. Over the last couple of years I have come to realize that people fall into different camps when it comes to their affinity to Christmas music….
The Christmas Aficionados
These are the people that listen to Christmas songs year round and aren’t afraid to show it. They make up a small fraction of the population and are known to keep Christmas lights up year round.
The Traditionalists
Most of the population are considered Traditionalists. There is some division within this fraction, but they generally define Christmas as post-Halloween (Canadian) or post-Thanksgiving (American).
The Capitalists
These are the people that take the lead from the corporate world. They get into the Christmas mood when they see and hear Christmas in shopping malls, Starbucks coffee shops, and local Santa Claus parades.
The Black Friday-ists
This sect believes the Christmas season is strongly connected with Black Friday Christmas specials.
The Weatherists
Weatherists believe that the Christmas season requires sustained sub-zero temperatures. This philosophy is extremely European-centric as it does not consider places that do not have cold temperatures: Philippines, Lebanon, Portugal. Furthermore, the Weatherist’s philosophy is also under threat from climate change.
Snow Cult
This is an extremist view that believes cold temperatures are required and snow. This contracts the conventional Weatherists which are ambivalent towards snow.
The Uptightists
These people don’t believe in listening to Christmas music. They also known to hate puppies and eat babies.
The reality is that some people are a hybrid of the categories. I would say I am a closet Christmas Aficionado, but I portray myself as a early-Traditionalist.
I have compiled a list of my favourite Christmas songs that will be on my high rotation.
I have broken the list into the following groups:
- The Classics – you can’t release a Christmas album without a handful of these songs
- Coming Home for Christmas – Christmas is better when you are living away from home
- The Lost Love – Christmas is probably the best time to be in love
- Ideal World – Christmas is a time of reflection of the past year, and hoping for a better new year
- Pop – Pretty much another word for “Other” in this article
- New Year’s – New Year’s gives people an excuse to listen to Christmas songs after Christmas is over
Enjoy!
(Feel free to share your favourites in the comment section below)
The Classics
Elvis – Blue Christmas
A classic Elvis song and a classic Christmas song.
Bing Crosby – It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas
Home Alone 2 wouldn’t be the same without this song.
Bing Crosby – White Christmas
Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Nat King Cole – Silent Night
Silent Night has always been my favourite Christmas song, but it wasn’t until I found Nat King Cole’s Christmas Album
Colin James and Roxanne Potvin – Baby It’s Cold Outside
Baby it’s cold outside is another timeless song. This specific song was released last year with one of my favourite Canadian blues singer, Roxanne Potvin.
Bing Crosby – Mele Kakikimaka
First discovered this song in 2010 while I was living in BC, while I was listening to the radio during my commute. I thought it was appropriate song for BC since it doesn’t really snow in Vancouver.
Brenda Lee – Rockin’ Around Christmas Tree
Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock
Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick
I would bet that most recognize this as a Coca-Cola song rather than a Beach Boys song.
Pointer Sisters – Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Jose Feliciano – Feliz Navidad
Truth be told, I hate this song. But I have to listen to it because they play it everywhere.
Alice Smith – Silver Bells
Alice Smith is another one of my favourite soul singers. This song is found on complication album called The Hotel Café presents… Winter Songs
Coming Home for Christmas
River – Joni Mitchell
Another song discovered during my BC days. When I hear this song I think of all the time I have spent away from home to pursue a career. For some reason I also think of Newfoundlanders living in Fort McMurray, even though it snows quite a bit there.
Chris Shea – Driving Home for Christmas
Another song discovered during my BC days. I pictured myself driving home to Ontario when this played on the radio.
Carpenters – I’ll be home for Christmas
Karen Carpenter has one of the most timeless voices in pop. This song is no exception.
The Lost Love
Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas is You
U2 – Baby Please Come Home
I first heard this song when I worked at Sport Chek in 2003. The store played in on repeat along with a collection of other songs. I love Bono’s desperation in the end of the song.
The Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas
Wham! – Last Christmas
You can’t talk about a broken heart during Christmas without this song. Enough said.
The Ideal World
John Lennon and Yoko Ono – Happy Xmas (War is Over)
Everyone has heard this song, but I think it is sad most people don’t know it is written by John Lennon. I was one of them before I was in Grade 12.
Stevie Wonder – Someday at Christmas
Another song discovered in 2010.
Bryan Adams – Christmas Time
Another song discovered in 2010.
Michael Buble – Grown Up Christmas List
Michael Buble has to be the classiest Canadian singers I know – also hilarious.
New Song – Christmas Shoes
I would bet this is my mom’s favourite Christmas song, so it deserves a place on my list.
Pop
Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmastime
Amy Grant – Mister Santa
Definitely one of my favourite discoveries in 2010. A very catchy tune.
Madonna – Santa Baby
This might belong in the classics section, but I think Madonna made it her own to deserve a spot here.
Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis
Meaghan Smith – It Snowed
Meaghan Smith is another Canadian gem. I think I discovered this song on iTunes and have been a fan of hers ever since. She released this song on a Christmas EP, but this year she has released a longer Christmas album.
New Year’s
Pink Martini – Auld Lang Syne
Pink Martini is another favourite band of mine. They released a Christmas album last year called
Joy to The World
ABBA – Happy New Year
A great way to end the Christmas season with ABBA.
Leave your response!