First, Merry Christmas! I wasn’t going to post on Christmas Day, but I’ve had this song list languishing in my drafts folder for a while and it seemed like something that needed to go out on/before Christmas Day.
Let’s talk Christmas music, starting with a little refresher of my Top Five/Bottom Five songs.
TOP FIVE
- O Little Town of Bethlehem. This song feels like a lullaby. It’s calm, it’s peaceful – yet also haunting. I love it.
- White Christmas. Need I say more?
- Go Tell It on the Mountain. I think this song wins the award for the most interesting arrangements. It’s peppy and fun and a perennial favourite for me.
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Another haunting tune, especially when you know the tragic history behind the writing of this carol.
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Classic. Simple. Slightly melancholy, but in a hopeful and reflective way. (I might be overthinking this.)
I consider the majority of Christmas songs to be quite pleasant and/or neutral. While I don’t go out of my way to listen to It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year or Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, I’ll sing along and consider them festive. But there are a few songs I don’t generally enjoy listening to.
BOTTOM FIVE:
- Santa Baby. This song borders on being downright creepy.
- Last Christmas. Not my favourite.
- All I Want for Christmas Is You. Not a fan. (In general, I don’t enjoy listening to Mariah Carey sing anything.) But Belle LOVES this song, so I have come to appreciate it because of how much it means to her.
- Mary, Did You Know? I know I’ve said I enjoy minor songs, but this one I cannot stand. The message is lovely, but the tune grates on my nerves to an extreme degree.
- The 12 Days of Christmas. I know there are funny versions out there, but I am not up for listening to this much repetition. Maybe my introverted tendencies can’t handle the thought of all those partridges, drummers, ladies dancing, and lords a-leaping?
While I love listening to old classics, every year I tend to gravitate toward developing a new-to-me playlist that feels fresh and exciting.
ELISABETH’S 2024 PLAYLIST
Here’s what’s been on repeat for me this holiday season – literally. This is the complete list of songs on my go-to Christmas playlist for 2024.
Note: I have listened to both albums too many times but Ingrid Michaelson’s Songs for the Season and Sarah McLachlan Wintersong and Wonderland are brilliant! If you want something with an upbeat Irish flare, all of Rend Collective’s albums hit the mark nicely (Campfire Christmas; A Jolly Irish Christmas).
Classic songs with fun arrangements:
- Go Tell It on the Mountain – MercyMe
- Go Tell It on the Mountain – NEEDTOBREATH
- Go Tell It on the Mountain – Anthem Lights
- Mary’s Boy Child – TobyMac, Jamie Grace
- The First Noel – Crash Test Dummies
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – Chris Tomlin
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – The Civil Wars
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – The Mayries
- Christmas Don’t Be Late – JJ Heller
- Happy Holiday (The Holiday Season) – JJ Heller
- Sleigh Ride – fun
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Ben Abraham, Atlantic Holiday, Missy Higgins
- Joy to the World – The Brilliance
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman – Lute & Lyre
- Away in a Manger – Lauren Daigle
- White Christmas – Lewis & Leigh
*Can you tell I gravitate toward Go Tell It on the Mountain and I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.
Modern songs:
- Christmas Dreamin’ – Leanna Crawford
- Christmas With You – Cochren & Co.
- All I Need For Christmas – Toby Mac, Terrian
- You Make It Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton
- Christmas All Over Again – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- The More the Merrier – JJ Heller
- Like It’s Christmas – Jonas Brothers
- Christmas Lights – Coldplay
Modern songs (faith-based):
- Hallelujah – Chris Tomlin, Blessing Offor
- Thorn and Thistle – The Gettys
- Welcome to Our World – JJ Heller
- Christmas Must Be Tonight – Bahamas
- Light of the World (Behold) – Lauren Daigle
- Sounding Joy – Ellie Holcomb
- Angels We Have Heard on High – Ordinary Time [Doesn’t have traditional lyrics]
- Hope Is Alive – Ellie Holocomb
Modern songs (melancholy):
- Christmas Night With You – Little Big Town
- old fashioned christmas – Lyn Lapid
- Snow in LA – PJ Harding, Noah Cyrus (For the record, I don’t agree with two of the last three lines.)
Your turn.
- What are you listening to this Christmas? Any new songs you’re particularly enjoying – maybe for the first time?
- Top Five/Bottom Five favourite Christmas songs?
Header photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash
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mbmom11
My daughter has a YouTube Playlist of classic carols she’s played on repeat. And it’s not bad. Better than the modern radio stations. The newer one to me is “On Jordan’s Bank” . Otherwise, my own Playlist consists of mildly depressing yet catchy country music, Enya, Loreena McKennit, and George Winston’s December. I will change radio stations in the car hoping for Carol of the Bells or “Linus and lucy” – preferably instrumental.
And I’m adding the Rend Collective to my list – it sounds right up my alley.
Have a blessed day!
Elisabeth
Mildly depressing yet catchy – sounds like my type of Christmas song (why do I like melancholy songs at Christmas??)
Rend Collective is a really great, versatile album.
Mia
Christmas songs that I consider classic to me that I enjoy every year: Silent Night, O Come, O Ye Faithful, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, and so many more religious Christmas songs, including traditional Greek Christmas carols (known as kalanta in Greece). A lot of the fun, peppy Christmas songs such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, are dear to me because of my own children and having taught preschool for a number of years.
I recently discovered Pentatonix and really enjoyed their Christmas songs. We also like listening to Claire Crosby, who has many Christmas songs. She has a beautiful, sweet voice for such a young child (YouTube videos show her at about 3–4 years old).
Elisabeth
Pentatonix is on REPEAT at my house. I’ll admit I’m burned out on their Christmas music after 2-3 years of the kids absolutely loving it, but they are such talented musicians and have created some truly iconic renditions of so many Christmas carols.
Jenny
I’m with you- I’ll happily listen to just about any Christmas song. Two of your bottoms are also in my bottoms- Last Christmas (sorry Nicole!) and All I Want for Christmas is You. I don’t hate those songs- they’re just not my favorites and you hear them EVERYWHERE. The only song I refuse to ever, ever listen to is the Christmas Shoes song, where the little boy’s mother is DYING (what in the world- whoever wrote that song should be arrested.)
Right now (Christmas morning) we’re listening to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, and up next is Handel’s Messiah! I like classical on Christmas Day.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!!! <3 <3 <3
Elisabeth
I think we talked about this last year – I almost NEVER heard Christmas Shoes come on. Is this an American thing? I’ve only heard it a handful of times ever – but agree. NO THANK YOU!
Jacquie
For me Christmas is music. The albums I play first always remind of my childhood Christmases:
(There’s No Place Like)Home For the Holidays – Perry Como
Happy Holiday/Holiday Season – Andy Williams
Christmas with Waldo de Los Rios – instrumental by Argentine composer
Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi
I enjoy most Christmas music, but don’t care for novelty tunes like the Chipmunks singing Christmas Don’t Be Late, but I do like that song sung by Norah Jones and the Good Lovelies. I do not like rock stars singing Christmas tunes i.e. Bruce Springsteen SCREAMING Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and Paul McCartney singing Wonderful Christmas Time does not make me feel wonderful!
I’m always looking for new Christmas tunes and came across Glen Campbell singing Christmas is for Children, and Ella Fitzgerald singing The Secret of Christmas. While I said I don’t usually like novelty songs, I do enjoy Ana Gasteyer’s (from SNL) Christmas album. If you want a little sass in your Christmas music she’s got you covered with such ditties as Sugar and Booze and a duet with Maya Randolph called Secret Santa.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas!
Elisabeth
Agreed about rock stars!
I am excited to listen to the Ana G album; that sounds like something right up my alley!
sarah
I DO NOT enjoy The Little Drummer Boy, but I am otherwise happy to have just about anything else on the background.
Merry Christmas 🙂
Elisabeth
Ditto. Not a big fan, though I don’t mind it too much.
Central Calif Artist Jana
Christmas makes me melancholy and the fake (non-Jesus) version makes me cringe. I stopped liking Christmas music after my dad died, but since that has been almost 25 years, it might be good to recalibrate. (Why does it take so dang long to grow up??)
TOP: All by Casting Crowns, the Carpenters, Amy Grant, Mannheim Steamroller
MAKES MY EARS BLEED: Rocking around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock, Feliz Navidad, and any true Christmas carol that has been bastardized into a commercial jingle
After reading your (Elisabeth’s) top, I would probably enjoy MercyMe Christmas music because Bart Millard is a genius musician, and Lauren Daigle because she is truly unique.
A final non-musical thought: My dad gave me an opinion piece from the Wall St. Journal positing that Christmas should be divided into 2 holidays: Excessmas and Nativity. All the traditions could fit into either one or the other. Then, we could celebrate one or both, as it suited us. (See why I miss my dad?)
Elisabeth
“Makes my ears bleed” – ha! I can feel that way, too.
I hope some of the songs I noted will hit the right chord (pun intended) for you.
Your dad sounds very wise and was clearly a beloved person in your life. There is never any expiration date on grief. It can hurt as much today as it did years before; maybe more in certain ways. And that’s okay. Hard, yes. Okay, yes. We’re human and we’re allowed to feel sad about things. And losing a loved one is objectively an extremely sad thing. Wishing you peace and joy this season, amidst the lingering grief and sadness.
Lisa’s Yarns
We haven’t listened to a lot of Christmas music as I don’t really own any albums and we don’t have Spotify or another streaming service. My favorite melancholy tune is ‘The River’ by Joni Mitchell. For church hymns, I love silent night, oh holy night, joy to the world and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
The only song I really dislike is Santa Baby!
Elisabeth
I am such a huge fan of Spotify and I LOVE it at Christmas!
Jan Coates
“Drivin’ Home for Christmas” (Chris Rea) has been my theme song lately. I love “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger,” and this year, Rudolph and Frosty because the girls know them. Hope 2025 will be a peaceful and healthy year for y’all!
Elisabeth
I don’t think I’ve ever heard that Chris Rea song! I’m excited to start listening to some of these new tunes.
Jan Coates
Seems my comment vanished. My theme song of late – Drivin’ Home for Christmas by Chris Rea, but also Frosty, Rudolph, and the First Noel(le) because of the girls. Peace and harmony to you in 2025!
Laura A
The church I went to growing up, North Point Community Church outside of Atlanta, GA, always has wonderful music. They’ve released (at least) two Christmas albums that I love – you can find them by searching for North Point Christmas. 🙂
I also grew up listening to Hanson’s Christmas album, Snowed In, so those three collections make up most of my Christmas music playlist!
Elisabeth
I will check these albums out soon!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I think I have said it before and I will say it again: the worst Christmas song of all is “SILENT NIGHT” in all the languages. So boring. I cannot stand it.
Lately I have enjoyed “Before the manger , here I stand” – obviously the German version but I googled if that exists in English and it does.
I don’t think I know You Make It Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton and I like both singers so I need to check that out.
Elisabeth
I definitely enjoy Silent Night, but it’s not in my Top Five list. It sings like a lullaby which I tend to love in a Christmas song.
Marcia (OrganisingQueen)
In general, I love sad songs (!!!) and I’m not melancholy or sad in nature but there you go. I also think I feel God more in the sadness of life and in grey skies, etc.
My top Christmas song ever is always O Holy Night. And Elisabeth, do yourself a favour and listen to the one by The Plain Truth (red cover) – their Christmas EP is 6 amazing, God-filled songs. In the “old days”, I used to give out this CD to friends at Christmas – listen to O Holy Night and Oh little town of Bethlehem. GORGEOUS and if you’re feeling a little sad, it might even make you a bit teary (the good kind). The Christmas EP, Vol 2 has another amazing rendition of I heard the bells on Christmas day.
Elisabeth
I completely agree about feeling a deeper spiritual connection and urge in the hard and melancholy songs.
I’m listening to their version of O Little Town of Bethlehem right now!!! Thanks for the suggestion.