In honor of this week being the first week of December, it’s that time of year when I turn on my Christmas playlist. Whether I’m decorating my tree, or just driving down the road, these songs are my top ten favorites that are guaranteed to get me into the festive spirit.
“I love Christmas music,” said sophomore Bayleigh Morgan. “I start listening to it around the end of fall and just love how ready it gets me for Christmas.”
- “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey
“All I Want for Christmas is You” is a classic so I had to include it. Everyone loves hearing this song around this time of year. However, I just felt like it was overplayed in years past so that is why I am ranking it so low.
- “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Happy Xmas is such a peaceful song. I love the theme and message about unity as well as its touch of Christmas spirit. I can listen to this song on repeat.
- “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love
This song is another classic that at least everyone knows a few lyrics to. I love Darlene Love’s version as it is the original version. It’s got a touch of rock and roll and was published in the 60’s. It’s definitely got a different feel to it and isn’t your traditional Christmas song.
- “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande adds a special touch to this song. Her vocals are beautiful when she sings it and I love the message behind the song. She relates it back to relationships and uses a unique way of singing and asking Santa for guidance.
- “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift
I love Taylor Swift and Christmas is my favorite holiday. So when I heard this song I fell in love and got the best of both worlds. This song talks about Swift’s childhood memories from the 90’s when they had Christmas with their family in Pennsylvania.
5.”Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber released a Christmas album called “Under the Mistletoe” in 2011. His most popular song on the album was “Mistletoe.” It sold over 164,000 digital downloads in its first week and topped the Billboard holiday chart. This song creates a sense of nostalgia for me every time I watch the music video and I love how the lyrics flow together.
- “Hard Candy Christmas” by Dolly Parton
Many people have tried to cover and sing this song. Reba McEntire, Zach Top, Cydni Lauper and more. However, I think Dolly Parton has them all beat. This song is about a time when families living in poverty could only afford to give their kids cheap, hard candy. Parton also grew up in poverty so I feel like she is singing about her own story, as well as making it relatable for other families experiencing the same thing.
- “Please Come Home for Christmas” by the Eagles
“Please Come Home for Christmas” is a beautiful cover made by a great band. The lyrics are singing to a loved one wishing they’d just come home for Christmas. I love that it’s not super upbeat but has more of a soulful, blues, and mellow tone. It definitely grows on you over time and is a great song to play when decorating.
- “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” By Band Aid
Not only is this a good song for the month of December, but the reason why it was written is even better. It was written and organized to raise money for famine relief. When it was first released in 1984, it was ranked #1 in global chart performance in several countries and remained number one in the UK for five consecutive weeks. It is still currently trending today, especially on TikTok.
- “Last Christmas” by Wham!
This is definitely my all time favorite. In my opinion, it’s just a breakup song covered up by a story about how the end of a relationship occurred on Christmas the year before. Which I find unique. The chorus is catchy and it’s a song that deserves to be played year round, not just for Christmas.
“Christmas music kind of puts you in a happy zone,” said health science teacher Charlene Cochran. “A tradition my family and I have is to listen to Christmas music and these traditions create memories.”
