So. Getting gifts at Christmas is awesome, but it always seems to take music to create the Christmas spirit.

With that thought … I started thinking about my top 5 Christmas songs.

Anyway.

I began with 5 but the list kept growing (& I am sure I have missed some awesome Christmas songs). It is a mix of traditional and non traditional. But here are the ones I would request to get me in the Christmas spirit.

Numero uno.

No doubt.

Any Christmas anywhere … I will never get tired of this song:

Nat King Cole and The Christmas Song

Ok. I have no clue what chestnuts are and no idea whether roasting them over an open fore is a good idea or not … but dammit … if I had chestnuts I would roast them.

xmas it is hatNo Christmas is complete without this song.

Next.

A classic (most young people have no idea who Dean Martin was and almost everyone forgets he actually sang in between cocktails).

Dean Martin singing Let it Snow

And then Amy Grant.

I am not a huge Amy fan in general but I would have to say she is my top female xmas singer. I think she could sing any Christmas song and … well .. it would sound like it was meant for Christmas.

Amy Grant and Grown up Christmas List

And then a different Aimee.

Aimee Mann Christmastime

On a side note … I almost picked Calling on Mary or her vision of The River, both of which sounds languid and nice, but kind of has that infamous Aimee ironically truthful realistically darkish side to the holidays …

I heard the sidewalk Santa say:

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas

Salvation’s coming cheap today

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas

Next.xmas dancing reindeer My first memory of a non classic contemporary Christmas song.  And it still sounds great today.

Waitresses Christmas wrapping … a classic.

Next.

Beautiful voice. Beautiful Christmas song. Sappy but good stuff.

Carpenters singing Merry Christmas Darling

Next.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Yikes.  There are a bunch of great renditions to this song. Maybe my favorite? Vonda Shepard’s Merry Little Christmas.

Next. How The Grinch stole Christmas is probably the best Xmas cartoon of all time (maybe Charlie Brown close behind), but this song is awesome … the original  The Grinch song:

But. It may be Hip Heavy Lip’s version that introduced this song to an entirely new generation (NEVER get tired of this).

Next. Pretty much anything Leigh Nash sings sounds good but holiday songs … well … she should do an entire cd sometime …

Sixpence none the Richer  Carol Of The Bells

Next. Whew. Incredibly sad and thoughtful and … well … heartfelt … which <the latter> is what I expect Christmas is really all about.

Robert Downey singing The River:

music function freeNext.

The one people probably haven’t heard ….

Glasvegas  singing A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)

Next.

For a slightly different sound and it sounds fun in the traditional xmas music mix … Sally Shapiro sings kind of a techno Christmas song …

Anorak Christmas

Next. Cocteau Twins are an acquired taste in general … and their sound is always up & down (to me). But.  They nailed this one.

Cocteau Twins and Frosty The Snowman

Next. Just a nice one. And Heather Nova’s voice is a nice contrast to the more traditional Amy Grant and Leigh Nash and Karen Carpenter.

Always Christmas by Heather Nova:

Next.

Christmas (baby please come home) by Death Cab for Cutie

I love Ben Gibbard’s voice. And I love this version of the song. Whoda thunk one of the best emo bands of all time would crank out a good holiday song.

Next. A good modern one.  Surprisingly good.  Surprisingly little played.

Sleigh ride by KT Tunstall:

Next.

Listen The Snow Is Falling by Thea Gilmore

(had to include this one)

Its just nice. And you never hear it on the radio <and most people have no clue who Thea is>.

Next. Oh yeah.

O Holy Night by Josh Groban (his voice sounds pretentious at times … but … for the holidays? … his voice was made for songs like this).

music points of view shakespeare

And lastly. Just can’t leave this one off my Christmas list.

So This is Christmas by John Lennon

How could this not make anyone’s list?

Done.

That’s it for my list. 19 songs (if I counted correctly)

I have more but these are songs I like to hear in order to get me in the melancholy state and upbeat state and in general … the Christmas state.

Thinking about the past.

Remembering friends and family <here and gone>.

Reconnecting.

Seeing the joy in a child’s face …. Ok … anyone’s face.

Ok.

To make it an even 20. Just for a smile. Listen to Guster sing “¿Donde Esta Santa Claus?”

Merry Christmas.

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Written by Bruce