Christmas

I believe that Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Most people are in a better mood than usual (unless they walk into a retail store, but that’s a different rant for a different time), the calories don’t count, the movies are heartwarmingly corny, and the music, though some disagree with me, is familiar, comforting, and fun. My Christmas playlist is undoubtedly my largest by far at over 600 songs and counting, but as there are “officially” twelve days of Christmas I’ve picked twelve of the songs to highlight for your yuletide enjoyment.

Spirit of the Season by Alan Silvestri I was 13 when The Polar Express was released in theaters and was immediately enchanted by everything about it. Seeing the story I’d been read every year of elementary school during class Christmas parties come to life on screen with beautiful animation, a phenomenal soundtrack, and the familiar voice of Tom Hanks was unbelievably amazing, and it’s still a must-see for me during the Christmas season. Spirit of the Season is uplifting, exciting, and encapsulates the feeling of Christmas quickly approaching. It’s the spirit of the season/You can feel it in the air/You can hear it if you listen/Everywhere, so much care, like a prayer/Whatever it is, you need to share it

What Child Is This? by Chris Tomlin ft. All Sons & Daughters What Child Is This was honestly not a Christmas song that I paid a lot of attention to until I was about 16, but this version of the classic song is my all time favorite rendition. I’ve mentioned before what a huge fan of All Sons & Daughters I am, and they join in with Chris Tomlin for an almost haunting cover of the sacred carol. Mark 6:3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right there among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. What child is this, who laid to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet while shepherd’s watch are keeping. I Timothy 6:15 For, at jus the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him praise, the babe, the Son of Mary.

Driving Home for Christmas by Gavin James I found this song about a year ago browsing Pinterest for Christmas playlists to merge with my own. My family doesn’t usually go too far for Christmas since we all live in the same town, but I remember the feeling of the two hour drive back home from college for Winter Break and all the feelings it created inside me: excitement, happiness, nostalgia, warmth, love – the list goes on and on. So I sing for you/Though you can’t hear me/When I get through/And feel you near me/Driving in my car/I’m driving home for Christmas

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Idina Menzel Wow wow WOW do I love Idina Menzel. She’s been a vocal role model for me since I was about 13 and first heard her sing in Wicked and my admiration for her has just grown more and more each year since. Her voice sounds so amazing on this cover of this Christmas classic, it sounds like it was made and written just for her. It’s the most wonderful time of the year/With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer/It’s the most wonderful time of the year

Oh Holy Night by Kelly Clarkson This song is my personal favorite cover of Oh Holy Night. Kelly Clarkson is like royalty to me, and she sang this song on the first (and I believe only, but kindly and gently correct me if I’m wrong) An American Idol Christmas album in 2003. While Kelly’s voice is powerful enough on its own, the passion and confidence she puts into everything she sings makes her music that much more special, and this song is no exception. Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. Fall on your knees/Oh, hear the angels’ voices/Oh, night divine/Oh, night when Christ was born/Oh, night divine/Oh, night, oh, night divine

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Kristin Chenoweth Yeah, I’m showing off a lot of my favorite artists today. I’ve loved Kristin Chenoweth the same amount of time that I’ve loved Idina Menzel and for exactly the same reason – Wicked. Kristin not only has a remarkable Broadway voice, she has the exact right type of voice for jazz and old-timey classics just like I’ll Be Home for Christmas. I’ll be home for Christmas/You can plan on me/Please have snow and mistletoe/And presents under the tree/Christmas Eve will find me/Where the love light gleams/I’ll be home for Christmas/If only in my dreams

Hallelujah by Lindsey Stirling Am I crazy, or was Hallelujah not a Christmas song until Pentatonix made it so? I definitely don’t have a problem with, I’ve been a fan of the song since I was nine and it was featured on the Shrek soundtrack, and Christmas is now a time that it gets played all the time over and over everywhere you go. I’ve also been a huge fan of Lindsey Stirling since I was in college, and I think she perfectly captures the spirit of longing in this song through her masterful violin playing. I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord/But you don’t really care for music, do ya/It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift/The baffled king composed Hallelujah

What Will Santa Claus Say by Louis Prima I will admit, I’m one of those millennials who had never heard this song until it was sampled in the Kids See Ghosts song 4th Dimension. Louis Prima makes you want to move in some sort of way when his music plays, be it by bobbing your head back and forth or full on swing dancing. Down the chimney, he will come/With his great big smile/And you’ll find that even the kiddies/Are swingin’ in the latest style/Oh, oh, oh, what is Santa bringin’/Oh, oh, oh, I wonder whether he’ll be swingin’

Silent Night by Pentatonix I love Pentatonix year round, but especially during Christmas. Silent Night is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever, and their version of it is so simple and beautiful it fills my heart with joy to listen to it. Luke 2:6-7 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there. was no lodging available for them. Silent night, holy night/All is calm, all is bright/’Round yon virgin, mother and Child/Holy infant, so tender and mild/Sleep in heavenly peace/Sleep in heavenly peace

Nuttin’ for Christmas by Stan Freberg Growing up, and still today even, my favorite Christmas album has been The Greatest Christmas Novelty CD of All Time that was curated by Dr. Demento. Nuttin’ for Christmaswas one of my favorites on that CD – it’s so goofy and wonderful and makes me smile every time I hear it. I’m gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas/Mommy and Daddy are mad/I’m gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas/’Cause I ain’t been nuttin’ but bad

Carol of the Bells by Trans-Siberian Orchestra This seems to have become somewhat of an unofficial Christmas anthem. The way the Carol of the Bells melody intertwines with that of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is masterful, and it’s a great piece to get hyped for the holiday.

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Vince Vance & The Valiants Come after me all you want, you can’t change my mind – THIS is the only All I Want For Christmas Is You worth listening to. This is my mom’s all time favorite Christmas song, and she’s been known to play it roughly twenty times a day leading up to Christmas. I don’t need expensive things/They don’t matter to me/All that I want can’t be found/Underneath the Christmas tree/You are the angel atop my tree/You are my dream come true/Santa can’t bring me what I need/’Cause all I want for Christmas is you

There you have it – a teeny tiny sampling of my Christmas musical choices. Wishing you and yours the merriest Christmas