Christmas, Vol. 7

For the first time in a hot minute, I'm feeling the true joy, wonder, and giddiness of the Christmas season like when I was younger. So much of that is thanks to my daughter, who this year is old enough to really get into all of the holiday things, and seeing everything through her beautiful little eyes is really and truly amazing. Christmas is a wonderful time of year for many, including my family, celebrating the birth of our Savior and feeling the tangible love throughout the world that comes out around this time. Hope is here, love is here, peace is here, and joy is here, and what would we be without any of them?

Here is my Christmas 2025 playlist - 12 songs selected from my absolutely enormous master playlist to help get you into the holiday spirit.

Silver Bells by aeseaes (written by H. Crosby, C. Richards)

Featured on aeseaes's 2018 EP Christmas Songs, Vol. 1, this is a lovely, ambient cover of this Christmas classic. This couple was an awesome find for my husband and I on Twitch, and I've loved all their Christmas stuff they've done.

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style/In the air, there’s a feeling of Chistmas/Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile/And on every street corner, you’ll hear/Silver bells, silver bells/It’s Christmastime in the city/Ringaling, hear them ring/Soon, it will be Christmas Day

This Will Be Our Year by Cher (written by C. White)

Featured on Cher's 2023 album Christmas, this is a great song to get in the mood for the new year. It's true you can start over any time of year you want, but there's something satisfying about starting a new chapter on January 1st.

The warmth of your love’s like the warmth of the sun/And this will be our year, took a long time to come/Don’t let go of my hand, now the darkness has gone/And this will be our year, took a long time tot come/And I won’t forget the way you held me up when I was down/And I won’t forget the way you said, "Darling, I love you," you gave me faith to go on/Now we’re there and we’ve only just begun/And this will be our year, look a long time to come

Peace Upon the Earth by Hillsong Worship (written by M. Sampson)

Featured on Hillsong's 2017 album Christmas: The Peace Project with vocals from worship leader Marty Sampson, this is a beautiful song to the tune of Chopin's famous Nocturne No. 9. It's a lovely blending of Christmas, worship, and classical music.

His star shines above us/To lead toward the Savior/A baby born in Bethlehem/Our Emmanuel/The Son in a manger/Shall heal the blind and broken/His love shall warm the coldest soul/As the snow is melted by the dawn/‘Neath the stars, choirs of angels/Raise their heavenly voices/Glory to God and peace upon the earth

Seasons by Hillsong Worship & Benjamin William Hastings (written by B. Hastings, C. Davenport, B. Tan)

Also featured on Hillsong's Christmas: The Peace Project with vocals from worship leader Benjamin William Hastings, this is a beautiful song that works not only at Christmas, but year 'round. Winter can be a tough time for many, but out of a season that can feel cold and barren will spring new life.

Like the frost on a rose, winter comes for us all/Oh, how nature acquaints us with the nature of patience/Like a seed in the snow, I’ve been buried to grow/For Your promise is loyal from seed to sequoia/I know though the winter is long, even richer/The harvest it brings, though my waiting prolongs even greater/Your promise for me like a seed/I believe that my season will come

Walker's Third Hanukkah by Idina Menzel (composer unknown)

Featured on Menzel's 2019 album Christmas: A Season of Love, this is a short and sweet interlude of Menzel and her song celebrating Hanukkah. It's a precious moment between parent and child captured forever.

Please Come Home for Christmas by Jon Pardi (written by C. Brown, G. Redd)

Featured on Pardi's 2023 album Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi, this is a good cover of the Christmas classic most people are used to hearing Don Henley sing. It's a good "woe is me sad on Christmas" song with a country flair.

Bells will be ringing the sad, sad news/Oh, what a Christmas to have the blues/My baby’s gone, I’ve just got my band/To wish me greetings once again/Choirs will be singing O Silent Night/Christmas carols by candlelight/Please come home for Christmas, please come home for Christmas/If not for Christmas, by New Year’s night/Friends and relations end salutations/Sure as the star shines above/Oh, but this is Christmas, yes, Christmas, my dear/Some time of year to be with the ones you love

Jingle Bell Rock by Lindsey Stirling (written by J. Beal, J. Boothe)

Featured on Stirling's 2017 album Warmer in the Winter, this is a vibrant, super fun instrumental version of this holiday staple. Lindsey Stirling is so talented, and her holiday album just exudes joy in every note.

Michael's Christmas Greeting by Michael Bublé (composer unknown)

Featured on Bublé's perfect 2011 album Christmas, this is a short, simple message from him simply wishing the listener a Merry Christmas. It's so nice to hear a greeting like that from anyone this time of year.

Kid On Christmas by Pentatonix ft. Meghan Trainor (written by M. Trainor, T. Anderson, J. Conrad, S. Hoying, K. Olusola, M. Sallee)

Featured on Pentatonix's 2022 album Holidays Around the World, this is a fun, youthful reminder of the childlike wonder that permeates this season. It can get harder as we age to capture that same feeling at Christmas, but it's never fully impossible to find that magic again.

May your holidays be jolly, your hallways filled with holly/Your fireside stays burning brighter than it did before/May your string lights keep the twinkle, may your silver bells all jingle/And carolers sing carols at your door/And may your heart be evergreen every December/And a part of you believe and always remember/That sugarplums dance and reindeer fly and Santa always reads your letters/And may you stay a kid on Christmas forever

Scrooge by The Muppet Cast (written by P. Williams)

Featured on the soundtrack to the greatest Christmas movie ever, 1990's The Muppet Christmas Carol, this is an incredible intro to one of literature's most iconic main characters. This song is full of memorable quotes, a catchy tune, and a lot of Muppets deservedly roasting the heck out of this man.

When a cold wind blows, it chills you, chills you to the bone/But there’s nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone/It paints you with indifference like a lady paints with rouge/And the worst of the worst, the most hated and cursed, is the one that we call Scrooge/Unkind as any and the wrath of many, this is Ebenezer Scrooge/Oh, there goes Mr. Humbug, there goes Mr. Grim/If they gave a prize for being mean, the winner would be him/Old Scrooge, he loves his money ‘cause he thinks it gives him power/If he became a flavor, you can bet he would be sour

What Christmas Means to Me by Train (written by A. Gaye, G. Gordy, A. Story)

Featured on Train's 2015 album Christmas in Tahoe, this is a perfect song for Pat Monahan's specific vocals. This whole album is a great listen, honestly.

Candles burning low, lots of mistletoe/Lots of snow and ice everywhere we go/Choirs singing carols right outside my door/All these things and more/That’s what Christmas means to me, my love

The Big Medley by VeggieTales (arranged by P. Vischer)

Featured on the 1998 album A Very Veggie Christmas, this is the ultimate Christmas song mashup performed by all your favorite classic VeggieTales friends. This album will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come/Let earth receive her King/Let every heart prepare Him room/And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing/And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

For everyone celebrating, I wish you a lovely, joyful, merry Christmas. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!