The holiday season is upon us. There’s nothing like making memories with eggnog in hand, and friends nearby. Maybe not as nearby in 2020 as in years past, but always close to the heart. Of course, every memory needs a soundtrack. Starting on Thanksgiving, the airwaves across the country are flooded with holiday songs. Rock, pop, country, and even hip-hop songs are featured, and every song has a number of different variations. But, what are the best holiday songs of all-time? Or more specifically, what are the top 10 Holiday songs of all-time?
The Criteria for the Top 10
I will contradict this later in the top 10, but when I think of holiday songs, I think of songs recorded by artists and put on a holiday album. Therefore, we will not be including any carols into the list. No “Jingle Bells”, “Silent Night”, or “Joy to the World”. If you are demanding figgy pudding, you will come away quite unsatisfied. A number of songs do have different versions, by different artists, so I will be raking what I believe to be the best version of them all.
Absolutely Not in the Top 10
I started with 41 of the best and most popular holiday songs ever recorded. That said, there are some that had no chance to make the list. For one reason or another, the following songs did not sniff the top 10.
“Christmas Shoes” by NewSong
Let’s be real about this. The song has a very nice message. A message that you would want shared during the holiday. However, when I think of the holiday, I think of fun and smiling and presents, and good times. A song about a kid buying a gift for his dying mother has no place on my playlist.
“Christmas in Hollis” by Run DMC
This is a fun song, and definitely a good one to jam out to. I just will never get a season of perpetual joy feeling from any hip-hop song or artist. If it comes on the radio, I’ll listen, but it’s not in consideration for the list.
“Wonderful Christmas Time” by Paul McCartney
Huge bias in my hatred for this awful and annoying ditty. I worked in retail in a previous life. This song would play a minimum of five times in an eight hour shift. The melody would not leave your skull for hours after I punched out. Paul McCartney may be one of the greatest song writers in history, but this one is a dud.
“Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” by Elmo & Patsy
I actually like this song. It’s fun and catchy, and I sing along every time it plays. However, there is a redneck nature to the song that bothers me. I will not watch a Larry the Cable Guy Christmas Special, and I think this would be the title track if I did.
Honorable Mentions
The list has to be whittled down significantly. In doing so, there are going to be snubs, and some peoples favorite songs will be left off. Honestly, some won’t even be mentioned in this blog. Therefore, I wanted to have a home for those fringe top 10 holiday songs. The ones that make you wish you had more room on your disk, but you don’t.
“The Gift” by Garth Brooks
A really beautiful story that most people have not heard. The guy sells a million albums an hour upon release, but his holiday album Beyond the Season did not top the charts. His original music is innovative but his versions of popular holiday songs is bland. This track on the album though is beautifully sung, and the story truly makes your heart sing by the end.
“The Hanukkah Song” by Adam Sandler
This is a really funny and unique song. The nostalgia of singing it in the car with my friends back in high school will always make me smile. It can’t be a top 10 song because it is a little too goofy and clumsy, but like everything Adam Sandler touches, it has the most heart of any goofy song out there.
“Carol of the Bells” by Tran Siberian Orchestra
The instrumentals are breathtaking, and while the melody reminds me of Home Alone, this is not that version. Electric guitar. Power fiddle. There may not be a more head banging holiday song.
“Baby Please Come Home” by U2
There are a number of different versions of this song. I believe the Darlene Love version plays during the opening credits of Gremlins. Mariah Carey has a very nice version of this song as well. There is no substitute for Bono’s vocals though (except Steve Perry, and it is a travesty that Journey did not do a Christmas album). He hits all the right notes and brings a perfect rock element to a holiday classic.
“Dominic the Donkey” by Lou Monte
This is probably my favorite outside the Top 10 holiday songs list. The melody is instantly catchy, and the vocals are so fun and playful. The last verse where we get some authentic Italian is amazing, and if I were doing a top 11, this would certainly be there.
The Top 10 Holiday Songs of All-Time
Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you’ve been waiting for….
10. “Happy XMas (War is Over)” by John Lennon
One of the Beatles did it well. Despite crediting Yoko on the song, it still manages to have an amazing message, like many of Lennon’s songs. “So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over, and a new one just begun.” It is really more of an after the presents have been opened kind of song; a time for reflection and appreciation. We could all do a little more of that.
9. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
Bing is the voice of Christmas. His versions of any classic are no doubt why we refer to them as classics. The deep vocals that graduate to high vocals in a later verse make this one fun and enjoyable. It is a satisfying melody and reminds me of snowball fights as a kid. The only reason it isn’t higher is because it also reminds me of shoveling as an adult.
8. “All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey
Might be one of the most hated holiday songs of all time. It is egregiously overplayed, and it is the first holiday to song to pierce our eardrums Thanksgiving morning. It’s in commercials and every holiday special. It is impossible to escape. It is also amazingly catchy, and even Ebenezer Scrooge would be humming this song all day.
7. “Oh Holy Night” by Celine Dion
I know I said no carols, and this falls into that for sure, but it might be the most beautiful holiday song of all time. It is ideally performed by a trained group, like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It is way too powerful for most vocalists to tackle solo. The two that have done the best job are Josh Groban and Celine Dion. Celine wins this round because she has a bit more range and hits notes that are amazing and really do justice to the song.
6. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé
There was never a doubt that Bublé would make the list. It was just a matter of which song. He is the modern Bing Crosby for holiday songs, with a warm rich voice that illuminates every song he takes on. He’s like hot chocolate for the ears. This song is the leadoff hitter for the Christmas spirit. It sets the tone for the spirit of giving and we all can remember our favorite holiday when this song is playing.
5. “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano
This may the most fun song in the list. The music is robust and full of excitement. The vocals are bi-lingual and taught many of us our first Spanish phrase. The performance of the song is unbelievable in every sense of the word. When Feliciano wishes us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the bottom of his heart, it is impossible to reject the well wishes.
4. “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives
He narrated our childhood as he told us the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. He also lays down a jovial rendition of this all-time great holiday song. It really is the best time of the year. Ives does a wonderful job of reminding me to greet everyone as a friend, and spread joy to all during the most magical of seasons.
3. “Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra
Blue eyes couldn’t be left off. The Rat Pack Christmas Album may be one of the easiest listens you will ever lay ears upon. He lends his golden vocals to this timeless holiday classic, and keeps the pace so perfect you can feel every note and every word of the song. He did it his way, and it was the right way with this song.
2. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams
The title says it all. Enjoy the season, no matter your climate. Andy Williams does such an amazing job describing the season. This is a Norman Rockwell of a song. It oozes Americana, reminding us all to smile a little bit more and enjoy a little bit more during this fleeting holiday.
1. “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole really does such a marvelous job describing the scene in this song. You can’t help but want to live the holiday through his description. Just an inviting, magical rendition. It really is flawless in every respect. This song will always describe Christmas to me. I will never picture any other version of it. When I hear this song, particularly this version, I let it warm my soul and I melt into it, willingly becoming a yule tide puddle.
