Christmas music: festive favourites

Happy Christmas Eve! I had planned to write a lot more Christmassy posts, but I’ve been so busy working almost every day of the festive period that I just haven’t had time. Now suddenly it’s Christmas Eve and I thought I cannot go without even a single Christmas themed post on my blog! I was going to share my Christmas playlist and a countdown of my favourite Christmas songs in two separate posts, but as the big day is tomorrow I decided to just combine them into one festive post so I hope you enjoy!

So, what is the best Christmas song? We all have our favourites, but nobody seems able to decide on the best Christmas song, and that’s okay, because it is the compilation of all the festive tunes you hear when wandering around the shops buying last minute presents or pressing play on that classic Christmas CD that emerges every year that truly makes the season so feel-good. But what can’t be denied is that there are a few songs that seem to define the festive season and appear in almost every ranking.

Fairytale of New York – The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl

 To me, this is THE best Christmas song, and I know a lot of people who say the same. You can’t help but want to sing along no matter how many times you’ve heard it. Although during the verses you have virtually no clue what’s going on, and you kind of mumble your way through the words, when the chorus hits you just can’t help but belt it out. As the title suggests, there is something about this song that seems magical, and it gives me this warm, tingly feeling inside that any true Christmas song should have.

Do They Know it’s Christmas? – Band Aid

What makes this song so great is the fact that it’s not a stereotypical Christmas song. Ironically, it isn’t all about the joys of Christmas – it’s about the fact that despite it being such a happy, enjoyable time for most of us, there are people in the world who won’t be able to celebrate like we do. It’s refreshing to be reminded how lucky we are to have all the luxuries of the festive season around us, and this song forces us to consider those less fortunate while we celebrate Christmas.

All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

It’s cheesy, it’s overplayed, but everyone still loves it. You can’t help but sing along in full force when this song starts playing; the way it starts so slowly and delicately and then the beat kicks in and you just can’t help yourself.

Last Christmas – Wham!

So cringe worthy, but so good.  Despite this not being one of my favourite festive tunes, it seems to come in the top five of most of the ‘definitive lists’ I’ve come across on the internet. I guess, as with most Christmas songs, everyone knows the words and just feels the need to sing along no matter how much of a guilty pleasure it may be.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard

The repetitive and fun refrain of this song is what makes it so catchy and another firm favourite. Who doesn’t wish it was Christmas every day? Alright, maybe not, but this is such a feel good song and really puts you in such a festive mood that it’s quite possible you could start wishing it was Christmas every day.

Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade

Again, this song is repetitive almost to the point of being irritating, but it’s also consistently in the top ten of almost every ranking. The most fun part is trying to perfectly time when to scream ‘it’s Christmas!’ in time with the guy in the background. Inevitably you’ll get it completely wrong, but it’s the effort that counts.

Obviously I’ve just picked a select few of some of the ‘best’ Christmas songs and my opinion on them, but there are so many underrated Christmas songs that people don’t hear or appreciate as much which deserve just as much credit! This year I’ve listened to a lot more variety of Christmas songs as well as just the standard most popular ones, so here’s just a few that I’ve been loving recently:

•  Cold December Night – Michael Buble
• Christmas Lights – Coldplay
• Mary, Did You Know? – Pentatonix
• Underneath The Tree – Kelly Clarkson
• Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon
•  I Believe In Father Christmas – Susan Boyle
• A Spaceman Came Travelling – Chris De Burgh
• Warm This Winter – Gabriella Cilmi

Of course I have been listening to ALL the Christmas songs (yes I love Christmas way too much, always have and always will), but I decided to share just a few with you that you may not be as familiar with and that I’m especially loving this year.

What are your favourite Christmas songs? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

Lots of festive love, xx