My Christmas Playlist

Do you get a little tired of the same old holiday songs played over and over, made, re-made, and regurgitated ad nauseam? At first it is good to hear the classic Christmas songs. Like old college buddies, they are great to see once a year. Then, about two weeks after Thanksgiving I remember why these songs and I do not hang out much anymore. I am always on the lookout for fresh music that will get me in the holiday spirit. It does not have to be new, just a little unique.

The List I’m Listening to

Here is what is playing this year at my house:

Decade the Halls
By Tenth Avenue North
This is a creative album! Each song is set in a different musical era, starting with the 1920s. The band does a great job of marrying fresh with some familiar songs. My personal favorite is the 90s grunge reminiscent Mistletoe (The Christmas Sweater Song).
City On A Hill: It’s Christmas Time [Music Download]
By Various Artists
City on a Hill has all of my favorite Christian artists singing some classic material with a few twists, like Sixpence None the Richer’s Silent Night and some thoughtful new songs like Caedmon’s Call playing Babe in the Straw. The lyrics on this album are great for cookie decorating meditation and the music is some of highest quality Christmas music the CCM movement has offered. It is a classic in my house.
Let It Snow Baby…Let It Reindeer CD
By Relient K
This is our rollicking fun party album. It is half punkish fun, as in the 12 Days of Christmas (“What’s a partridge? What’s a pear tree? I don’t know, so please don’t ask me. But I can bet those are terrible gifts to give!”), half serious contemplation, as in In Like a Lion (Always Winter) with the final chorus that brings a tear to my eye, “Cause when it’s always winter but never Christmas, sometimes it feels like you’re not with us.
But deep inside our hearts we know, that you are here and we will not lose hope.”
For sheer beauty of voice and soulful strains of southern rock I enjoy Darius Rucker’s Christmas album Home for the Holidays. No one rivals his version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”, not even the original. Along with holiday standards, the voice of Hootie and the Blowfish gives us some worthwhile originals like “What God Wants for Christmas”. He includes a duet with Sheryl Crow of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. Yes, I have an opinion on the controversy. Since I hold every song to the standard that this song is selectively being held to, I suggest a literary and worldview analysis of the song with your teens (Plot, characters, setting, context, conflicts, etc.) See my free Reading Guide if you need some ideas. The results may surprise you.