Christmas Songs

Tis the season of Christmas songs, and I fondly recall my childhood days when I aspired to master the lyrics of "Good King Wenceslas" and "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" for the school Christmas concert, in an attempt to impress the parents.

Back then, the radio stations in town began playing Christmas songs about a week before Christmas, gradually increasing the festive tunes until Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when only Christmas songs, both secular and religious, filled the airwaves.

Over time, the stations upped their Christmas music airplay. In the '80s, they started playing Christmas music around two weeks before Christmas, and by the end of the decade, one station dedicated those two weeks entirely to Christmas songs. Eventually, the airtime for Christmas music extended further, and nowadays, some stations begin playing it after the American Thanksgiving in late November, with many stations exclusively featuring Christmas songs throughout December.

However, too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. Musical tastes are subjective, and I personally enjoy secular Christmas songs with a few hymns thrown in. Yet, being bombarded with 24/7 Christmas music on the radio is not my cup of tea. I understand that radio stations compete with streaming and satellite services, where individuals can indulge in Christmas music all year long. So, radio stations cater to their audience's preferences during the holiday season.

The influx of Christmas music from various music stars of different genres can sometimes miss the mark for me. While their fans adore these renditions, I find that 90% of the time, they don't resonate with my taste. Hence, during this season, I rely on my CD player and RadioCanada App to find stations that minimize the airplay of Christmas music.

If you're curious, there is an official top 40 most-streamed Christmas songs list. Below, I've highlighted the ones I personally enjoy from the list:

                                      TITLE                                                Artist

1       All I Want For Christmas Is You      Mariah Carey

2       Last Christmas                                  Wham!

3       Fairytale Of New York                     Pogues

4       Merry Christmas Everyone                                 Shakin' Stevens

5       Do They Know It's Christmas                              Band Aid

6      It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas   Michael Buble

7       Step Into Christmas                                            Elton John

8       Santa Tell Me                                                      Ariana Grande

9       I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday             Wizzard

10    Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree              Brenda Lee

11     Driving Home For Christmas                              Chris Rea

12     Merry Xmas Everybody                                      Slade

13     One More Sleep                                                 Leona Lewis

14     Underneath The Tree                                         Kelly Clarkson

15     Mistletoe                                                             Justin Bieber

16     Happy Xmas (War Is Over)                                 John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band

17    It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year     Andy Williams

18    Wonderful Christmas time                           Paul McCartney

19     Holly Jolly Christmas                                          Michael Buble

20     Christmas Lights                                                 Coldplay

21    Jingle Bell Rock                                         Bobby Helms

22    White Christmas                                         Bing Crosby

23     Sleigh Ride                                                           Ronettes

24    Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow               Dean Martin

25     Santa Baby                                                           Kylie Minogue

26    Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord                      Boney M

27     Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)               Darlene Love

28     Lonely This Christmas                                        Mud

29     2000 Miles                                                           Pretenders

30     Stop The Cavalry                                                 Jona Lewie

31     Santa Claus Is Coming To Town                       Michael Jackson & Jackson Five

32     Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas             Sam Smith

33     Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow                   Frank Sinatra

34    Blue Christmas                                           Elvis Presley

35    Feliz Navidad                                             Jose Feliciano

36     The Christmas Song                                           Nat King Cole

37     Baby It's Cold Outside                                       Idina Menzel, Michael Buble

38     Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)         Darkness

39     Santa Claus Is Coming To Town                       Michael Buble

40     Santa's Coming For Us

Additionally, there are some songs that aren't on the list but are among my top 20 favourites during this time of year:

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" - Bing Crosby

"Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song)" - Bing Crosby

"Santa Baby" - Eartha Kitt

"Winter Wonderland" - Dean Martin

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" - Andy Williams

"A Holly Jolly Christmas" - Burl Ives

"Must Be Santa" - Bob Dylan

"Pretty Paper" - Roy Orbison

"Carol of the Bells" - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

"Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" - Elmo & Patsy

During this festive season, I find joy in listening to this mix of Christmas classics and cherished songs and I hope you do as well. Tomorrow I will talk about the little things that make Christmas special for me.