I love the Christmas music, y’all. I grew up in a family where Elvis’ Blue Christmas and Vince Guaraldi’s piano music and even Kenny G’s holiday album were integral parts of every December. My mom adores “O Come All Ye Faithful” and my dad has a soft spot for “Silent Night.” And my sister can actually hit the high note at the end of Mariah Carey’s version of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
This year, more than ever, I find myself impatient with the poppy, overproduced music blaring out of store speakers and car stereos. But the old, thoughtful, joyous carols, the ones that turn our hearts toward peace and anticipation, are more deeply ingrained in my heart than ever.
It’s so hard to choose favorites, because I truly love all the classics – but here are a few I return to again and again:
1. O Come O Come Emmanuel. As I grow to love Advent more and more, I adore this haunting hymn with its many names for Christ and its soaring melody. (The Civil Wars have a lovely rendition.) We sing it every week at our church during Advent, and I find myself praying: yes. Come.
2. O Holy Night. There’s mystery and magic and power in this song. It gives me chills. (And when I was a little girl, two of my dad’s best friends sang this as a duet during a Christmas church service. I can still hear Buddy’s rich baritone melding with Clay’s soaring tenor.)
3. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. I love the lyrics to this one, infused with hope and angel song, and the lilting, haunting melody. (I particularly like Ella’s rendition.)
4. In the Bleak Midwinter. This is a relatively new favorite – I discovered it in college, when I sang it at a choir Christmas concert – but I love it. So thoughtful and quiet and yet hopeful.
5. O Little Town of Bethlehem. Mostly for the lyrics in the third and fourth verses: “No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin / Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.” And “We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell / O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.”
Of course, I love “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” (see above), and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “What Child is This” and “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and (recently) “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” (We’ve been singing that one in Ryan and Amy’s living room on Sunday nights lately.)
On the secular side, I enjoy “Sleigh Ride” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Chestnuts Roasting.” I always hear the Peanuts characters singing “Christmastime is Here” and Bert and Ernie (or Judy Garland) singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” And no holiday season is complete without Elvis having a blue Christmas, or George Strait singing about the new kid in town, or my dad singing the old Jim Reeves song, “C is for the Christ Child.” But this handful of quiet, haunting melodies is what’s playing over and over again this year.
What Christmas songs do you love?
cakes, tea and dreams 
In the Bleak Midwinter is one of my favorites, too! Julie Andrews does a lovely version. Have you ever listened to British composer John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers? I especially love the Candlelight Carol (sang that one in college). And of course, there’s always Handel’s Messiah. Thanks again for another thoughtful trip down memory lane…
Oh so so many! I also love Julie Andrews’ In the Bleak Midwinter. This year I’m loving Michael Buble’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas and most of She & Him’s Christmas album.
All time faves include Martina McBride’s Do You Hear What I Hear?, the Carpenters’ Merry Christmas Darling, and Caedmon’s Call’s It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.
True confession time though, my favorite Christmas album is C’mon Ring Those Bells, by Evie Karlsson (known as ‘Evie’ in the 70s, apparently cool enough for 1 name back then!) — I grew up listening to my mom’s cassette of it every year, and it just says CHRISTMAS to me. I also love this random Celtic Christmas CD my youngest brother got me for Christmas a few years ago…because it has lots of the haunting, lilting songs that you mention liking. I’m pretty sure he bought it at the dollar store, but I really enjoy it.
Jessica – my mom had Evie on constant loop during the holidays. Such memories! Now I will be humming that song all day…
Great list! My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night but Silent Night, Carol of the Bells, and What Child Is This are also top contenders. The last few years I’ve been more drawn to original Christmas songs. I love seeing what new truths people can draw out from such an old tradition. My favorite albums include Bebo Norman, Over the Rhine, James Taylor, Sufjan Stevens, TransSiberian Orchestra, and surprisingly, Relient K. It’s a good thing I can’t afford to buy all the albums I want!
I love your lists! My favorite classic carol is O Holy Night, and my favorite secular song is Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I’ve noticed myself buying iTunes singles of my favorites sung by a lot of different artists, so my Christmas playlists tend to be different versions of the same songs over and over.
This question is just as hard as asking someone their favorite any type of song because there is SO much good Christmas music. I have to say, though, that my very favorite Christmas song is I Celebrate the Day by Relient K. Beautiful. It’s just a step above every other song for me.
Ding Dong Merrily on High is definitely my favorite. I also love, I saw Three Ships, Go Tell It on the Mountain. And I will forever love to sing Carol of the Bells and The Hallelujah Chorus any time I get the chance with a proper choir.
I cannot agree with you more about “Oh Holy Night.” It’s my favorite Christmas song. There is something magical and haunting about, and beautiful, all at the same time. It’s an amazing song!