With November coming to a close, the battle of “When do you listen to holiday music?” starts. There are two sides, either you listen to the music starting November 1st, or you listen to it the day after Thanksgiving. While some people may go as far as to start listening to holiday music on December 1st.
My holiday music listening starts on the first day of November. Sometimes, like last year, I started before Halloween. I was on the way back from a conference with the Student Programming Board here at Quinnipiac University, and it was such a fun, jolly drive back from Syracuse, New York.
Holiday music brings a sense of joy and nostalgia for times when it was snowing in December when we had holiday parties in elementary school, and so much more.
Granted, holiday songs are mostly covers of other artists and songs that are redone many times over.
With that said, I’ll be ranking my top ten holiday songs.
Number Ten: “Like It’s Christmas” – The Jonas Brothers
Starting off with number ten, “Like It’s Christmas” by the Jonas Brothers, I had the opportunity to see them perform this live at Z100’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in New York City back in 2021.
This song captures the holiday spirit, but also matches the energy of being the perfect song to jam out to in the car. As a theater kid, I’m also a big fan of the harmonies in this song. The harmonies in the song capture holiday magic.
Number Nine: “A Nonsense Christmas” – Sabrina Carpenter
Up next is “A Nonsense Christmas,” a fun and festive play on the original “Nonsense,” sung by Sabrina Carpenter. The song is a little twist on the classic song that most know and love.
The lyrics capture the chaotic energy of the holidays, and they are paired up with Carpenter’s light and smooth voice. The song is perfect for laughing with friends and enjoying the time spent with them.
Number Eight: “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” sits at number eight in the list of top ten songs. Crosby has a cozy and velvety-sounding voice that makes the song sound like sitting by the fire and enjoying a holiday film.
The song has a simple arrangement that makes it so much more magical when listening to it. Crosby’s song is one of the best-selling holiday songs of all time.
Number Seven: “Mary Did You Know?” – Pentatonix
Whenever I hear Pentatonix I think of the holidays. I can’t help but feel that’s what they are best known for. Their version of “Mary Did You Know?” is number seven in my rankings.
The group brings this song to another level of beauty with their a cappella style. Their harmonies are always chilling, along with the balance of each member being heard equally. This arrangement of the song feels refreshing and stays true to the original, which is why I love it so much.
Number Six: “Christmas Dreaming” – Frank Sinatra
There was no doubt that I was going to include the music of Frank Sinatra in these rankings. In fact, he’s actually featured twice! “Christmas Dreaming” falls at number six, so not quite in the top five, but still in the top ten.
Sinatra’s voice is a gift all on its own, showcasing his effortless charm. The dreamy vibe of this song makes it feel like I’m walking in a winter wonderland. It’s filled with the kind of nostalgia that only Sinatra can deliver in his songs. It’s both soft and soothing, in addition to being a cozy classic, similar to Sinatra himself.
Number Five: “Christmas Tree Farm” – Taylor Swift
“Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift of course falls into the top five. I have been a fan of Swift for a while now, but this is one of my favorite holiday songs. I learned that this is a song that Swift already owns, but she recorded it again anyway. Swift also wrote, recorded, and released the song within six days of each other.
The song is whimsical, starting with an intro from various string instruments that descend on a scale. There are other elements of the song that bring the childhood wonder to life. Swift filled the song with personal and relatable lyrics, that connect so neatly with her sparkling voice.
Number Four: “Silver Bells” – Dean Martin
Other listeners will recognize Dean Martin’s smooth vocals from his other songs, “Everybody Loves Somebody,” “That’s Amore,” and “Mambo Italiano.”
This song reminds me of going to see the light festivals they do in my hometown. Where you sit in the car and drive through all of the different lights. It’s one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.
Martin’s voice in combination with the orchestral score of the music, is pure holiday magic. This is one of the only songs that I can vividly picture.
Number Three: “Blue Christmas” – Elvis Presley
“Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley falls into the top three, easily. Presley is one of my favorite artists. Presley brings an unmatched depth of emotion to the song, creating the holiday heartbreak song that is beloved by many.
The gentle guitar combined with classic rock n’ roll, and the background harmonies make the song unforgettable. This is truly a must-listen during the holiday season.
Number Two: “Cold December Night” – Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé is a classic holiday artist in my head. He has the smooth, crooning voice that Sinatra and Presley both had, making the song feel like their style.
Bublé doesn’t miss with holiday songs, and this is no different.
Before we get to number one, I’d like to put in some of my honorary mentions that could have made my top ten, but did not.
Honorary Mentions: “Winter Wonderland” – Dean Martin, “Underneath the Tree” – Kelly Clarkson, “The Christmas Waltz” – Laufey
These songs are still in my favorites, they just didn’t qualify for the top ten.
Now that I’ve let you see the honorary mentions, here is my number one holiday song.
*drumroll here*
Number One: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” – Frank Sinatra
Sinatra is one of my top three favorite artists, so it’s no surprise that I picked one of his songs for the number one spot. There should also be no surprise that I put two Sinatra songs on this list of rankings!
This version of the song was released in 1957, shortly after Judy Garland released it in 1944. Sinatra also changed some of the lyrics from “We’ll muddle through somehow” to “Hang a shining star upon the highest bough,” which raises the vibe of the song a bit.
This song is always big on TikTok around this time of year, so for one thing, it is constantly stuck in my head.
“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” has that perfect sense of holiday nostalgia. It reminds me of getting up to go to school when I was younger and watching “The Polar Express” right before the winter break.
Not to mention, the music is so beautiful. I’ve always found that about Sinatra’s music though, that it is beautifully scored. He utilizes the strings and choir so elegantly.
This song makes me want to curl up with a blanket by the tree at my house.
These are my favorite holiday songs!
