Christmas songs for a happy holiday
It seems as though all the top stars have released Christmas albums, putting their own spin on our favorite holiday classics. Some renditions work and become integrated into the holiday repertoire, while others simply don’t. Here’s my take on your holiday music playlist.
1. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” John Lennon and Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono Band: It’s an emblematic Christmas song with a good message so it makes you feel good about yourself and the holiday.
2. “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Burl Ives: This is such a playful song that you can’t help but get into the holiday spirit.
3. “White Christmas,” Bing Crosby: Released in 1949, this is a classic that has stood the test of time. Crosby paints the ideal image of Christmas – what person wouldn’t dream of such a whimsical holiday?
4. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee: This song is upbeat and bound to bring out your holiday spirit. I have to say, however, that Miley Cyrus’ version is enjoyable as well, adding a bit of a rock-and-roll to this classic.
5. “All I Want For Christmas,” Mariah Carey: This has to be my favorite Christmas song of all time. While alternate versions are enjoyable, Carey’s still reigns supreme.
6. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” Jackson 5: This version perfectly marries pop and holiday music. For a rock-and-roll quality version, turn to Bruce Springsteen’s rendition.
7. “The Hanukkah Song,” Adam Sandler: Not to forget about Hanukkah, this song employs a humorous tone to educate people about the Jewish winter holiday. Sandler, himself Jewish, lists some Jews such as Kirk Douglas, James Caan, Harrison Ford (he’s ¼ Jewish) and Goldie Hawn (she’s ½ Jewish). He introduced a Jewish song in the face of the countless Christmas ditties.
8. “Step Into Christmas,” Elton John: This song is a perfect burst of energy to any Christmas playlist.
9. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You),” Nat King Cole: This is another classic that deserves inclusion on any playlist.
10. “Last Christmas,” Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift can do no wrong. Off her Christmas album, “Last Christmas” exemplifies her ability to take a classic and make it her own with great success.
11. “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”: No matter which rendition, these songs are bound to invoke childhood memories of the holidays. Let’s face it: we love these figures and it’s hard not to get in the holiday spirit and smile as we hear these songs.
12. “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”: This song is cute and amusing. However, I wouldn’t recommend having this song on repeat, as I’m sure the squeaky chipmunk voices can get quite irksome.
Great List, I just Heard Taylor Swift’s version of last Christmas and I’m gonna add that to my Christmas ipod.
CHRISTmas has been hiacjked by our culture, and for the most part, the church doesn’t seem to mind. A Christian should feel as uncomfortable around CHRISTmas as a Jewish person does, or used to feel. Every year around this time many Jews perhaps feel out place and alienated as their friends, co-workers, and neighbors celebrate the birth of the Messiah that they rejected. However, since CHRISTmas has been sanitized of Christ, and now consists of extreme commercialism, office parties, Santa Clause, and other secular celebrations, many Jews are beginning to feel more and more comfortable celebrating the Christless CHRISTmas. Let me ask you, how comfortable should Christians feel during this time? How many Christians get caught up in Black Friday and Cyber Monday? How many Christians put lights on their house, but don’t shine the Light of Christ? How many Christians can even make it church during this time? Should we not feel as out-of-place during this time as the Jews once did? Let me ask you, what does it matter if the town won’t put up a CHRISTmas tree or a manger scene? Instead, wouldn’t it be great if every Christian showed the Love of Christ during this time by ministering to someone, or told the Good News of forgiveness of sins through Christ? How about if every Christian put a manger scene on their front lawn, then we wouldn’t have to worry about how our secular world celbrates the greatest thing that has ever happened in this world ? For the most part Christians look to the secular world as to how we are going to celebrate CHRISTmas. The secular world needs to look to us. I say let’s stop the insanity and complaining and put Christ back into CHRISTmas ourselves. We don’t need the government’s permission to do that. Think with me for a minute what would happen if every Christian quit buying expensive presents for everyone during this time, and quit sending expensive cards that nobody wants anyhow, and stopped promoting Santa in their own homes, and drunkeness and partying? Instead Christians wouls celebtrate as I stated above by showing the Light and love of Jesus Christ. Do you know what we would have? We would have CHRISTmas that is God-honoring and Christ-centered. Christians should not complain about the secularization of CHRISTmas unless they are willing to make some changes themselves and begin to act like Christians.!One more thing, some say that we only say Happy Holidays during November and December because there are so many holidays during this time. Baloney! If that were true then why don’t we say it at New Year’s as well? New Years is closer to CHRISTmas than the other Holidays, but as soon as CHRISTmas is over we stop saying Happy Holidays. The phrase Happy Holidays has nothing to do with the number of holidays we celebrate, but has everything to do with a post-Christian culture that has marginalized Christianity and turned its back on the One True God Jesus Christ!