Playlists: Christmas Classics
It’s Christmastime! Hooray! Christmas is such a fun and special time of year. Who doesn’t love birthday celebrations? We love all kinds of Christmas music. In fact we love it so much that over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing with you 3 different Christmas playlists. Today we’re going to talk about traditional, classic Christmas songs and later on we’ll share our favorite “new” Christmas classics and Christmas fun songs. It’s great to have fun and think about snow and spending time with friends. But, Christmas is Jesus’ birthday and should be a celebration honoring him we don’t want to forget Him! After all the only way we have anything to celebrate is through God’s gifts to us. Since Jesus is definitely the best gift we’ll ever be given, we should make sure to find room for him in all our Christmas traditions. Snow, presents, and cookies are all great, but let’s make sure to find lots of room for Jesus in our lives and on our playlists. After all, He gave up everything for us- let’s honor Him by picking music about Him or music that speaks of good clean fun.
Allow me (Kari) to present our Christmas Classic Playlist!
Angels We Have Heard On High– Third Day
The country rock twang of Third Day really adds a modern, celebratory air to this classic song
Away In A Manger– Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole’s album The Christmas Song is just beautiful and traditional music. This version is a simple and classic rendering.
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem– Rhonda Vincent
We love Bluegrass! This song is so lovely and it makes me think of all my (Kari) ancestors and how they must have felt on this special day. It just sounds like East Tennessee.
Carol of the Bells– Celtic Woman
This song is so dramatic and majestic that Celtic Woman’s style fits it perfectly!
The Christmas Song– She & Him
Zooey Deschanel is one of my favorite retro-style girls. Her voice and the arrangement of this song sound like the era when this song was recorded.
The Christmas Waltz– Kristin Chenoweth
This song just sounds like skaters on a music box!
Deck The Halls– Nat King Cole
It’s a song about decorating!
Ding Dong Merrily on High– Celtic Woman
This is such a beautiful and celebratory song! I’ll always think of Little Women (on of our favorite books and movies) when I hear it because of the scene where they give away their Christmas breakfast.
The First Noel– Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby is practically Mr. Christmas Music in my mind! This version is just traditional and lovely
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman– Barnaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan
This is hand down the best version of this song ever. I don’t usually even like We Three Kings but the way it’s woven together is so cool. We sing this in the car and house all Christmas long since it’s such a good duet.
Good King Wenceslas– Loreena McKennitt
This version of the song is so transporting that I always want my long hooded cloak and princess dress (not that I have one, I just want one).
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing– Vince Guaraldi Trio
How can you not love the celebration with which this is performed? You know that you want to throw your head back and purse your lips just like the Peanuts gang. Isn’t it always one of the best parts of the Christmas season when good old Linus reminds us of the real meaning of Christmas in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas– Amy Grant
We had an audiocassette of this song when I was a little girl. To me, Christmas morning will always require the playing of this. I can see my childhood and girlhood trees when I hear it.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear– Judy Garland
This is just so pretty!
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas– Harry Connick Jr.
Aren’t jazzy or swing style Christmas songs just fun!
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year– Andy Williams
I think it’s a requirement that you have this song on a Christmas classic playlist!
Jingle Bells– Brian Setzer Orchestra
It’s fun, it’s swing, and it’s great to dance to!
Joy to the World! – Faith Hill
Faith really delivers on the majesty and joy this song should be performed with!
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow– Dean Martin
This is a great cold weather song. Whenever we are in the house with groceries this is what we sing in preparation for a blizzard!
The Little Drummer Boy– Harry Simeone
Apparently there are people who don’t like this song? This definitely the best version, flee the Joan Jett cover!
O Come All Ye Faithful– Celine Dion
The triumph of this song really is conveyed beautifully with the organ, the choir and Celine’s voice!
O Come, O Come Emmanuel– Enya
This song is so hauntingly beautiful.
O Holy Night– Celine Dion
This is our favorite sacred carol. You can’t go wrong with Celine!
O Little Town of Bethlehem– Ray Conniff
It feels like you are singing along with a choir in a Christmas pageant!
Sleigh Ride/ Marshmallow Road– Kristin Chenoweth
Can’t Kristin Chenoweth just make almost any situation more fun?
Twelve Days of Christmas– Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters
This version is fun to sing with other people because the parts are really well defined. RJ and I always love singing it because it’s a very democratic way to sing it. Otherwise we are vying for who gets the best part! You just pick the Andrews Sisters or Bing to follow and start singing!
We Wish You A Merry Christmas– The Disney Holiday Chorus
You have to have a version of this song and this one has all the theme park polish and smile built in!
What Child is this? – Third Day
I love the modern take on such an old carol.
White Christmas– Bing Crosby
The title song from one of our favorite Christmas movies!
Winter Wonderland– Tony Bennett
This version is so jazzy; it just makes me want to be a 50’s dance.
Enjoy this Christmas season! Check back for more of our playlists and viewing lists- we’ll be sharing them soon! Make sure to reflect on the reason for the celebration of this beautiful season!
(The links take you to Amazon and you can preview the songs. The previews are free, but if you want to buy the songs you can help support The He Said She Said Experience)
