Ultimate Christmas Songs List (Part 1)

A couple of years ago, I had what I thought was a hilarious idea for a gag gift for that year’s White Elephant Christmas gift exchange. It would be something so absurd and so personal that the receiver couldn’t possibly get it anywhere else. I was going to make recordings of myself singing my favorite Christmas songs the only way I knew how–awfully–and put them on a CD.

Fortunately, the realization that I have more favorite Christmas songs than could even fit on two CDs, let alone one, brought this plan to a halt and no one ever ended up with this atrocious present. (Though it still gives me a giggle to imagine it.)

Instead, I went into my iTunes and started sorting my favorites into their own playlist. Ultimately, I ended up with three CDs’ worth of favorite Christmas songs–and that’s only after I decided to exclude Mannheim Steamroller completely because I loved enough of their renditions of things to fill two CDs or more on their own.

I just really love Christmas, okay?

So after a lot of deliberation and stress and eliminating a lot of songs I still really love, I finally settled on 240 minutes of Christmas songs I love just a little more than all the rest. Then I put all those in a case with a custom cover and gave a copy to everyone that year. It still retained the spirit of the original gag gift idea, while being a pleasanter experience for recipients.

Now without further ado, I present to you…Disc 1: “Magic”.

1. Nutcracker March: London Symphony Orchestra

A fanfare seemed the best way to begin.

2. The Little Drummer Boy: Christopher Lee

The rockingest version of this song ever. I didn’t know I needed Christopher Lee to sing Christmas to me until I accidentally stumbled upon this discovery.

3. Walking in the Air: Peter Auty

The original version from The Snowman.

4. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Enya

It’s strange, but I have a taste memory associated with this song, but I can’t place what it is. There was something we used to eat during the Advent season, and I haven’t figured it out yet. But the song sparks something in my taste buds.

5. O Holy Night: John Williams

Honestly, I wanted to include the entire soundtrack from one (or two, actually) of my favorite Christmas films. It’s got some of the most Christmas-y Christmas music in existence.

6. Toyland: Doris Day

7. What’s This?: Danny Elfman

As a bigtime Oingo Boingo fan, I leapt at the chance to include Danny Elfman’s voice in this.

8. Believe: Josh Groban

9. In the Bleak Midwinter: Katherine Jenkins

10. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Theme: Michael J. Lewis

Not from the live-action film or even the old TV show–from the 1979 animated film. I had to do a lot of digging to track down the spellbinding score to this movie. I even contacted the composer to tell him how much I loved it. Unfortunately, I’m not sure where you can buy this one, but you can enjoy the entire score by watching the movie.

11. The First Noel: Johnny Mathis

No Christmas is complete without Johnny Mathis. This is one of my favorite versions, in part because he goes up on “Noel” and not down, which has always been more pleasing to my ear. It always lets me down a bit when I hear a version that goes down. It’s just not supposed to be that way, in my opinion. You’ll see what I mean.