Show of hands: Whose favourite time of the year is December? Mine is! Despite living on an island in the Caribbean and never having experienced a white Christmas (it gets very cold – for us – though), Christmas is my favouritest holiday and season and a big part of that is the music. As December creeps up, my favourite seasonal songs start playing in my head and I can’t wait for Christmas day to arrive. If you hate Christmas and its music, this is not the place for you.
This is not a ranked listed. The songs are placed according to the year their first recording was released. To keep it short(ish), there are no carols on the list and it’s limited to songs that I actually know (and even some of those aren’t here). So if your favourite Christmas song isn’t here then chances are I don’t know it. Feel free to let me know what it is in the comments though!
This list is about the songs in general and not specific versions of them by particular artist. The versions used here are just the ones I know and/or love. So with all of that out of the way, let’s get to the list!
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
1. Jingle Bells
Originally Recorded By: Will Lyle
Originally Released: 1889
2. White Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Irving Berlin
Originally Released: 1942
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Judy Garland
Originally Released: 1944
4. Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Originally Recorded By: Vaughn Monroe
Originally Released: 1945
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodOZ5BZE8c
5. The Christmas Song
Originally Recorded By: Nat King Cole
Originally Released: 1946
6. Merry Christmas Baby
Originally Recorded By: Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers
Originally Released: 1947
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi9kvO2zL2E
7. All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Originally Recorded By: Spike Jones And His City Slickers
Originally Released: 1948
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WQr-fx4Azk
8. Winter Wonderland
Originally Recorded By: Frank Sinatra
Originally Released: 1948
9. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Originally Recorded By: Gene Autry
Originally Released: 1949
10. Frosty the Snow Man
Originally Recorded By: Gene Autry & The Cass County Boys
Originally Released: 1950
11. Silver Bells
Originally Recorded By: Bing Crosby and Carol Richards
Originally Released: 1950
12. Sleigh Ride
Originally Recorded By: The Andrews Sisters
Originally Released: 1950
13. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Originally Recorded By: Jimmy Boyd
Originally Released: 1952
14. Santa Baby
Originally Released By: Eartha Kitt
Originally Released: 1953
15. Jingle Bell Rock
Originally Recorded By: Bobby Helms
Originally Released: 1957
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PvLPMHa2fQ
16. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Originally Recorded By: Brenda Lee
Originally Released: 1960
17. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Originally Recorded By: Andy Williams
Originally Released: 1963
18. You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch
Originally Performed By: Thurl Ravenscroft
Originally Released: 1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t71X4TfudpE
19. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Originally Recorded By: Harry Reser and Tom Stacks
Originally Released: 1970
20. This Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Donny Hathaway
Originally Released: 1970
21. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
Originally Recorded By: Elmo & Patsy
Originally Released: 1979
22. Hard Candy Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Dolly Parton
Originally Released: 1982
23. Last Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Wham!
Originally Released: 1984
24. Sleigh Ride
Originally Recorded By: The Chipmunks
Originally Released: 1990
25. All I Want For Christmas Is You
Originally Recorded By: Mariah Carey
Originally Released: 1994
26. Every Year, Every Christmas
Originally Recorded By: Luther Vandross
Originally Released: 1995