Yes, you’ve been hearing holiday songs everywhere since Halloween, but today’s the day you may finally feel like listening to some. As you relax at home with your loved ones—perhaps sitting down for the first time after a busy week—here are our Top 10 Holiday Songs of all time, suitable for every sentiment this season. Get your playlists ready!
1. The “Snuggle with me by the fire” song: I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Billie Holiday
2. The “I’m missing you like crazy” song: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)—get Mariah Carey’s version if you’re yearning; U2’s if you’re desperate.
3. The “I’ve-loaded-the-dishwasher-and-can-finally-sit-down-by-the-fire-and-relax-with-a-hot-toddy” song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas—The Pretenders’ rendition is more melancholy than the one by Ella Fitzgerald, who could make a funeral march sound optimistic.
4. The “I’m gonna finally get with you this holiday” song: Check out the smoldering rendition of Baby, it’s Cold Outside from Christina Aguilera and her former The Voice co-star Cee Lo Green.
5. The “It’s not snowing yet, but I’m still hoping for a few flurries” song: Winter Wonderland by The Eurythmics.
6. The “Let’s use Christmas to make a political statement” song: Again, it’s a toss-up, this time between John Lennon’s Happy Christmas (War is Over) and Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?. Both are still relevant and catchy.
7. The “Who needs words to make a great holiday song” song: The instrumental genius that jazz artist Vince Guaraldi brought to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack can add some elegance to your holiday—just as much as Snoopy’s graceful ice skating.
8. The “I want to feel like a kid again on Christmas” song: This is definitely a tie between Cindy Lauper and Frank Sinatra’s bubbly cover of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Dean Martin’s swinging rendition of A Marshmallow World (never mind the fact that Deano was probably drunk when he recorded it).
9. The “I’m feeling nostalgic for an old-fashioned holiday” song: Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song is the oldie but goodie that never really gets old—and reminds you how much fun it was when you stayed up all night waiting for the man with the bag.
10. The “I’m gonna aim for cheer year round” song: My Favorite Things by Tony Bennett is just as cool to listen to on New Year’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Because “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” never go out of season.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Red Typewriter!
