“Christmas Lights” by Coldplay will always be my favorite Christmas song. It isn’t cheerful, but it gives a feeling of hope that is unmatched in any Christmas song. “Christmas Lights” acknowledges that things aren’t always perfect and cheery in the holiday season, but there’s always hope.
-Ashton Newton

“The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)” sung by Nat King Cole has always been the quintessential holiday song for me. A tradition my mom and I have is that when we decorate our Christmas tree with ornaments and lights, we play Nat King Cole’s holiday album on the radio. Obviously, it’s a song that some people may consider to be overdone due to how many different artists have covered it, but the mellow tone and instrumental background of this particular version has always had a huge impact for me. Whenever I hear it, I always think of being at home with my mom in our living room and how happy that makes me.
-Elissa Sorenson

“Peppermint Winter” by Owl City isn’t a classic, by any means. However, it captures the childhood sweetness of the Christmas season while the melody leaves me slightly melancholy. Without a hint of romance, “Peppermint Winter” captures the levity and beauty of a white Christmas.
-Stephanie Blair

As a person with very little interest in stale Christmas classics, I was ecstatic when I heard that John Roderick (of The Long Winters fame) and Jonathan Coulton (of Jonathan Coulton fame) were collaborating on an album of original Christmas songs (and one Hanukkah song.)
One Christmas at a Time (2012) is a wonderfully original ten-track album for the holiday season. The songs inside are just as funny and as they are touching, and sometimes downright strange If you’re looking for a refreshing take on the season I cannot recommend these 9 Christmas songs (and one Hanukkah song) enough.
– Darien Campo

I’m a sucker for holiday music, so it’s difficult for me to just pick one song as my favorite. I enjoy most. But this year, I’ve been listening to Frank Sinatra’s, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” a lot. His voice is soft, but filled with longing and tenderness. His low, quiet extended notes to the final letter of the words,“dreams,” and, “gleams,” keeps you yearning for something you can’t quite put your finger on. Although this song can seem melancholy, it accurately performs the feeling of longing during the holidays.
-Paige Scofield