Now that Thanksgiving has passed and everyone is beginning to anticipate the upcoming winter holidays, it’s finally acceptable to enjoy the festive music and turn it up to full volume. We’ve compiled a list of five of our favorite classic Christmas songs for you to blast through the speakers of your car, set the perfect mood for tree decorating, or even just relax with a hot chocolate and get into the holiday spirit. 

#5: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” by Michael Bublé

It would be a crime not to put at least one Michael Bublé song on this list. For many, Bublé’s joyful voice is synonymous with the Christmas spirit. Bublé may not be the original singer of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” which dates back to as long ago as the 1930’s, but he makes it his own with his distinctive sound and jazz influences. It’s impossible to pout or cry when someone turns on “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

#4: “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Zooey Deschanel, Leon Redbone

Now, of course, this song is a classic, but this specific rendition of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is found in the movie “Elf.” For those who haven’t watched “Elf,” it follows the life of an elf named Buddy, played by Will Ferrell, who gets mistakenly stuck in the North Pole as a baby. He is raised in the North Pole and forced to adapt to the lifestyle there. As he grows and matures, he learns that his real father is out in the world somewhere, so he travels to New York City in search of his father. In New York, he meets Jovie, played by Zooey Deschanel, who later becomes his love interest. This particular song is performed by Buddy and Jovie in arguably the most memorable scene in the movie. Aside from its appearance in “Elf,” it’s an upbeat and festive song for this time of year.

#3: “Last Christmas” by Wham!

This iconic song narrates a tragic holiday romance, and with its beautifully written lyrics and wistful energy, it’s no wonder it has become a staple on all great Christmas playlists. With versions from artists like Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepsen and even the cast of “Glee,” “Last Christmas” has appeared on plenty of Christmas albums. However, the original version performed by Wham! is our favorite. The combination of Wham!’s amazing vocals with the steady beat and festive jingle bells in the background creates an effect that continues to dazzle lovers of Christmas music.

#2: “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee

You can repeatedly listen to Christmas songs without them getting old, and this remains true even for a song that came out more than 60 years ago. This song is a blast from the past, and can get anyone into the holiday spirit. You may have heard it in the hit 1990 movie “Home Alone,” one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time. The upbeat tempo, vintage sound and festive saxophone solo all make for the perfect nostalgic song to play in the background of any holiday activity, from cookie baking to decorating your Christmas tree.

#1: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

As we all know, Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas. This iconic song has more than a billion streams on Spotify, and for good reason. While other Christmas songs are loved for the holiday cheer that they bring, Carey’s outstanding vocals land this song at the top of the list. Both a love song and a Christmas song, it incorporates the classic sound of sleigh bells as well as a slow, 50-second long introduction that eases the listener in before ramping up. It never fails to bring that warm, fuzzy feeling of nostalgia that is much needed during these cold winter months. 

Honorable Mentions

Two songs that didn’t quite make the top five list but definitely deserve to be mentioned are “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande and “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber. We agreed that though these songs are fantastic songs for Christmas time, they don’t necessarily appeal to all generations. The older songs that start playing around this time of year are absolute classics that everyone enjoys. For the younger generations, though, “Santa Tell Me” and “Mistletoe” are relatively new Christmas songs written by younger artists.. These two songs couldn’t be left unacknowledged!