I’ve been very carefully building a Christmas playlist for over a decade. I only add one song a year, and I only listen to the songs on the list between Thanksgiving and the Epiphany. There are now fifteen songs on the list.

  1. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love
  2. “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley
  3. “The Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues
  4. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland
  5. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” By Dean Martin
  6. “Christmas Time is Here (Instrumental)” by Vince Guaraldi Trio
  7. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon
  8. “Father Christmas” by The Kinks
  9. “The Christmas Song” by Nat “King” Cole
  10. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
  11. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
  12. “Here Comes Santa Claus” by Elvis Presely
  13. “What Christmas Means to Me” by Stevie Wonder
  14. “Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy” by David Bowie & Bing Crosby
  15. “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade

David Letterman had an annual Christmas episode that always concluded with Darlene Love singing her Christmas song. With Letterman’s retirement I’m sad to lose that little bit of cheer, but at least I have the song.