I’ve been carefully building a Christmas playlist for over a decade, adding one track a year. There are now eighteen 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. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives
  6. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
  7. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” By Dean Martin
  8. “Christmas Time is Here (Instrumental)” by Vince Guaraldi Trio
  9. “The Christmas Song” by Nat “King” Cole
  10. “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson
  11. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon
  12. “I Wish It Could be Christmas Everyday” by Wizzard
  13. “Here Comes Santa Claus” by Elvis Presley
  14. “What Christmas Means to Me” by Stevie Wonder
  15. “All I Want For Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey
  16. “What a Wonderful World” by Joey Ramone
  17. “Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy” by David Bowie & Bing Crosby
  18. “Father Christmas” by The Kinks
  19. “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade

This year’s addition is “Sleigh Ride.” I’m using the Leroy Anderson orchestral version, but the Ronettes’ is also great. We played “Sleigh Ride” every year in high school band so I just have a soft spot for the version without lyrics.

It’s been a few years since I’ve looked at the song sequence. I might change things around a bit once I listen to it a few times.