1. Mariah Carey - "All I Want For Christmas is You" (Buy album)
I woke up this morning with this song stuck in my head, so I assumed it was a sign that it needed to be included in this list. (I think I must have overheard it in the mall on Black Friday while shopping, since it tends to be really overplayed.) The truth is that it's just a fun, upbeat song that really gets me in the Christmas spirit.
2. Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas"
I'm not really sure when I first heard this song. The reason behind it is pretty inspirational and awesome: raising money for an Ethiopian famine in 1984. If you'd like to read more about it, take a look at the wikipedia page.
3. Enya - "And Winter Came" (Buy album)
Honestly, if you haven't heard this cd, you really ought to. It is absolutely gorgeous, and one I am quite happy to listen to all year-round. When I first put my headphones on in Barnes & Noble nearly 5 years ago to hear samples from this cd for the first time, I knew I would like it, but I was still incredibly shocked by the beauty and intensity of the music.
4. Michael W. Smith - "Christmastime" (Buy album)
mini-rant: I hate on youtube where they try to emphasize the words and include the lyrics. Do yourself a favor and play the song in the background. Music is about pretty… not words. Or maybe pretty and words. But not just words.
Anyway, Michael W. Smith is an awesome singer and pianist. One of my favorite albums of his is Freedom where he doesn't sing a single lyric but instead plays the piano beautifully.
When I was trying to decide on a Christmas song of his that was my favorite, the song "Christmastime" stuck out to me. I love the beginning with the church choir and how it leads to the rest of the song.
5. Dean Martin - "Let It Snow"
This song is so pleasant and makes me think of all things vintagey Christmas including those awesome stamps I got to put on envelopes over the weekend. Plus, they used it in The Family Stone, which was such a fun movie.
6. Johnny Mathis - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
My mom loved Johnny Mathis when I was a child, and I always thought she was crazy. (That and the BeeGees! Ick!) And now who am I listening to? It's not my fault I associate Christmas with this song! :)
7. John Lennon - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
I'm not sure why I felt I had to include this song on my list. It's a mix of being slightly depressing and slightly optimistic. Perhaps I should have called this my top 10 favorite alternative Christmas songs since I don't seem to be choosing anything particularly normal.
8. Jim Brickman feat Rebecca Lynn Howard - "The Simple Things"
and Jim Brickman feat Wayne Brady - "Beautiful (Christmas Version)"
I know most people either love Jim Brickman… or they hate him. I love piano music and sometimes elevator music counts as piano music, so I am on the side of those that actually like his music. *shrugs*
I couldn't decide which song I liked the *most*, so I included both. Did anyone else know that Wayne Brady could sing? I just put two-and-two together that this is the dude from the tv show Whose Line Is It Anyway! :) I guess he did sing on that show some, but I think he was an interesting singer choice to record that song.
9. Point of Grace - "When Love Came Down" (Buy album)
For the longest time, this was one of my favorite Christmas cds. I especially like this song on the album. It's a very calming song.
10. Amy Grant - "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" (Buy album)
I think this song is so beautifully done. Amy Grant has a beautiful voice and the lyrics are touching.
While I could probably come up with another half million awesome Christmas songs to share, with some being more meaningful and some being more Christmassy than what I have shared today, I will stop at 10. (Besides I have to go to work at some point!) I hope you enjoy some, if not all, of my music choices and share some of your favorite Christmas songs with me too in the comments below! I need to build my collection back up, and any suggestions are welcome! :)
** Check out 31 Days of December Blogging prompts here!
