Holiday Songs That Don't Actually Mention Christmas
Picture this: October has ended. It's about a week into November and for some bizarre reason you feel like turning on the radio and tuning into a local station. Maybe Spotify is glitching or your Wifi went down unexpectedly. So you turn the radio on and what do you hear?
I'm sure you know the answer to this one.
Kool 108, a local station in Minnesota that plays a lot of classic hits, starts their Christmas music siege in mid-November and it usually runs until January 1st. Yup. You will likely heard Rocking Around The Christmas Tree more times that you ever thought you'd want to.
But it doesn't stop there. Retail shops and big-box department stores usually start blasting their Top 40's Christmas Hits around the same time. It becomes, frankly, inescapable.
Unpopular Opinion: Christmas is overrated. But that's probably because I don't exactly celebrate it. So it gets tiring to hear the same Christmas carols everywhere you go - I can't even imagine being someone of a different ethnicity or faith that also has a holiday during December - and not hearing a single song about your day. Be real, when was the last time you heard a Hanukkah song drifting over your head as you sniff-test holiday scented candles?
So this was my mission - to go on a hunt for some holiday-themed tunes that didn't mention Christmas and attempted to be either completely secular (but still seasonal) or at the very least more inclusive of other holidays.
How did I do?
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Contemporary:
- Baby, It's Cold Outside - Michael Buble and Idina Menzel
- Winter Winds - Mumford and Sons
- Carol of the Bells - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- Let it Go - Idina Menzel
- The Chanukkah Song - Adam Sandler
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Classic:
- Run, Rudolph, Run - Chuck Berry
- You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
- Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
- Winter Wonderland - Dean Martin
- Auld Lang Syne - Robert Burns
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Obscure:
- The Holly and The Ivy - The Mediaeval Baebes
- Solstice Carol - Wyrd Sisters
- Hail The Holly King - Inkubus Sukkubus
- Seven Days of Kwanzaa - HollyGirlz
- I Have a Little Dreidel - Hanukkah Players
❅What would you add to this list?❅
Jingle Bells comes to mind, as does Away In A Manger. Now I have to go look up Christmas songs lol
ReplyDeleteJingle Bells! That's such a classic that it didn't even occur to me - thanks for pointing it out!
DeleteOh, these are fun options. The same old songs that you hear everywhere on repeat do get really annoying after a while.
ReplyDeleteKathrin | Polar Bear Style
I agree - sometimes it's nice to mix it up and give a little love back to the less played tunes!
DeleteThis are great options. I love Let It Go.
ReplyDeleteHer Style Hive
I agree, Christmas is overrated, and being bombarded with songs and decorations before December 1st is annoying. I admit I don´t know many Christmas reated songs that don´t actually mention Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAnne|Linda, Libra, Loca
Carol of the Bells is one of those ultimate earworm songs for me. I always get it stuck in my head for days after I hear it!
ReplyDeleterhymeandribbons.com
Same and it's such a pretty melody too!
DeleteOh man, I love Christmas things but not Christmas music. I love that you found some holiday music that doesn't blare out Christmas but still give the winter vibes! I'll need to check them out!
ReplyDeleteNancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Thanks for commenting! Let me know which song you like best. :)
DeleteOh I LOVE this! I teach and always try to be mindful of my non-Christian students so I have a few of these on my playlist, but will definitely be updating after reading this! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI missed out this post before I asked if you celebrate Xmas on your Ko-fi page. Now I know. ;)
ReplyDelete