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I don’t like Christmas music all that much.
There, I said it.
It’s great to hear the songs in church on the big day, and I have absolutely nothing against it at Christmas events. But in just about any other context I find the music repetitive and not particularly enjoyable.
That feeling is only made worse by the fact that you now start hearing Christmas music around Halloween. Last I checked, there’s another holiday in between those two days.
Also, spend a December working in retail. Believe me, you will understand where I’m coming from.
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My wife calls me Scrooge all the time because of my general distaste for Christmas music. I understand I may be in the minority here, but her wanting to play the Carpenters’ “Christmas Portrait” album on repeat doesn’t help.
All of that said, I don’t hate Christmas music across the board. There are a handful of songs that I would argue are downright doozies that I truly don’t mind hearing a million times in December.
So here are a few Christmas tunes that don’t make me say, “bah, humbug.”
- “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole
I would argue this is the ultimate Christmas song, and it just so happens to be a darn good one. It’s in a million different Christmas movies, and you’ll hear it in virtually every store you walk into in the month of December, but that is because the song simply works.
Nat King Cole is classically cool, and he has the perfect voice and demeanor for this kind of music.
- “Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
I’m not really a huge fan of Tom Petty’s music, but this song is memorable to me simply because it’s fun — and Christmas should be, you know, fun.
It is fun without being goofy or meant for kids. Also, I feel like a lot of rock-and-roll Christmas music tends to sound awkward and gimmicky, but this song avoids that altogether.
- “White Christmas” by Otis Redding
There are plenty of decent versions of this song — the classic Bing Crosby version comes to mind — but I love Otis Redding and the '60s/'70s R&B style.
That may not be the first genre you think of when talking about Christmas music, but it works surprisingly well.
- “Tennessee Christmas” by Alabama
I grew up on this Christmas album (thanks Mom!). I love playing Alabama’s “Thistlehair the Christmas Bear” during the holiday season just to annoy my wife, because it is a truly cheesy Christmas tune.
“Tennessee Christmas,” however, is simply a nice, calming song — perfect for sitting on the couch after a massive Christmas feast. If you aren’t familiar with it, I recommend you check it out. Amy Grant sings a version as well.
So what Christmas tunes do you enjoy? Am I crazy for my feelings on the music?
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Regardless, I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.
Dan Determan, sports writer/staff writer, may be reached at 218-855-5879 or dan.determan@pineandlakes.com . Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Dan.
