# Best/worst Christmas Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 18, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016 "2019-12-18T02:31:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CastletonSnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ea924/32.png) [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/1 "2019-12-18T02:31:23Z")
Christmas is almost here, and that means Christmas music being played ad naseum. What are the best/worst Christmas songs, in your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/2 "2019-12-18T02:41:34Z")
Worst-_Christmas Shoes_ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/3 "2019-12-18T02:46:00Z")
Best: “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses. I loved the song when it first came out in 1981. But it was very obscure and not heard all that often. But slowly, it began to become popular and now I hear it being used in commercials and elsewhere. Worst is harder. It’s a toss up between “Last Christmas” and Madonna’s version of “Santa Baby” (Eartha Kitt, OTOH…) ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/4 "2019-12-18T02:50:03Z")
Best- Gary Hoey’s rendition of “[You’re a mean one Mr.Grinch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nohsj5yI9Gc)” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/5 "2019-12-18T03:19:08Z")
The worst - and I hate to even bring it up, as it will infest the brains of all who read this - is that nastiest of earworms; that disgusting bit of treacle that pervades every shopping mall and retail outlet; yes, I’m talking about none other than… FELIZ NAVIDAD! ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/6 "2019-12-18T04:10:53Z")
Best: Silent Night Worst: We Need A Little Christmas ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/7 "2019-12-18T04:16:42Z")
I have a hard time coming up with best, but worst has to be Dominick the Donkey. Or maybe Christmas Shoes. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/8 "2019-12-18T04:23:10Z")
Best: All Alone on Christmas by Darlene Love Santa Claus and His Old Lady by Cheech and Chong Worst: Tough to say, none of them bother me. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/9 "2019-12-18T04:58:15Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Best- Gary Hoey’s rendition of “[You’re a mean one Mr.Grinch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nohsj5yI9Gc)” You misspelled Thurl Ravenscroft. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/10 "2019-12-18T09:39:45Z")
Best: Fairy Tale Of New York. Worst: everything else. > [@Chefguy](#): > > The worst - and I hate to even bring it up, as it will infest the brains of all who read this - is that nastiest of earworms; that disgusting bit of treacle that pervades every shopping mall and retail outlet; yes, I’m talking about none other than… > FELIZ NAVIDAD! Never heard of it. And on your “recommendation”, I won’t be looking it up. 🙂 j ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/11 "2019-12-18T10:48:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The worst - and I hate to even bring it up, as it will infest the brains of all who read this - is that nastiest of earworms; that disgusting bit of treacle that pervades every shopping mall and retail outlet; yes, I’m talking about none other than… > FELIZ NAVIDAD! My people! I loathe this song. If I could buy up and destroy every trace of it, I would. Best: I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/12 "2019-12-18T11:11:19Z")
I loathe 98% of Christmas music played on pop radio this time of year, or in the stores. Most of it is excessively saccharine or annoyingly cheerful. Ugh. But I can think of a couple of exceptions. “Something about December” by Christina Perri. More melancholy than sweet, with a beautiful, gentle piano melody. “River” by Joni Mitchell. Very sad. A perfect antidote to the schmaltz of the season. And I’ll probably get crucified for this one: “Do they Know It’s Christmas Time” by Band-Aid. I appreciate the mournful tone, especially at the beginning of the song. There’s some decent lines, including: _‘There’s a world outside your window And it’s a world of dread and fear Where the only water flowing Is the bitter sting of tears And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you’_ OK, it’s not Dylan quality, but I appreciate the sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/13 "2019-12-18T11:32:33Z")
Worst: Last christmas, by Wham Best: O holy night ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/14 "2019-12-18T11:34:40Z")
> [@VanillaGorilla](#): > > Worst: Last christmas, by Wham > Best: **O holy night** Specifically-[Jennifer Nettles.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAEJKg0lSPk) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/15 "2019-12-18T13:08:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Worst-_Christmas Shoes_ This, x1000. The kid’s mother is on her death bed, and instead of being by her side, he’s out buying fuck-me pumps for her meeting with Jesus. And you just know he’s gonna take the money and buy drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/16 "2019-12-18T13:23:44Z")
I love Christmas music. My best: Silent Night I Wonder As I Wander Panis Angelicus Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Bozrah (Who Is This That Comes From Far) Carol of the Bells Sleigh Ride Worst: Christmas Shoes ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/17 "2019-12-18T14:41:00Z")
I too have a hard time picking a favorite, but since several of the ones I’m partial to have been named, I’m going to piss everyone off (or earn their pity) by naming _All I Want for Christmas is You_ \< ducks and shields head from flying tomatoes\>. It’s unadulterated, commercial Pop at its finest and I love it. It also helps that it’s the song being sung at the climax of one of my favorite movies. . . _Love Actually._ The songs I hate are the popular ones aimed at children, i.e. Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, goddamn Holly Jolly Christmas :mad: But nothing, and I mean nothing makes me homicidal like the abomination that is some little twat singing about how she wants a hippopotamus for Christmas. I heard it for the first time a couple of years ago, though I understand it was made in the '50s(?). I think maybe it reared it’s ugly head in a commercial. I’ve never heard this _Christmas Shoes_ that gets so much vitriol around hear but I’ll see your shoes and reaise you one hippo. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/18 "2019-12-18T14:47:47Z")
Worst: All of it. I fucking LOATHE Christmas music. Not as bad as the rest: Silent Night Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys I Believe In Father Christmas - Greg Lake. Specifically [this version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-PAKOt7sM). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/19 "2019-12-18T14:50:24Z")
My Worst with the Best follow-up is The Little Drummer Boy with The Annoying Drummer Boy ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016/20 "2019-12-18T15:12:31Z")
[I wish it could be Christmas every day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJPc7esgvsA). But my favourites are probably [Merry Christmas Everybody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpfHSqLXePI)by Slade and [Driving Home For Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDt3u2Ev1cI) by Chris Rea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-christmas-songs/845016.md?page=2)