# Christmas Carols that really aren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338 "2017-12-12T23:13:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/1 "2017-12-12T23:13:51Z")
There are a lot of Christmas songs in the rotation. Some are fun, some are inspiring some are just bad (Christmas shoes). But theere are a number which really arent about Christmas at all. \*\* cochrane\*\* over here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20659165#post20659165](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20659165#post20659165) Mentions “My Favorite Things” which is not only not Christmas, but not even exclusivly winter. \* Winter Wonderland\* is winter, but not Christmas. \*Jingle Bells \*same. _Let it Snow_- same - Baby it’s Cold Outside\* (Best version is Deano’s) same. Frosty? Same. Odd isnt it? Can we think of more? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/2 "2017-12-12T23:20:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > \*Jingle Bells \*same. Actually written for Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/3 "2017-12-12T23:29:53Z")
There’s the classic answer: Greg Lake’s “I Believe In Father Christmas”. Not a Christmas song even though it references the holiday. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/4 "2017-12-12T23:42:00Z")
_Do You Hear what I Hear?_ ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/5 "2017-12-12T23:44:37Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > _Do You Hear what I Hear?_ Umm, what? That one’s about the birth of Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/6 "2017-12-12T23:45:51Z")
I’m gonna say _Lucy and Linus_, the Peanuts theme. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/7 "2017-12-12T23:50:03Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Actually written for Thanksgiving. (Johnny Carson) _" I did not know that."_ ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/8 "2017-12-12T23:50:34Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Umm, what? That one’s about the birth of Jesus. Atomic war, more like. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/9 "2017-12-12T23:52:19Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Atomic war, more like. Okay. Please link to your version. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/10 "2017-12-12T23:55:49Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Okay. Please link to your version. [Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_You_Hear_What_I_Hear%3F) [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/12/the-apocalyptic-fear-within-do-you-hear-what-i-hear/420459/) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/11 "2017-12-13T00:20:00Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > [Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_You_Hear_What_I_Hear%3F) > > [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/12/the-apocalyptic-fear-within-do-you-hear-what-i-hear/420459/) Well, yes it is is Christmas song but also a plea for Peace. ---
**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 13, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/12 "2017-12-13T00:26:17Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Atomic war, more like. But it clearly references the Christmas story to make its point. ---
**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 13, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/13 "2017-12-13T00:31:17Z")
_Sleigh Ride_. Originally an instrumental, but the lyrics added later make no mention of Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/14 "2017-12-13T00:32:27Z")
Pachelbel’s Canon in D (or as my son said before an elementary school holiday concert, “Taco Bell Cannon”) is commonly used as Christmas music (probably thanks to George Winston and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/15 "2017-12-13T00:41:27Z")
The Hallelujah Chorus is an Easter song. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/16 "2017-12-13T01:10:59Z")
If “Do You Hear what I Hear” were about the Christmas story, then what the King said to the people everywhere would have been “Let us kill all the boys under two years old just to be sure”. I mean, it’d have been nice if the King had brought him silver and gold and prayed for peace, but that’s not the way the Bible tells it. What about songs about the accoutrements of Christmas (“Silver Bells”, “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas”, all of the Santa songs)-- Are we counting those? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/17 "2017-12-13T01:27:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > _Winter Wonderland_ is winter, but not Christmas. > \*Jingle Bells \*same. > _Let it Snow_- same > > - Baby it’s Cold Outside\* (Best version is Deano’s) same. > > Frosty? Same. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Sleigh Ride_. Originally an instrumental, but the lyrics added later make no mention of Christmas. I think _Jingle Bell Rock_ also belongs on this list. I find it odd that so many popular “Christmas” songs not only have nothing to do with Christmas, but they celebrate sleigh rides and sleigh bells, which I suspect are not part of the actual experience of the vast majority of us listeners. > [@Chronos](#): > > What about songs about the accoutrements of Christmas (“Silver Bells”, “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas”, all of the Santa songs)-- Are we counting those? I think those count as Christmas songs, albeit secular ones. But _Home for the Holidays_ never actually specifies _which_ holidays, does it? Obviously the War On Christmas at work there. Purists might distinguish between Christmas carols and those for Advent, or Epiphany, but I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/18 "2017-12-13T01:40:13Z")
Yeah, the only place I see anyone making a fuss about Advent vs. Christmas vs. Epiphany is in the church hymnal, where they’re in three different sections. I can’t really bring myself to be upset at someone singing “We Three Kings” in early December, or “O Come Emmanuel” in January. Well, OK, I’m a little bit upset at the magi being misrepresented as kings, but that’s just a personal pet peeve. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/19 "2017-12-13T01:42:52Z")
Does [Christmas with the Devil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KneOdEDwDEc) count? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338/20 "2017-12-13T02:03:27Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I think those count as Christmas songs, albeit secular ones. But _Home for the Holidays_ never actually specifies _which_ holidays, does it? Obviously the War On Christmas at work there. Well, the man who came from Tennessee _was_ heading for Pennsylvania for some homemade pumpkin pie, so that narrows it down to Christmas or Thanksgiving. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-carols-that-really-arent/804338.md?page=2)