My Ultimate Christmas/Holiday Playlist (and perhaps some suggestions for yours)

There are some Christmas songs that make me cringe the minute they come through a speaker. However, the following put me in the holiday spirit:

• Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christmas Time” just because I saw him perform this live last year in Liverpool, England complete with a children’s choir and everytime I hear it, it reminds me of that fabulous night. And I must admit, I really love the synthesized sounds that are heavily present in the song
• Hanson – “What Christmas Means to Me”. This is a heavily covered song and Hanson’s is not the original version, but this version brings me back to my youth when I was a big Hanson fan and the album “Snowed In” which was heavily repeated at Christmastime during my Hanson phase. Another version I like of this song is Stevie Wonder’s
• The Waitresses – “Christmas Wrapping”. I love how fun and 80s this song sounds and how it makes me want to boogie. I always thought it was a UK band as it is played A LOT here in the UK and has the sound that reminds me of many UK bands. It also only peaked in the UK charts adding to my idea that it was a UK band (they were from the USA). A definite must for playlists!
• The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl- “Fairytale of New York”. No matter how much this song is overplayed in the UK, I don’t think I could ever get sick of it. It is such a ballad and just makes me want to be in a bar singing along with all the people in it while swaying side to side with a pint in my hand. It also makes me think of the movie “P.S. I Love You”  and makes me think of Kirsty MacColl’s tragic death which makes it a bit sad but nice to see that her voice is heard every Christmas time.
• Bobby Helms- “Jingle Bell Rock” …just cause it reminds me of one of my favorite Christmas movie: “Home Alone 2″…and lets face it, who doen’t love this movie??
• John Williams - “Carol of the Bells” – Again, a Home Alone 2 reference but I love this, Home Alone or not. Would love to sing it in a choir…if only I could sing! 
• Band Aid - “Do They Know Its Christmas?” - Again I love the 80s sound of this song and the cheesy synthesized sounds…and also because it involves quite the list of artists!
• John and Yoko - “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” - How could I not love a John Lennon tune (even if it includes Yoko…which I admit I actually do like!). I also do like the children’s choir that is heard in the background.
• Darlene Love – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home” just cause this version is an oldie and I never get sick of the oldies
• Eartha Kitt- “Santa Baby” – another oldie and a fun and playful one

My least favorite include, but are not limited to, the following (mainly because they are SO overplayed). Listing these in case you’d like ideas for your playlists.

• Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas is You”
• Slade – “Merry Xmas Everybody”
• Wizzard – “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”
• Chris Rea – “Driving Home For Christmas”
• Gabriella Cilmi – “Warm This Winter”
• Bruce Springstean – “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
• Any song by Michael Buble