I am not the biggest fan of Christmas music. It is not my fault. I just like some variety. It gets a little tiring to hear the same old song for the hundredth time. No matter who sings it, I am really not a fan of Christmas music.
Of course, for everything in life, there are a few exceptions. In my 21 years of life, I have found a few gems that I can enjoy.
So now I present to you the best Christmas songs, and thus the only ones worth listening.
1. Best hymn-like Christmas song: "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" by Red Mountain Church
This may not be the best known of the Christmas hymns, but it is one of my favorites. Charles Wesley, the brother of the founder of the Methodist Church, wrote this hymn so the focus was not on Jesus in the manger, but in the promise that Jesus came to fulfill. Red Mountain Church added some verses to this hymn to emphasize this message, making it a great song for worship all year long.
2. Best song with a romantic interest: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey
This mother of all holiday earworms is as old or older than most of my friends and me. Mariah Carey is someone that you probably don't listen to year round. But once Thanksgiving ends, and it is officially culturally acceptable to listen to Christmas music, I can almost guarantee you will listen to this song, a lot. It is light, festive, and impossibly catchy.
3. Best remake of a classic song: Tie between "Little Drummer Boy" by Mandisa and Justin Beiber
I am not a "Belieber" by any stretch of the imagination, but his take on this song is fantastic. Busta Rhymes and Beiber take turns rapping in addition to the traditional verses and end with a message about making the holiday about more than just about getting. Mandisa's version of the song has a slow build up accompanying her soulful vocals, which then leads into a fantastic climax when her vocals go to top gear and a massive influx of instruments begin playing. The two versions of this song both do a good job at paying tribute to the song's history while adding an exciting mix to things.
4. Best original song by a Christian artist: "Joseph's Lullaby" by MercyMe
This is one of the rare songs that looks at things from Joseph's perspective. He did not ask for anything that happened to happen, and in the Bible story he kind of gets ignored. This song looks at how Joseph felt about becoming a father to the son of God. He does not blame him or deny him as his, but instead prays that this baby have time to be a child, even though one day he will save the world.
5. Best Christmas song period: "Love is Christmas" by Sara Bareilles
Is someone going to argue with me in the comment section? Probably. Do I care? Not in the slightest. This song is a lovely tune about love in the holiday season, and the only tradition that matters is being together, and loving each other despite the many, many, many, many flaws that we have. Give it a listen here:
So, these are definitively the best Christmas songs in existence, but if you so disagree comment and say what song is your favorite and what version, because everybody and their dog has probably sung it before.
