The 49 Best Christmas Songs To Put You In The Holiday Spirit

The songs that will make you wish Christmas lasted forever.

The holiday season is fast approaching, and soon we shall be swamped by lights, trees, scratchy jumpers, and classic Christmas movies. What can add more warmth to our holidays is some Christmas songs!

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Here, I bring you a list of Christmas songs that will certainly put you (and those who hear it) in the mood for the holiday season. 

1. "White Christmas" (1942)

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Bing Crosby and Christmas songs are synonymous with each other. This song also served as the inspiration for a movie by the same name.

2. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (1943)

Remember the first line from the above beat? Here's another Crosby melody to raise your Christmas spirits.

3. "The Christmas Song" (1946)

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The song name can't get more literal than this and why not? This song from Nat "King" Cole is so good that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

4. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (1948)

This easily recognized and much-loved classic from Frank Sinatra is now available in a new avatar. 

5. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1950)

Spike Jones and his City Slickers' cover of this classic is one of the best and yet to be outdone. 

6. "Zat You, Santa Claus?" (1953)

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Any Christmas song list is incomplete without a song from the jazz legend Louis Armstrong. 

7. "Blue Christmas" (1957)

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How can a Christmas list be complete if a song by The King is not on it? Although first recorded in 1948 by Doye O'Dell, Elvis Presley's version remains the most popular version.

8. "Run, Rudolph, Run" (1958)

I challenge you to sit idly when this song comes on.

9. "Christmas in Hollis" (1987)

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We have had Christmas with jazz, Christmas with rock. How about Christmas with hip-hop?

10. "Jingle Bells" (1960)

Ella Fitzgerald's version of this Christmas classic brings some jazzy energy to this holiday song. 

11. "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home" (1963)

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Although it's a song about heartbreak, this single by Darlene Love will warm and satisfy your heart.

12. "Sleigh Ride" (1963)

The Ronettes are to be thanked for this song that will also take you on a trip back into time. 

13. "It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (1963)

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This Andy Williams song is indeed one of the most wonderful songs out there. It shall definitely hype you up for the season.

14. "Pretty Paper" (1964)

Willie Nelson was inspired to write this song after seeing a man who used to sell pencil and papers in Fort Worth, Texas, and used to shout "pretty paper" to attract customers. 

15. "A Holly Jolly Christmas" (1965)

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Another feel-good classic that warms the soul. 

16. "Winter Wonderland" (1966)

This song was written in 1934, and has been sung by many famous singers (Tony Bennett and Darlene Love to name a few), but its version by Dean Martin has a cogent charm.

17. "Jingle Bell Rock" (1970)

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This song from Bobby Helms was already a much-beloved classic before The Plastics "kicked" it into pop culture in Mean Girls.

18. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (1970)

Daddy playing Santa Claus sneaks a kiss from Mommy under the decorations. 

19. "Feliz Navidad" (1970)

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This song is José Feliciano's gift to humanity. 

20. "This Christmas" (1971)

This song by Donny Hathaway will have you listening to this on loop. 

21. "Happy Xmas" (1971)

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Although originally recorded as a protest song against the Vietnam War, this John Lennon and Yoko Ono song has become a Christmas classic. 

22. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (1973)

Yet to come across a person who doesn't wish the same. Thank you, Wizzard, for saying what's on everybody's mind. 

23. "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (1977)

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You can never go wrong when David Bowie and Bing Crosby come together for a duet. 

24. "Christmas Must Be Tonight" (1977)

A Christmas song with a dash of rock 'n' roll.

25. "Wonderful Christmastime" (1980)

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Another Christmas song from another Beatle, Paul McCartney. 

26. "Christmas Wrapping" (1981)

Those nursing a holiday crush can relate.

27. "Hard Candy Christmas" (1982)

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A melodious and groovy song from the lady after whom the first cloned sheep was named. 

28. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (1982)

If you were fascinated by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, here's some more from her for Christmas.

29. "2,000 Miles" (1983)

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The Pretenders' classic.

30. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984)

This song was written in response to the 1983–85 famine in Ethiopia and performed by a supergroup of many British singers. 

31. "Last Christmas"(1984)

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I find it quite difficult to stop humming this song by the British duo Wham! once I start listening to it. The first line, "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart," stays with you.

32. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (1985)

Get ready to welcome Santa with Bruce Springsteen. 

33. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1987)

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Whitney Houston's angelic voice makes this song heavenly. 

34. "Somewhere in My Memory" (1990)

One of the few Christmas songs that was also nominated for an Academy Award. This song was composed by John Williams (who scored the Harry Potter films, Star Wars films, and Jurassic Park films to name a few).

35. "Christmas All Over Again" (1992)

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Written by Tom Petty and sung by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, this song was written with the help of a ukulele gifted to him by George Harrison. 

36. "Merry Christmas Baby" (1997)

Again, a song first written in the 1940s but covered for a modern age by the boy band Hanson.

37. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (1994)

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One of the quintessential Christmas songs came from the vibrant vocal cords of Mariah Carey. The song also reminds me of Mariah's "Fantasy," which I recently heard in Free Guy.

38. "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" (1998)

You would have a hard time keeping yourself still while listening to this song from NSYNC (Justin Timberlake was a part of this band).

39. "Let It Snow" (1993)

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Although Sinatra's version is the GOAT for many people, there are enough people out there who would disagree. For them, here's the version by Boys II Men.  

40. "8 Days of Christmas" (2001)

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Another Christmas song from a band whose lead singer later became super famous. 

41. "Joy to the World" (2006)

How many of you were reminded of this masterpiece from Aretha Franklin when watching the movie Respect that came out a few months ago?

42. "The First Noël" (2007)

43. "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (2008)

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Though one of the oldest Christmas songs out there, and covered by so many singers and bands, I am partial to the version sung by Faith Hill. 

44. "It Must Be Santa" (2009)

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Let this Bob Dylan song blow in the wind from your speakers.

45. "It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (2011)

If it's a Christmas song list, can Michael Bublé not be on it? I say impossible.

46. "Mistletoe" (2011)

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Justin Bieber's Christmas song is rad!  

47. "Santa Tell Me" (2014)

One of the best pop Christmas songs came from Ariana Grande. Never thought Ariana could do a Christmas song so well.

48. "Merry Christmas" (2021)

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Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John collaborated on this just recently. Enjoy this song, hot from the oven. 

49. Silent Night (1818)

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This Christmas classic's beauty can be gauged from the fact that it is more than 200 years old and still going strong. Declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 2011, this song was written by an Austrian monk and composed by his school teacher friend. 

This song has been covered by many singers including legends Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Mariah Carey to name a few, but my favorite is by Sinéad O'Connor.