Best Christmas Songs: Christmas Mix CDs from 2011-2018
While the holiday season is over, it occured to me it would be good to memorialize all of my holiday mix CDs in one blog. You know, for reference. Let me start at the beginning.
YEARS ago, the earliest of which I can find is from 2011 (but it definitely started earlier), I started making a Christmas mix CD for all of my aunts and parents for Christmas. I was a college student with three aunts, what more do you want from me?
Now, there’s something you should know about me. I believe that people should listen to Christmas music all year ’round. And if you don’t… it means you’re listening to the wrong Christmas music. No one can listen to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer all year, but if you get a little more creative and search a little bit harder, there’s some excellent stuff out there.
I would scavenge the internet to find the best of what was out there – new and old – to put on this mix CD. I would always try to find a good variety of styles of music, types of artists, and mix of songs to keep things interesting. Sometimes there are duplicate songs on the mix, but they all sound so different it’s hard to tell. I look through the music of pop stars, tv stars, broadway stars, unheard of folks, and all of the newly released albums. I look through random Spotify playlists, browse iTunes, and check the Amazon world. The amount of research you can do is actually a bit insane.
Admittedly, I learned along the way that I have some favorites. And hey, it’s my Christmas mix CD. My Top 5 Christmas songs of all time are: (1) I’ll Be Home For Christmas, (2) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, (3) Mary, Did You know?, (4) Merry Christmas, Darling, and (5) The First Noel. I’ve also learned that all of my least favorite songs have something to do with animals: (1) Up On the Housetop, (2) Dominic the Donkey, (3) I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, (4) Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and (5) Frosty the Snowman. (In that last case, Frosty is an animal.)
Now don’t get me wrong, there are definitely exceptions to the rule. I once worked on a job site where at the end of one of the days very close to Christmas Dominic the Donkey came on in the trailer and one of the bosses and I polka-ed around the trailer. That was a really great moment. He’s unfortunately passed away since then. Then there was A Great Big World’s version of I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas. And of course, Zee Avi’s version of Frosty the Snowman. Those definitely pass the test.
One of my favorite parts of the process is putting all of the songs in order. I usually try to start with the earliest chronological song (Thanksgiving, Advent, etc.) and end with the latest chronological song (New Years). That said, if there’s a song with a really solid intro, that usually ends up first. My CD usually starts pretty fast, gets a little chiller in the middle, and ends strong. I’ve had a lot of time to think about this.
In addition, five Christmases ago, in 2014, I started recording my own Christmas song (with the help of Matt Campana) to add to the mixes.
2011 Christmas Mix CD
Michael Buble – Jingle Bells
Ben Folds & Sara Bareilles – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Steven Curtis Chapman – The Night Before Christmas
Lady Antebellum – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Mandisa – Christmas Day
The Carpenters – Merry Christmas Darling
Josh Groban – Thankful
Kerrie Roberts – O Holy Night
Hans Zimmer – Gumption, from The Holiday
Sara Groves – Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)
Rascal Flatts – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Rockapella – Please Come Home For Christmas
The Blenders – The First Noel
Casting Crowns – O Come All Ye Faithful
Fun fact, Rockapella – Please Come Home for Christmas, does not appear to be on Spotify – so you’ll just have to listen to this awful recording of it here.
This year, in life, I was watching The Sing Off, and listening to a lot of a cappella music.
My favorite song from this mix is The Night Before Christmas by Steven Curtis Chapman. Followed closely behind by Sarah Groves’ Breath of Heaven.
2012 Christmas Mix CD
Astro Safari USA – Happy Holidaze
Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Old City Bar
Royal Teeth – All I Want
Pentatonix – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Kristin Chenoweth – Home on Christmas Day
Mariah Carey – Oh Santa!
Craig Armstrong & Jeffrey Michael – Love Actually
Katharine McPhee – What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
Barlowgirl – Hallelujah (Light Has Come)
Joyle – Unwed Mother
Jon McLaughlin – Merry, Merry Christmas Everyone
Jane Monheit – The Man With The Bag
Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson – Winter Song
Sufjan Stevens – Holy, Holy, Holy
Zee Avi – Frosty the Snowman
Big Time Rush – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Regina Spektor – My Dear Acquaintance
Unfortunately, Royal Teeth’s All I Want never made it onto Spotify, but you can listen to it here on YouTube. Unwed Mother cannot be found on either either, but you can at least listen to it (or buy it) on Bandcamp.
In 2012, I had already been traveling back and forth to Louisiana for a year, which is why Royal Teeth are on the album. I was also watching a lot of Nickelodeon, hence the Big Time Rush.
My favorite song on the mix is The Man With the Bag, by Jane Monheit. I considered recording this one a few years. Maybe one day I’ll make it happen.
2013 Christmas Mix CD
American Bang – Christmas Song
Dan + Shay – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Glee Cast – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Anthem Lights – All I Want For Christmas
Talain Rayne – Wake Up December
Jason Mraz – Winter Wonderland
Nikki Yanofsky – One Wish This Christmas
The Piano Guys – Where Are You Christmas
Molly Jenson – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Never Shout Never – Under the Mistletoe
Hayley Sales – Christmas Is Leading Me Home
Bridgit Mendler and Shane Harper – My Song For You
Mariah Carey – Jesus Born On This Day
Sheryl Crow – There Is A Star That Shines Tonight
Pentatonix – Go Tell It On The Mountain
Selah – Rose of Bethelehm
Barlowgirl – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Brooke Waggoner – Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Andrew Ripp – Joy To The World
Annalise Emerick – This Love Won’t Break Your Heart
Brooke Waggoner’s Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree cannot be found on Spotify, but you can listen to it on YouTube if you’re curious.
My favorite song from this mix was One Wish This Christmas, followed closely behind by My Song For You, a solid Christmas duet.
2014 Christmas Mix CD
Smalltown Poets – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Sidewalk Prophets – Hope Was Born This Night
Joan Osborne – Silent Night
Matthew West – Come On, Christmas
Pentatonix – That’s Christmas To Me
Alan Cumming & Liza Minnelli – Baby, It’s Cold outside
Victorious Cast – It’s Not Christmas Without You
Amber Sky Records – Joy To The World
Idina Menzel – White Christmas
Point of Grace – Emmanuel, God With Us
Tyrone Wells – The Christmas Song
A Great Big World – I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
Allison Crowe – I Saw Three Ships
Jae Jin & Phil Good – My Grown Up Christmas List
Jewel & Home Free – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Chrystina Noel – Santa Baby
Francesca Battistelli -Heaven Everywhere
Cimorelli – Carol Of The Bells
Meghan Trainor – I’ll Be Home
Ella Fitzgerald – What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
I couldn’t find Alan Cumming & Liza Minnelli’s version of Baby It’s Cold Outside on Spotify, but you can listen to it here on YouTube.
My favorite song from this year’s mix was Silent Night by Joan Osborne, which is why I recorded it on one of the upcoming year’s mixes.
2015 Christmas Mix CD
Marc Broussard – Almost Christmas
Michael Buble – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Idina Menzel – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
John Legend – Under The Stars
Sabrina Carpenter – Christmas The Whole Year Round
Amber Humphries – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Dave Barnes – Very Merry Christmas
Marc Broussard – When Christmas Comes Along
Katharine McPhee – Who Would Imagine A King
Dave Barnes – Family Tree
Faith Hill – Where Are You Christmas
Carrie Underwood – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Sara Groves – A Cradle In Bethlehem
Peter Hollens – Mary Did You Know?
Jim Brickman & Megan Hilty – Merry Christmas, Darling
Chrystina Noel – The Christmas Song
Steve Grand – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Joan Osborne – Christmas Means Love
Kevin Ross – This Is My Wish
LeAnn Rimes – Auld Lang Syne
This time, there are two songs I wasn’t able to find on spotify. Jim Brickman and Megan Hilty’s Merry Christmas, Darling and Kevin Ross’ This is My Wish.
My favorite song from the mix is probably Dave Barnes’ Very Merry Christmas.
At this point in life I was watching a lot of Girl Meets World (hence, Sabrina Carpenter), and still loving Joan Osborne from the year before.
2016 Christmas Mix
Rascal Flatts – Joy to the World
Susan Egan – All Those Christmas Cliches
Kacey Musgraves – Ribbons and Bows
Amy Grant & Vince Gill – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Pentatonix – God Rest Ye Merry Genetlemen
Chris Young – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Aretha Franklin – Kissin’ By The Mistletoe
The Girl and the Dreamcatcher – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Michael Mott – Christmas, Will You Stay?
Peter Hollens – December Song (A Cappella)
Jordan Richmond – O Come O Come Emmanuel
Leslin Odom, Jr. – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Megan Hilty – The Christmas Song
Zac Brown Band & Sara Bareilles – Christmas Tree
Chrystina Noel – Silent Night
Daniel Ellsworth & Alva Leigh – It’s Christmas, I Love You
Marc Broussard – Auld Lang Syne
Voctave – This Is My Wish / Let There Be Peace On Earth
I was able to find all of these songs on Spotify.
My favorite song from this year’ smix was Voctave’s This Is My Wish / Let There Be Peace on Earth medly, followed close behind by Christmas, Will You Stay.
There’s a lot of Broadway and a cappella folks happening on this CD as well, and I love it.
2017 Christmas Mix CD
The 2017 Christmas Mix actually never made it to a blog post, probably because it came together at the very last second, so this is the world premiere.
Gavin James – Driving Home For Christmas
Jordan Smith – Grown Up Christmas List
Straight No Chaser ft. Kristen Bell – Text Me Merry Christmas
Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me
Sultans of String ft. Nikki Yanofsky – The Christmas Song
Pentatonix ft. Jennifer Hudson – How Great Thou Art
Jordan Smith – You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Brett Eldridge – Glow
Kirk Franklin – We Three Kings
Sam Smith – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Yolanda Adams – O Holy Night
Why Don’t We – Kiss You This Christmas
Chrystina Noel – Merry Christmas, Darling
St. Thomas Gospel Choir – Hark the Herald
Jessie J – Man With the Bag
Gardiner Sisters – The First Noel
Jon McLaughlin – This Is Christmas
A Great Big World – This is the New Year
There is one song missing from the Spotify playlist, and that is the one by the St. Thomas Gospel Choir. But you can listen to it here. They are local to Philadelphia. I discovered them while singing with the Philly Pops Festival Chorus. (We also sang You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch with the Pops.)
This was also the year I became incredibly (even more) jealous of Kristen Bell. Seriously, what doesn’t that lovely lady get to do?
My favorite song from this year’s mix is Grown Up Christmas List.
2018 Christmas Mix CD
Now, let’s not tell anyone this. But I actually put the wrong song on the burned copy of this year’s Christmas Mix. I’ve fixed it on the Spotify mix, but I may need to actually reburn all the CDs for my aunts again. The wrong Voctave song can really throw everything off.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – Christmas Is Starting Now
Voctave – O Come All Ye Faithful
Lindsey Stirling – Carol of the Bells
Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Dove Cameron – White Christmas
Renee Olstead + Dave Damiani – The Christmas Waltz
The Piano Guys – Ode to Joy to the World
Charlee Buitrago – En Un Pesbre (In a Manger)
Donny Hathaway – This Christmas
Brandon Heath – King of Kings
Mallary Hope – Christmas Is All About You
Telly Leung – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Natalie Grant – What Christmas Means To Me
Lauren Daigle – Jingle Bells
Chrystina Noel – This Is My Wish
Nikki Yanofsky – Mistletoe
Whitney Houston – Joy To The World
Phineas + Ferb Cast – We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Home Free – Auld Lang Syne
This was the year I discovered that Phineas and Ferb made a Christmas album. And I was super happy to see that Telly Leung and Renee Olstead put out songs this year.
My favorite song from the mix is King of Kings. Followed by O Come All Ye Faithful (which is why it’s so important that I didn’t get it right on the burned mix. Oops.)
All Christmas Mix CDs
And if you’re looking at all of this and thinking, Christmas, I just want to listen to all of these songs together, I don’t care what year they came from, here you go:
A Chrystina Noel Christmas
You will notice that all of my songs are missing from the playlists above (in addition to the ones I mentioned) because they are not on Spotify. You can find them on YouTube though.
Or you can find them all together on a playlist here:
