The Best and Worst Christmas Songs Part II: The Best

A week ago, I shared my list for top five worst Christmas songs. Now, here’s the best part, literally. These are my favorites, a list to surely debate below in the comments section. Merry Christmas.

5. Welcome Christmas: Narrator: And he puzzled and puzzed, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs4S9o-KESE&fs=1&hl=en_US]

4. Christmas Time is Here: We’re two songs in and we’ve got two songs inspired by cartoons, so you’re no doubt thinking this list is formulated by an eight-year-old boy. Maturity-wise, you’re correct. But, just hearing this song makes me think of fireplaces, more innocent times and 10-year-olds in need of Rogaine.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPG3zSgm_Qo&fs=1&hl=en_US]

3. Carol of the Bells: It’s hauntingly beautiful in its repetition. With the right chorus, it can be utterly sublime. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvNmOc1QirY&fs=1&hl=en_US]

2. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming: Below, you’ll see of the most self-serving video embed of all. It’s from a recording of my 1995-1996 chorus at DeMatha Catholic High School. With or without the wistfulness of my teen years, the 16th century song is incredible in any incarnation, telling the story of Mary and Jesus and centuries of hope coming down to one night in a humble manger. The Christ child had come.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w0GAibYnpQ&fs=1&hl=en_US]

1. The Christmas Song: In 1946, a black man defined the sweetness of the American Christmas experience at a time when racial division defined the country. Sixty-four years later, Nat King Cole’s voice is still tucking in millions of children on Christmas Eve and bringing people of all walks of life together. It is impossible not to feel a moistening of the eyes by the end of the song.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jODKhUoFxzA&fs=1&hl=en_US]