Poshdeluxe

since the day after thanksgiving, i’ve been inundating my ears with christmas music. i listen to it at work, on peabody (my bike), in thomas (my car), in my apartment, at the alamo xmas pops sing-along and, of course, any time i’m within 20 feet of a store.

and guess what? i’m still not tired of it.

i think the secret, in case you’re curious (HA HA so many of you are totes not curious, i’m sure), is to have a variety of christmas music at yr disposal. i’ve been building up my collection for YEARS, and so today, i’d like to share with you some of my all time favorite holiday songs. even for you scrooges out there, i think you might find something you actually like. or at least, something less annoying than alvin and the chipmunks.

here we go!
“rockin around the christmas tree” by brenda lee

i admit, this song will always hold a special place in my heart due to its prominent role in “home alone.” oh come ON. you know what i’m talking about!! it’s the song that plays when kevin fools the burglars with mannequins, michael jordan and his impressive marionette abilities. EVERYONE knows that. plus, it’s totally danceable, and you can’t say that about most xmas songs. p.s. kevin, you’re such a disease.

“hark the herald angels sing” by ella fitzgerald

i remember singing this song as a kid in church and feeling really excited. it was a hymn, but it was also a christmas carol, so it was WAY more fun to sing. and basically, i love any excuse to hear ella fitzgerald’s rich, vibrant voice.

“merry christmas, happy holidays” by *nsync

dude. it’s *nsync. of COURSE i love this song. plus the video has gary coleman in it AND *nsync loving on some super cute kids! look, just give it a listen and trust me, by the end, you will totally be singing “merry christmas, happy holiday!” to yrself over and over while doing some boy band shoulder moves. and if that’s not the christmas spirit, i don’t know what is.

“do they know it’s christmas?” by band aid

ok, what is there NOT to love about this song? it’s totally 80s and features tons of famous rock stars, like bono, sting, duran duran and, surprise, BANANARAMA! i had no idea that bananarama was part of band aid, until i saw the video during the alamo sing-along and totally recognized them from their “i am venus” video (which is awesome, btw). plus, i love the unabashed earnestness of this song. i mean, “feed the world”?! you could only get away with that kind of poppy optimism in the 1980s. plus i like imagining the rocker hair-dos that went into building this song. it’s the kind of thing that makes me misty-eyed.

“L-O-V-E” by nat king cole

ok, so i don’t think this is actually a christmas or holiday-inspired song. BUT starbucks released it on their “santa, baby” cd last year, and if starbucks says it’s a christmas song, i believe them. because i do not ask starbucks questions. i simply bow down to their white chocolate peppermint mocha. anyway, this song makes me SO HAPPY. the other day, i was walking to the gym, and it came on samantha (my ipod), and i realized i was grinning like a cartoon character with hearts dancing around my head (which would be super cool in real life, i think). plus, this song gets played a lot at weddings, where there is always much merriment and (hopefully) tasty business and dancing. in short, i affirm that this track is indeed a piece of holiday music.

“feeling good” by nina simone

again, i realize this is not typically considered to be a christmas song. but starbucks released it on “sleigh full of songs” two years ago, and i think they were clinging to the whole “it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day” theme to tie into new year’s eve, and how can i say no to nina simone’s voice? how can YOU? she makes me want to write a lot of sultry, bold resolutions.

“hey parker, it’s christmas” by ryan adams

ryan adams can pretty much melt my heart and/or make me tear up within the first few stanzas of his music. i love this song, because it’s not yr typical, cloying holiday fare. it’s beautiful and hopeful and melancholic. plus, he’s singing to parker posey, and that’s just the coolest thing in the universe. every time i hear this song, i want to send ryan adams a crayon-drawn holiday card and maybe a hug.

“happy xmas (war is over)” by john lennon (or sarah mclachlan, below)

speaking of tearing up, OMG THIS SONG KILLS ME. i know i posted it on top of an entry last week, but i must list it here. at the end of the christmas pops sing-along, the whole audience puts their arms around each other and sways along to this song while singing their hearts out. rarely have i experienced such a moment of purity at a sing-along (since, you know, it’s usually ladies of the 80s or something).

“mary” by patty griffin (performed by the robbie seay band below)

here’s another “non-traditional” christmas song that absolutely breaks my heart. the lyrics are achingly real and gorgeous, and robbie’s voice is perfect for conveying the reality of mary’s situation.

“cool yule” by louis armstrong

louis armstrong’s voice + a swingin’ brass band = music i literally dance to by myself, in my apartment, around my little christmas tree. this is the kind of song that would probably make the grinch’s head explode.

“last christmas” by wham (performed by jimmy eat world below)

you know, i think xmas hit a high point in the 80s. you had pop bands creating totally new, totally amazing holiday songs, and when you woke up xmas morning, there was a cabbage patch doll waiting for you under the tree. fyi, if you haven’t seen it, the video for the wham version of this song is i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e. george michael’s hair alone will make you believe in santa claus.

“sleigh ride” by the squirrel nut zippers

this song is so great and so fun, that it aaaalmost makes me wish we had snow in texas, so i could go on a sleigh ride with all of my friends and bounce along in our winter clothes and drink cider and arrive at our destination with rosy cheeks and high spirits. almost.

i hope i was able to provide you with a not-too-annoying and maybe even enjoyable soundtrack to whatever you were doing while reading my blog–hanging out in yr office, sitting at yr kitchen table, wrapping presents (!!) or maybe even making christmas cookies!! yay!

p.s. IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

LINKS

all three of the boys from gossip girl in one location… i’m not sure the world can handle this level of hotness. cue the apocalypse (will smith, i need you!).

looks like peter jackson might actually make “the hobbit.” and wait, there’s another prequel to the LOTR? i had no idea. hmm. i guess i’m cooler than i thought.

celine dion closed her show. and some chick got a celine dion tattoo. seriously. guys. the world is ending.