Top 10 Festive Playlist To Kick Up Your Heels and Celebrate Around the Tree

Christmas music comes in many flavors: sickeningly sweet, dreamily nostalgic or furiously upbeat. I want to say that I prefer the latter but the truth is, a fine balance of all three works as long as it’s in small doses. Think homeopathic doses. Otherwise, I overload on festive tunes by mid-December and I’m ready to switch to the greatest party hits by December 23rd. Inspired by BritMums and a Coca Cola GB #FestivePlaylist challenge, I created my own Top 10 of festive playlist of songs that we love. Some are old, some are new, all spread sleigh-loads of Christmas cheer. Happy holidays and be safe on this roads this Christmas season!

#1 Jingle Bell Rock

Country singer Blake Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert sing their hearts out in this uplifting song to rock around the tree. Seriously, that’s the kind of song where I’m tapping my toes and waiting to get up and dance. So much better than listening to yet another version of Jingle Bells. Love it, love the energy, love the voices of these two happy birds.

YouTube: Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert – Jingle Bell Rock

#2 Baby It’s Cold Outside

The Dean Martin classic made it into our December world the day our family watched Zooey Deschanel and Will Ferrell sing the song in the movie Elf. It was a hilarious singing-in-the-shower song in the movie and I immediately fell in love with the “mouse” and “wolf” duet. I like the way Zooey Deschanel sings it with her deep voice but the Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews version is a fun Big Band take on the invitation to leave a party.

YouTube: Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews – Baby Its Cold Outside

#3 All I Need Is Love

What, The Muppets and CeeLo Green and as much silliness as you’d expect from your favorite masters of mischief? The energy and humor in this song is completely contagious and whether you’re a man or a muppet, you’ll love this. If you don’t – which I very much doubt – the kids will love this. Yay, CeeLo’s jacket rocks!

YouTube: CeeLo Green and The Muppets – All I Need Is Love

#4 White Christmas

Bring on the Beverly Hills LA palm trees swaying in the sun, the red velvet outfits, and Bing Crosby by the fireplace! Nothing says Christmas like good old-fashioned tree tops glistening, sleigh bells in the snow and white Christmas even if you never get to experience one. It’s just the idea of a white Christmas, the dream of snow blanketing the outside world, that makes the song so special.

YouTube: Bing Crosby – White Christmas

#5 Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

I have a confession to make. I love the smell of roasted chestnuts on busy city streets when the winter settles in. I think it’s the most delicious smell and I usually can’t resist a newspaper cone filled with hot chestnuts that I share with my daughters. That may be why I love this song so much. Or it may be the mention of Jack Frost. Or it may be the background choir that sounds as dreamy as a classic Disney storybook fairytale. Whatever it is, this song is part of my classic Christmas selection.

YouTube: Frank Sinatra – Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

#6 Silver Bells

It doesn’t get any more Christmassy than Elvis Presley singing “ring-a-ling, hear them ring” in Silver Bells. The wait for Christmas day and the city sidewalks dressed in holiday style render exactly the weeks building up to Christmas day in the city. A great song to listen to early in the season and all along December.

YouTube: Elvis Presley – Silver Bells

#7 Let It Snow

Diana Krall’s Let It Snow will swing your socks off ! The jazzy tune makes me want to find a dancing partner and swirl around in a ballroom except that doesn’t happen nearly as often as I’d like to. Bonus points if the weather outside really is frightful, something I’d almost be hoping for for this song.

YouTube: Diana Krall – Let It Snow

#8 Walking In The Air

This one is for my 9-year old daughter who sang this song with her children’s choir this quarter and treated us to many dinner-time rehearsals, music sheet in hand. Though we love the Snowman original, this version sung by Declan Galbraith is completely dreamy and the aerial images of mountains and fields on the YouTube clip are perfect.

YouTube: Declan Galbraith – Walking In The Air

#9 Mele Kalikimaka

Another Christmas song that made its way into our home thanks to our daughters. Their Hawaiian hula dance show included a choreography of swaying hands and hips to the Hawaiian way of saying merry Christmas to you. It was a refreshing way to think of a tropical island Christmas .

YouTube: Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters – Mele Kalikimaka

#10 Christmastime Is Here

This song from A Charlie Brown Christmas is my favorite Peanuts song. I love the jazzy chords of Vince Guaraldi and the soft piano accompaniment. Add the tenderly cynical Charlie Brown crowd and you got yourself a song with way more layers than it sounds. It makes me want to cuddle up on a comfy seat with a book. It’s both timeless and quiet as snow, it speaks of happiness and cheer and the crazy little old souls of Peanuts.

YouTube: A Charlie brown Christmas – Christmas Time is Here

The #FestivePlaylist Linky is sponsored by Coca-Cola and its special Designated Driver program which helps promote the positive role that soft drinks can play as credible alternatives to alcohol. You can use their interactive Pub Finder to find places where Designated Drivers can enjoy 2-for-1 Coke and Diet Coke when out with friends –find out more here.