The Nightstar Zoo

Just tell me your favorite Christmas/Hanukkah/Winter Solstice Festival of Choice songs.

The single best, most awesome, kick-everyones-asses Christmas song is, bar none, Bing Crosby - I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas.
Possibly Bing Crosby - Let It Snow. But I still think the above is more awesome.

As a general rule, I hate most holiday music. Most of it feels very fake to me , like the writers are just trying to make a few bucks. The few that feel genuine have been overplayed to the point that they've lost pretty much all meaning to me.

That said, there's one that I absolutely love - "Please Come Home for Christmas," by Charles Brown. It's not a happy song, but neither is it schmaltzy or syrupy like so many other sad Christmas songs. It would be an excellent song even if it wasn't about the Holidays, too - something that can't be said for a lot of the stuff you hear this time of year.

The original is great, but for my money the Eagles' cover is just about impossible to beat.

_________________
"Vox populi? Vox humbug!"
- William Tecumseh Sherman

Courtesy of fishbulb42, a recent discovery: Wonderful World of Joey - What Sweet Child o' Mine Is This?
Hugh Blumenfeld - Long-Haired Radical Socialist Jew
Rev. Run & The Christmas All Stars (feat. Mase, Puff Daddy, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Salt 'n' Pepa, Onyx & Keith Murray) - Santa Baby

More seriously, I've always been partial to The Nutcracker (the suite, or the full ballet). And I've loved the Carol of the Bells ever since I first saw the Claymation Christmas Special. But those technically aren't songs.

We Three Kings (Chris Isaac does a great version)
White Christmas (I saw a great stage adaptation of the movie last year)

I have a great album of traditional Finnish Christmas songs sung by Sari and Mari Kaasinen (of Värttinä).

Gwalla, do you happen to know of any place where one could get the all-bells version of Carol of the Bells played during that claymation special?

And Simon, totally agree there. But I like the Charles Brown version better.

Couple other good ones:

The Steeleye Span version of the Gower Wassail.

Santa Jaws by...uhh...crap, I can't remember. Very funny, though.

We Five Kings by Jethro Tull.

I haven't the slightest idea.

Ever hear Spinal Tap's a capella version of "We Three Kings?" Great stuff.

_________________
"Vox populi? Vox humbug!"
- William Tecumseh Sherman