12 of Our Favorite (Underrated) Holiday Songs
If you’re feeling festive, but want something a little under the radar, we have the songs to get you through the season.
We know, we know: "All I Want For Christmas" is blasting from every speaker this month and haunting your dreams. Which is why we asked Persistent editors and contributors for their favorite alternative holiday songs. You know, the under-rated ones that, for December at least, you're actually excited to hear.
If you’re looking for something festive to play while you wrap presents, make dinner, or kick back and relax while others make the holiday magic, we’ve got you covered.
Enjoy!
I love Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses, from the 1981 compilation album A Christmas Record. It’s a fun, upbeat song about the messiness of holidays in the city in your ’20s.
— E.B. Boyd, contributing writer
I’m all in on Christmas magic and my family even goes caroling every year. But I do love a sad Christmas song and nothing tops Dolly Parton's Hard Candy Christmas. I’m also a sucker for Sarah McLachlan's 2006 Christmas album Wintersong. It doesn’t get more melancholy than that.
— Kathleen Davis, executive editor
Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Engelbert Humperdinck might not be an official holiday song, but it’s romantic and allows anyone to dance during Christmas and New Year’s parties–it's upbeat and not too mushy. In India, my friends and I tend to play it right when the party is in full swing to get everyone active on the dance floor. There’s always that one couple that comes forward to enjoy the moment of shared choreography and partnership.
— Rupam Jain, contributing writer
This is the most perfect and also the most impossible question. I cannot decide between Christmas in the Room by Sufjan Stevens (if you're not sad at Christmas what's the point) or Leslie Odom Jr.’s cover of First Noel.
—Karolin Schnoor, illustrator
2,000 Miles by The Pretenders is a firm favorite in our house. It’s one of my husband’s favorite Christmas songs and has become one of mine. We used to listen to it on vinyl, drinking red wine in winter, though now the kids get in the way. It’s a classic “longing for your lover at Christmas” song and is quite beautiful. Gotta love a bit of Chrissie Hynde.
— Gabriella Griffith, contributing writer
The Partridge Family Christmas album. Hear me out: My sister and I had this album as children and loved it. Then, one year, in the mid-'90s, when I was living on my own in NYC, my sister found out that David Cassidy (!) was going to be at a record store near her, so she went and bought the CD, then stood in line to get it signed as a gift for me. We both squealed when I opened it. For years after that, my holiday ritual was to hang up white lights around my apartment windows, put on that CD and have a glass of wine to ring in the season. Remembering all this, I may have to subject my husband and sons to a listen this year as we decorate our tree.
–Denise Schipani, contributing writer
I love "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues
–Cat Willett, illustrator
White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes. This song has made my non-denominational holiday playlist every year since I was burning CDs to play in my car in 2010.
–Han Goldstein, social media editor
Other than "I Have a Little Dreidel," there aren’t too many catchy Hanukkah songs (though the Barenaked Ladies do have a bouncy version of that folk tune). But when I’m in the mood for Jew-ish music over the holidays, I do love the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes punk version of Hava Nagila. It makes me want to dance around in a circle and kick my legs out in my best bat mitzvah fashion!
— Paula Derrow, features editor
Take a listen for yourself: The Persistent's Underrated Holiday Song Playlist on Spotify
The Persistent’s Underrated Holiday Song Playlist
Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues
Blue Christmas (cover) by The Partridge Family
White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes
Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton
River (cover) by Sarah McLachlan
2,000 Miles by The Pretenders
Christmas in the Room by Sufjan Stevens
First Noel (cover) by Leslie Odom Jr.
Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Engelbert Humperdinck
I Have a Little Dreidel by The Barenaked Ladies
Hava Nagila by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
What’s your go-to holiday song? Send your recommendations to hello@thepersistent.com. We’ll be back with more recommendations next Friday!
