Ho, ho, hello! 'Tis the season to be jolly, get the garlands up on the walls, break out the winter jackets, get the hot chocolate brewing, and put that holiday playlist on "shuffle and repeat."
Christmas is officially (almost) upon us, which also means the slaying sleighs and the jingling bells have explicit permission to be all up in our faces for the rest of the month. But it's not all bad!
Yes, the world may have grown tired of Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas is You" or Wham!'s "Last Christmas," even Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" (sorry, Mean Girls), but that doesn't mean all holiday music needs to fall by the wayside.
And of course, we at HELLO! are here to help with that noble mission (coming from a place of overplay fatigue ourselves). And here we present the HELLO! team's own picks for their favorite underrated holiday bops, from familiar faces like Taylor Swift to unlikely sources like AC/DC…
© Getty Images"Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift
We all reach back into the past for classic Christmas songs but Taylor Swift 2019 Christmas song, "Christmas Tree Farm," is the one that always kicks off my holiday playlist. Why? Taylor's iconic storytelling concepts are on full display, as she sings about a very specific memory to her that somehow seems universal, reminding us to forget the stress and static of the holiday season and instead recall the joy and hope we feel when with loved ones.
Plus, it has all the ingredients for the perfect Christmas song: bells! A choir! Romance and nostalgia! What more do you want?
— Rebecca Lewis
© Getty Images"Greatest Time of Year" by Aly & AJ
I'm a sucker for nostalgia, and as someone who grew up on Disney Channel, Aly & AJ's "Greatest Time Of Year" feels like it was everywhere for a brief time in my childhood, before swiftly disappearing from Christmas classics playlists, making it even more of a treat and trip down memory lane when I rediscovered it years later.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't shout out fellow Puerto Rican José Feliciano's 1970 classic "Feliz Navidad," which as of 2022 had registered close to half a billion plays on Spotify, and perfectly encapsulates the combination of Spanish and English musical traditions that I seek from a holiday playlist.
— Beatriz Colon
© Getty Images"Mistress for Christmas" by AC/DC
Nothing screams "Christmas" more than asking Santa for a mistress… I'm joking, of course, but my Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé quota expired many years ago. While it may not evoke holiday cheer for everyone and have some listeners clutching their pearls, AC/DC's "Mistress for Christmas" is my go-to anthem for the festive season (alongside The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," but as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life).
The mix of provocative lyrics, a heavy guitar riff that makes me want to dance on a table, and a nod to the holidays, "Mistress for Christmas" is always on my playlist rotation.
— Jenni McKnight
© Getty Images"One More Sleep" by Leona Lewis
I always feel nostalgic during the festive season and have such fond Christmas memories from my childhood. This time of year always takes me back to those Saturday evenings spent watching The X Factor with my family.
I was only four years old when Leona Lewis won the show in 2006, and her voice has been etched into my memories of that era ever since. Her 2013 Christmas song, "One More Sleep," instantly transports me back to that time through her rich vocals. It's your classic pop song with a retro soul twist that deserves more attention this December.
— Maria Sarabi
© Getty Images"8 Days of Christmas" by Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child's hit song "8 Days of Christmas" is a catchy remake of the traditional holiday song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." It's soulful, sassy, and fun, all packed into one festive melody. The popular R&B-esque song was released in 2001, and the lyrics provide charming Y2K gift wishlist throwbacks such as CDs, cropped jackets and a CLK Mercedes.
The celebratory song also emphasizes the importance of presents that focus on love languages, such as acts of service and quality time. Besides being an addictive tune, the song itself gives your significant other a plethora of creative ideas to keep you happy this Christmas, and you can thank us later. Other than that, the quirky song is a gift in itself each time you replay it, and we promise not to judge all 100 plus times that you do.
— Nova M. Bajamonti
© Getty Images"Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses
"Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses is an atypical Christmas bop that always makes me want to dance. Growing up, my dad made a Christmas CD for our annual holiday party, and this song routinely made the list. Its first words are "Bah, humbug," signaling to those who lean away from the Christmas spirit that it's okay to like things cheesy and fun!
"Christmas Wrapping" is the perfect song to play while decorating your tree, perfecting your cookies, or, of course, unwrapping your new favorite gift.
— Tess Hill
© Getty Images"It's Not Christmas Till Somebody Cries" by Carly Rae Jepsen
The familiar element of sleigh bells returns, plus an opener from Santa himself going "ho, ho, ho!" definitely leans into the kitschy, but then Carly Rae Jepsen, an underrated pop icon in her own right, delves deep into the inherent chaos found within that Christmas joy.
The song tells the entire story of a dysfunctional family gathering together for the holidays, from that one uncle who can't stop talking about (likely problematic) politics, to the kids who won't stop jumping on their beds and screaming for presents. It provides a campier take on the holidays and really sells the idea that as much as we all want to feel effervescent bliss, all this merriment can absolutely suck sometimes. And that's okay!
— Ahad Sanwari
