Christmas Songs that Make Me Cry
Covid ruined my plans so here are the songs that I’m listening to instead.
Christmas songs are so difficult to do well, I’m surprised any songwriter attempts one. The themes have all been done, the standards dominate the playtime, and on the off chance you to do break through with a modern classic your reward (other than the massive royalties) is the eternal hatred of retail employees who’ve come to associate your biggest hit with the worst parts of humanity. It’s a no win situation.
I like to think of myself as too cool to fully embrace the cheesiest aspects of the holiday season, but secretly I’m a big sentimental softie. Christmas mornings were some of my happiest memories of childhood and seeing the holiday through the eyes of my kids only strengthened my sentimentality. Plus, I’m genuinely moved by the idea that humanity can stop war and choose love, even if just for one day.
So I’ve made it a point to find holiday songs that help me feel those feelings that and that haven’t been played to death already. I’m sharing some of my favorites with you as a way to say thank you for subscribing. I hope that however you observe the darkest time of year you will enjoy these songs also.
The Christians and Pagans - Dar Williams
I think the usual approach for these kinds of lists is to save the best for last but I love this song too much to wait. It’s sad that a song about Pagan lesbians and a Christian family having a lovely Christmas dinner together seems even more unlikely today than it did when it came out in 1996. I love that everyone in the song respects and hold space for the spiritual beliefs of everyone else.
A Snowflake Fell and It Felt Like a Kiss - Glasvegas
This song really captures the pain of feeling alone and adrift at the holidays when everyone else seems so busy. Imagine looking up at the sky while feeling that alone, wondering what your place is, and a snowflake lands like a kiss on the forehead from the universe.
One More Sleep ‘till Christmas - Kermit - The Muppets Christmas Carol
My family always did our big Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve so I have a special place for a song about the way the day before Christmas feels so special. You are likely to still be out in public, shopping and preparing, but with Christmas so close it does feel like people make an effort to treat each other with more kindness and generosity. It’s a day more of us treat strangers like people. Imagine what the world would be like if we did that everyday. Not to mention that this whole movie is magic.
Happy Christmas (War is Over) - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
This song was a staple of my childhood. The message is simple and timeless. We make the wars and if we wanted to we could stop them.
White Wine in the Sun - Tim Minchin
If you aren’t familiar with Tim Minchin, definitely look up his work. He’s sort of a comedian storyteller who sings his stories at a piano. Anyone who considers themselves culturally Christian this time of year will relate this song. His love for the holiday is almost as strong as his distaste for Christianity. But the heart of the song is how much it celebrates his love for his family and his baby daughter. Plus you don’t often hear about what it’s like to celebrate Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere.
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
I’m going to end this list with another classic. This is a Christmas song the same way Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Set at that time of year but not really about the holiday. This song is so incredibly human. It celebrate two broken people believing that love can save them in one verse, then hits you with the gut punch of seeing it all rot in the next. Plus I got divorced from a British guy at Christmastime so it rings extra true for me.
Happy Holidays from Jeffery Skrungle!
Thank you for being here. I can’t wait to share more with you in 2024!
I’ve added all of these to my holiday playlist to give a listen!