The Ridiculous Christmas Essential Playlist
This Christmas seems to be a particularly important one. For myself personally, for Christie and I (and Betty, of course) and for the family and friends that surround us. Our family celebrates Christmas in our own way. None of us are the least bit religious. We use Christmas as a time to sit beside each other, to laugh, drink, eat and love.
That being said… we’re fucking weird and very little demonstrates that weirdness more that our choice of Christmas music.
Now, I grew up listening to the same Christmas music my mum and dad listened to when they were kids. Chuck Berry’s Run Run Rudolph, The Fontane Sisters, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and of course, Perry, Bing and Elvis’ respective Classic Christmas Albums. All that shit. As far as I’m concerned, Christmas music from that era is the best and that’s not up for debate.
I’ve heard this music at the beginning of every single December I’ve ever know and when I finally hear it for the first time that year, I get a feeling of my parent’s own personal nostalgia. I think of my mum dancing with my grandpa. I think of her running around with her 7 other brothers and sisters and my nana cooking and baking for a family of 10 (not to mention all the extended family that came around later that day - my nana’s cooking was always the best) I think of my dad reading Babar in a cloud of my grandfather’s pipe smoke and playing ice hockey in the flooded out backyard with the other kids in his neighbourhood.
It wasn’t until my brothers and I were a little older that we got the David Bowie songs, Boney M, WHAM, all that other shit. All those songs and artists are regulars on our stereos as well and are all worth a mention.
But, there are a few songs that my family plays first. You know… the ones we usually play before the extended family and friends come over.
The weird songs.
These songs’ll be playing on repeat this year and they blow my heart open like nothing else.
Aside from the obvious classics, give these a listen as well.
Alright, first one is really obscure and my dad seems to love it more than the rest of us…
Here’s a proper Canadian staple. It’s the first version of “12 Days of Christmas” on our list.
Allan Sherman of “Return to Camp Grenada” fame, has his own version of 12 days with, “The 12 Gifts of Christmas”. It’s one of my favourites..
My dad sings “Yingle Bells” every time he hears Jingle Bells so we just play Yogi Yorgesson’s “Yingle Bells” now. It’s just easier that way.
Mum and I cook a good part of Christmas dinner together. We have for years now and it’s one of my favourite things about Christmas. At some point, every year without fail, my dad will walk in and tell us how he yust goes nuts at Christmas. They guy loves Yogi. Here’s his second song on our list.
The Pogues wrote the best Christmas song ever and it’s one my family’s favourites. This one isn’t here for a laugh. This one’s the real deal. There is no better Christmas song.
None.
Happy Holidays and all that…
-D