I ♥ Christmas Music

If you were to ask me to name my favorite Christmas song, I couldn’t do it.  There are just too many to choose from!  I mean, aside from the bazillion individual songs, we have even more versions of those songs by even more artists.  And of course there are so many styles of Christmas music… How can anyone simply choose ONE song??

In keeping with the spirit of the season, I've decided to break down my favorite Christmas music for you in Top 3s, along with my preferred versions of each song.   

* Please note that favorites are subject to change as new music is released and/or blog author’s tastes develop.  ;o)

Christmas carols:

1. Silent Night - MercyMe or Steven Curtis Chapman
2. O Come All Ye Faithful - Third Day
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - MercyMe or Barenaked Ladies (don’t judge me; it's an awesome version!)

Secular Christmas songs: 

1. Sleigh Ride - The Carpenters
2. Silver Bells - Steven Curtis Chapman
3. The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra

Christian Christmas songs:

1. I Celebrate the Day - Relient K
2. A Strange Way to Save the World - 4HIM
3. Joseph’s Lullaby - MercyMe

Country Christmas songs: 

1. Let It Be Christmas - Alan Jackson
2. Til' Santa's Gone (Milk & Cookies) - Clint Black
3. Twist of the Magi - SheDaisy w/Rascal Flats (if you've never heard this one, you MUST check it out!)

As a general rule, I don't care much for Country Christmas songs -- at least as far as traditional carols go (I feel the same way about country versions of hymns).  Not only are they boring, but "The First Noel" just doesn't sound right with that much "twang!"  There are exceptions to this rule, of course...  A few country artists can do them justice, but they are few and far between.
 
New/Recent songs:

1. Most Beautiful Time of the Year - Beckah Shae (I seriously can't get enough of this song!)
2. Merry Christmas Baby - Beckah Shae (apparently I'm going to have to buy this Christmas album)
3. Candy Cane Christmas - Darius Rucker

Christmas albums:

1. Joy - Avalon
2. The Christmas Sessions - MercyMe
3. Music of Christmas - Steven Curtis Chapman
4. Let it Snow Baby... Let it Reindeer - Relient K
5. Let it Snow! - Michael Bublé 
6. White Christmas - Martina McBride
7. All I Really Want for Christmas - Steven Curtis Chapman
8. Christmas - Plus One 
9. Rose of Bethlehem - Selah
10. It's Christmas Time - City on a Hill
    
    Oh wait.  Was that more than 3? :o)

I also have a couple "honorable mentions" that didn't make any of the lists above...  

I never used to care for "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," but all that changed after I attended a MercyMe Christmas concert.  Bart told the story of how the song was written, and then immediately sang the most beautiful rendition I'd ever heard.  It was very moving and changed my perspective on that song forever.  

My other "honorable mention" goes to "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."  I actually grew up despising this  hymn for a number of reasons, and it wasn't until I heard Steven Curtis Chapman's version that I fell in love with it.  I know a lot of people don't like it when "the classics" are redone, but something about hearing a new take on a song or hymn that I've heard a millions times makes it seem fresh and new to me (that's how "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" made it on my list).  Doesn't mean I'll always like that "new take," but I'm more than happy to give it a chance.

Oh, and in case you were wondering...  My top 3 least favorite Christmas songs are "Feliz Navidad" (so overplayed!), "Christmastime is Here" (whiny), and "The Christmas Shoes" (d-e-p-r-e-s-s-i-n-g).

Care to share your favorites?