There are lots of Top Christmas Songs lists (including the one I just created), but there’s also hosts of new works, creative renditions of classics, or just plain fun and funny ditties that celebrate the Christmas season.

…There’s also a bunch of lousy songs and renditions that would make an agonizing Worst Songs list, but we’ll stick to works worthy of listening.

1. 12 days of Christmas – Straight No Chaser (A Capella Men’s Choir). If you click on nothing else, watch this one. Fun fun fun, amazing harmonies, creative, why couldn’t I have been one of these guys in college?

2. Hallelujah – Conjured (“composed” would be too light a word for this monumental, provoking masterpiece) by Leonard Cohen, there have been numerous great covers, like this one by KD Lang.

3. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch – Thurl Ravenscroft. “Your heart’s a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots.” That says it all.

4. What if Jesus Came Back Like That – Colin Raye. A great country song to remind us that to many people, Christmas is about a person with a message who was rejected from birth by society.

5. Santa baby – Madonna. Come on, like her or not, you have to respect her creativity, business savvy, and occasional fun.

6. Grandma got run over by a reindeer – Irish Rovers. Pure fun. Singing along with this turns our family Christmas Eve gathering into a party.

7. Zat You, Santa Claus – Buster Poindexter. Fats Waller also does a great version of this Louis Armstrong song.

8. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – John Cougar Mellancamp. This just made me laugh. As much as I love John, he’s just not as cute as the song.

9. All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth. I just can’t wait for my boy to get old enough to sing this.

10. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey. It either makes the funny or most annoying list, depending on how old your kids or the kid in you is.

I promised not to do a “worst” list, but no article would be complete without an honorable mention to David Cassidy and his Partridge Family rendition of Blue Christmas.

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