Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.

By far the most suggested song from our readers this year is O Holy Night.

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The thing that really struck me in the Roches song is the way that they stopped at a particular moment in the song.  After he [Good King Wenceslas] goes out and presents the food and the fuel to the poor man in the snow…  They say “Ye who now shall bless the poor shall yourself find blessing.” (more…)

Its not exactly scriptural, but it is about Jesus, and I love it.  I remember listening to it as a kid and imagining the animals in the stable sharing with the new born baby and his family.  I still love the song because it uses the nativity to talk about the best parts of what we call the Christmas spirit. The animals all wanted to do something and they did.  They gave from their gifts in love.
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It’s not to say that it doesn’t get the occasional play in a christmas movie, but for the enthusiasm that is clearly coming from Stevie while he’s performing, it deserves to be right up there with white christmas. (more…)

Thee songs use music and sounds that carry my heart into the life of the season. I am grateful for them. [Editors Note: Jamie recommended two songs already in the list in addition to today's featured song.]  There is a great howl of wind at the end that gives me the chills! (more…)

I’m flying home to the midwest today. I’ve waited until now to listen to this song. Its so full of memories from childhood Christmas Eves with my family that it always brings a tear to my eye. Even knowing that John William’s specially engineered the swooping chords of this song to yank at our heart strings, I still can’t resist the line “living in my memory, all of the music, all of the magic, all of the family, home here with me.” (more…)

One of my favorite Christmas songs is Breath of Heaven, by Amy Grant. It speaks to the incredible story of Mary and what she went through when she said “yes”. The first time I heard it, I cried. Growing up Catholic, this song meant so much but it doesn’t matter what denomination you are affiliated with. We all understand the fear and struggle when asked to follow God’s plan but we know that he will bring us through. That is what this song is about. It is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs ever written! (more…)

I discovered a fairly new Christmas song several years ago on the 1996 CD “Carol,” by the American Boychoir.  The song is called This Christmastide. It’s also known as Jessye’s Carol, because it was originally written for soprano Jessye Norman, I believe.  Sometimes the Boychoir’s arrangement gets fairly complex, but I feel the song is at its best when they sing in quiet unison or simple harmony. (more…)

It’s not cloying or emotionally manipulating like most Christmas songs and it still makes me feel happy… plus it’s fun to play it on the piano. (more…)

It’s in Home Alone.  Who doesn’t love Home Alone?  Do I need any other reason?  [Editors note: No Beth, you certainly don't.  We couldn't agree more!] (more…)

This is one of the first rock and roll Christmas songs that I remember as a kid. I remember hearing this when I was in college and I came home to see all my old friends and enjoy everyone’s company.  For almost 20 years Darlene Love has been singing this on Letterman and now that I’m a little older it reminds me of my children coming home for Christmas. (more…)

As a teenager I wanted to be in a boy band. I even memorized and performed a lipsync of “As Long as You Love Me” “routine in front of 500 fellow teens at a youth conference. God’s taking on flesh reminds us that our ALL our lives are open to God’s embrace,even if they include ski goggles and bad haircuts like in this N’Sync video. [Editors Note:  Many of us have various hairstyle and fashion sins from the mid-nineties that we need to atone for... let this song serve as a reminder.] (more…)

This is a standout.  I found it a couple of years ago, and it just stops me in my tracks every time I hear it.  Her amazing voice coupled with the inspiring lyrics based on Christinna Rosetti’s poem force you to take a minute and think about the real meaning of the season.  (more…)

It’s a short and simple song that melts my cold, northern heart; a secular carol with a spiritually concordant message. I don’t think Jesus or any of my atheist friends would have any qualms with deep love, forgiveness, or grieving for the least. (more…)

I love this song because is ancient but it speaks to contemporaries. And I love this particular cover because it’s sound is acoustic but strong. Genuine, Human, but powerful. Just like God’s Word : ) (more…)

Brings me back to Gonzaga University campus where every dorm room with a turntable in 1981, along with Foreigner, Styx, Led Zeppelin and J. Geils albums also had Bing’s White Christmas in the stack. Never did solve the mystery of Bing’s disappearing and reappearing pipe from his statue. (more…)

Not to sound all pedantic but so many Christmas Carols are about horses and sleighs but this song actually makes me imagine The Holy Family. That is something I don’t do enough during the Christmas season. (more…)

I love this song because it is soothing and uplifting all in one. I knew it as pachelbels canon, which was played at our wedding in the Fordham university chapel. We met a Fordham, a Jesuit institution, so this song would be most appropriate for your collection! (more…)

The reason that I really liked this as a kid was because Bing Crosby and David Bowie are standing next to each other, and that is weird. Yet the songs itself is emblematic of the world I live in, a place where I find this strange combination of the sacred and profane to somehow come into harmony around the story of the incarnation. (more…)

I love this version of the old classic first of all because it rocks! But also because it just seems to explode with joy, like they just can’t keep the Good News to themselves. (more…)

This song is about calling up lonely Grandma, telling her about the Incarnation, fearing nothing, and going to visit her house. Not to mention, the video is cute as heck. (more…)

I love Aretha’s because my Mom always cranked it at Christmastime. And I always loved the line “the Lord came to stay, and now it’s Christmas everyday!.
[TJP Editor's note:  Even though the official lyrics say "Love came to stay" we see no problem with "The Lord came to stay" Love, The Lord... six of one, half a dozen of the other.] (more…)

Mr. Presley ‘tells it like it is’ chronicling the pain of holiday heartbreak.  His Christmas gift to us is the permission to  be down and out even while celebrating the entrance of the savior of humankind into our history.  After all, Jesus came to reconcile all of humanity to God–even our own indulgent self-pity. (more…)

The performers are from New Orleans. I think about Christmas after Katrina and I can hear the somber tones of hope that first holiday season in NOLA in this performance. It tugs at my heart every time.
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I’m a big Bone Thugs N Harmony fan and no matter where I am for the Christmas season, usually not at home since I’ve been a Jesuit, I always feel like I’m back at home in Cleveland. (more…)

Before I converted to Catholicism, before I worked with the Jesuits, before I married a cradle Catholic, I was discussing with my future mother-in-law the sadness that seemed to take so many people during the holidays. I conjectured that I thought it had something to do with the inherent contradiction between the meaning of Jesus’ life and the way his birth was celebrated by our culture. (more…)

“Apúrate mi burrito vamos a ver a Jesús”  Hurry up my little donkey, we’re gonna see Jesus.  With a catchy refrain that easy to sing, this song is full of life for kids of all ages.  It’s a standard for Christmas Sing alongs, especially where spanish is spoken. (more…)

Dave Matthew’s  ”Christmas Song”  is sacred, very sacred.  Sums it all up, all about love, love, love…Love, love was all around. (more…)

Living through WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, etc.etc.etc. Will there ever be peace?  I have always had a friend or family member away at war at Christmas Time.  This song expressed the very sentiment of being separated from family and friends at the Holidays. (more…)

People who only like “Blowing in the Wind” will hate this video.  And good for them.  But fans who’ve followed the Balladier of Duluth, MN through from “Mr. Tamborine Man” to “Tangled up in Blue” to “Every Grain of Sand” to “To Make You Feel My Love” to 2009′s Christmas in My Heart will recognize the man in this classic version of “Must Be Santa.” (more…)

This song brings me home where the religious and sacred don’t always stand in opposition to the so-called “secular” and “profane.”  Go to the French Quarter and you’ll know what I mean. (more…)

A few years back a new tradition with my friends developed where we all gather post Thanksgiving to watch Love Actually.  This song features toward the end of the film with little Sam playing the drums to win the girl’s heart.  As Sam pointed out earlier in the film, what can be “worse than the total agony of being in love?”  So true Sam, but also, so worth it! (more…)