78 Top Christmas Songs of All Time for the Greatest Holiday Playlist

Cameron Jenkins, Marisa LaScala
1

Christmas Everyday (2023)

Who doesn’t wish Christmas was every day? Brandy expertly conveys that message with this catchy tune on her latest holiday album, Christmas with Brandy.

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2

DJ Play A Christmas Song (2023)

In Cher’s very first Christmas album, aptly titled Christmas, she brings fans this poppy dance floor hit. It is sure to get everyone up and moving.

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3

All I Want for Christmas Is You (1994)

4

White Christmas (1942)

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5

Last Christmas (1984)

Pop duo Wham!, composed of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, released this song in 1984, but it didn’t hit the top of the charts until 2017 (after Michael’s death), despite inspiring many cover versions over the years.

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6

I’ll Be Home For Christmas (1943)

We couldn’t stop at one Crosby tune; this heartfelt holiday song is a moving tribute to the soldiers who fought in World War II.

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7

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1944)

Judy Garland originally recorded this soft Christmas song for the musical Meet Me in St. Louis, which is about four daughters coming of age while getting ready to move to New York. Time for a re-watch?

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8

Jingle Bell Rock (1983)

The best-known version of this holiday classic was recorded by Bobby Helms in 1957, but Hall & Oates released it as a single in the early ’80s complete with a can’t-miss music video.

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9

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (1971)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded this with the Harlem Community Choir as a protest song against the Vietnam War, and it eventually became a classic Christmas hit.

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10

The Christmas Song (1946)

Everyone knows this holiday song, so it barely needs a name — it’s the one where Nat King Cole sings, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” It’s so popular that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.

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11

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (1958)

Brenda Lee was only 13 years old (!) when she recorded this holiday hit. She probably wouldn’t have guessed that people would still be listening to it today.

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12

Christmas Vacation (1989)

The only Vacation movie to not feature Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road,” National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation opens with Mavis Staples singing this upbeat tune instead.

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13

Christmas, Baby Please Come Home (1963)

Darlene Love’s barn-burner of a song may be about heartbreak, but it makes us happy to hear it every year.

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14

Frosty the Snowman (1947)

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15

Mele Kelikimaka (Merry Christmas) (1950)

Bing is back, this time with the Andrews Sisters for a fun and bouncy song that tells listeners that “Mele Kelikimaka” is Hawaii’s way to say “Merry Christmas to you.”

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16

Jingle Bells (1960)

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17

Santa Baby (1953)

This cheeky song by Eartha Kitt is about wanting some pretty extravagant Christmas gifts. Even though this is a holiday tune, it’s one of her most well-known songs ever.

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18

Blue Christmas (1957)

Elvis Presley’s recording of this song is the most well-known version, but rumor has it that he didn’t even want to sing it in the first place, according to an interview with late singer Millie Kirkham.

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19

Hard Candy Christmas (1982)

20

Run, Rudolph, Run (1958)

When you need a Christmas song with some rock and roll to it, Chuck Berry is the first one to call. This one will get people to get up and dance!

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Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.

Headshot of Marisa LaScala

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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