For the past 15 years, maybe longer, I’ve been making an annual Christmas mix CD for my friends and family. This year, I decided to make it a Spotify playlist, since people seldom listen to CDs these days. I thought I would share it here in hopes that it’ll bring you a little extra holiday cheer or perhaps put you in the holiday spirit if you’re not already. If you’re a Grinch this year, well, nobody is forcing you to listen to it.
As always, I’ve included lots of brand new Christmas songs along with new covers of some familiar favorites. All of the songs on the mix were released this year. In the case of the Elvis track, the music was newly recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra so it counts as a new release in my book. With the Celtic Woman song, it’s from their new best of Christmas album; not sure how old the recording is, but I’m half Irish and my father is all Irish, so I like to include a recording by them whenever there’s something new out.
One thing I never fail to include is a new Christmas song about California. Often, these songs are about L.A. This year, we have “Christmas Time in L.A.” by Chanté. It’s the only California Christmas song I found this year, but it’s a lovely one so don’t think I only included it because of that.
When I first started making the CDs, I gave them different titles most years. The first two were called My Christmas Cache and My Christmas Cache 2 then there were a few years where I gave them titles I don’t even remember. But back in 2010, I called the CD Christmix, which I thought was pretty clever because it combines Christmas and mix, and ever since I’ve just called them Christmix with the year of their release. I suppose some people think I title them that to draw attention to Christ, but there actually aren’t a whole lot of “religious” songs on my Christmix mixes. (Nothing against Christ though!) On this one, I couldn’t resist including Ellie Goulding’s new rendition of “O Holy Night,” which is probably my favorite version of the song ever. Actually, it’s not a song I’m a big fan of, but Ellie’s version is great. You’ll see. And I know some of you are going to say Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah” isn’t a Christmas song and I’d normally agree, but this version appears on Pentatonix’s Christmas album and they’ve made it sound like a Christmas song — almost like a Christmas carol — and I couldn’t resist including it.
Enjoy!
CHRISTMIX 2017
01. Bright Light Bright Light – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
02. Sia – Candy Cane Lane
03. Tenth Avenue North – The First Christmas (feat. Zach Williams)
04. Gwen Stefani – My Gift is You
05. Ella Vos – Thank God it’s Christmas
06. Butch Walker – Lil Drummer Boy
07. Lindsey Stirling –
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)
08. Alabama – Ain’t Santa Cool
09. Ellie Goulding – O Holy Night
10. Chanté Moore – Christmas Time in L.A.
11. DNCE – Christmas Without You
12. Tom Chaplin – Follow My Heart
13. Pentatonix – Hallelujah
14. Tarja – Deck the Halls
15. Nick Jonas –
Say All You Want For Christmas (feat. Shania Twain)
16. Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra –
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
17. Fantasia – Santa Claus Go Straight To the Ghetto
18. Reba McEntire – Hard Candy Christmas
19. Celtic Woman – We Three Kings
20. 98° – Little Saint Nick
21. Hanson – Finally It’s Chrismas
22. Echosmith – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
23. American Authors – Coming Home To You
24. Lucy Hale – You’re Here
25. Bright Light Bright Light – Gizmo’s Theme
(The Little One / The Gift)
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