Holiday Songs Smorgasbord 2023

Ho ho ho! Let’s dig in to the smorgasbord of new holiday music for this season.

What’s your pleasure today? Fun? Mocking? Serious? Sorrowful? Rockin’? Country? Classic? It’s all here, just like a holiday smorgasbord of fiery, sweet, crunchy, and mysterious foods, some that might make you cry and some that light up your smile and some that expose the bitter side and some that really hit your nostalgia button. Some are traditional fare and some are new recipes. All of them are designed to carry you through this season of low light with an intention of optimism or at least catharsis.

Scroll down and check out the playlist at the bottom of this post: heart, like, save & listen on your holiday drives! Listen on shuffle and mix it up!

Helene Cronin Beautiful December EP: This whole EP has some diehard “non-holiday music lovers” reconsidering their stance. https://www.helenecronin.com/

Fred Eaglesmith and Tif Gin “A Christmas Card”: Shuffly and honest, reflective and being on the back roads driving slow with cars slid off the road in ditches…. the heater is broken. Yep. https://fredeaglesmith.com

Lisa Biales At Christmas: This collection is bright and seasonally swaggery with horns and sass. Fa – la -la and tell ’em all about Santa – he’s gonna come and bring you something nice. Promise. https://lisabiales.com

The Wildwoods “Somewhere in the Snow”: Thoughtful and sounding like the hush of snowfall in the seasonal darkness, the idyllic sense of curling up by the fire, this one is significant and relaxing. https://www.thewildwoodsband.com

Keb’ Mo’ “Christmas Is Annoying.” This one is pretty spot on, at least, for some of us who shall remain nameless. Keb’ Mo’ put out a whole cd of holiday songs and it’s really great. “Let’s apologize to Jesus.” https://kebmo.com

Hayes Carll & Melissa Carper “Christmas in Prison.” These two teamed up with their enjoyable vocals entwining, and it’s a song delivering the dose of harsh reality and longing that some will experience. https://hayescarll.com

Malin Pettersen “Santa.” This is open and heartfelt with a plea for the one thing she wants to come true the most. Sweet and mournful. http://malinpettersenofficial.com

Imogen Clark (co-written with Steve Poltz) “Not Christmas Here”: a nostalgic song, for when you miss your flight, and miss your dog, and the holidays just aren’t going the way the Hallmark stories say it should. https://imogenclark.bandcamp.com/track/not-christmas-here

Steven Gellman “Jewish Christmas”: Steven is a great guitar player and the jingle bells in this one are sweet, even though “it hardly ever snows here, it rains.” There are holiday traffic jams and mirth. And the chocolate drinks that only cost $7.95. And Chinese food on Christmas Eve. https://hiddenpoet.com/steven-gellman

Jay Bragg “You’ll Always Be With Me (When the Season Comes Around).” Jay has his Dad singing harmonies and it’s swingy, catchy, and merry. This one swings and is a nice song all on its own, regardless of the season. http://www.jaybragg.com

JD Casper “Christmas Day.” A heavy hitter shining an important spotlight on reality that is, well, often just grim: “I feel like it’s Christmas Day, each day I wake up alive.” An excellent one for when you’re really struggling and need to know you’re not alone. https://www.jdcasper.com

Joshua Ray Walker “Christmas in Dallas.” Joshua threw his hat in the holiday song ring with this depiction of a real family scene. It really rings true. https://www.joshuaraywalker.com

Michelle Malone & the Hot Toddies Toddie Time. Fun and high energy, this is an album of the songs you’ll relate to for sure this season. Crank it up. https://www.michellemalone.com

Tom Freund “What’s Up Christmas Stocking?” Cinematic and sincere, this is song about welcoming someone in, and then missing someone. Sorrowful. https://tomfreund.com

Amanda Stewart “Since It’s Christmas.” She sets this one up with how she used to love eggnog from a grocery store carton, but, then things take a more sorrowful twist. Sung in a classic, Dolly Parton-esque croon. https://amandastewartmusic.com

A Philly Special Christmas Special. This is the second holiday album by the NFL team the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s really classic and worth the listen. http://www.phillyspecialchristmas.com

Mike Massey “Homemade Angels.” Thoughtful nostalgia and a conscientious observation of contrasts between commercialized Christmas and the ideals. Sparkly and bright acoustics. “It was Christmastime on Halloween.” http://www.youtube.com/@gmichaelmassey

Sophie Gault “Christmas in the Psych Ward.” Shut your eyes, just get through this time. Sophie offers a song from the healing spaces of darkness, with a wonderful gift of guitar. https://www.sophiegault.com

Katie Kadan “Christmas In Chicago.” She was a finalist on The Voice, and this one is a vocal powerhouse with magic, rousing piano and bluesy emphasis. https://katiekadan.com/

Jesse Lynn Madera “Frosty the Snowman.” A gentle take on the classic, with a solo acoustic guitar and Madera’s effusive and gutsy vocals. https://www.jesselynnmadera.com

Staci Griesbach Christmastime. A pretty vocal sound delivers traditional songs, mixed with several rock solid originals too. http://www.stacigriesbach.com

Stephen Philip Harvey Little Gifts EP: This is saxophone playing traditional holiday songs. It’s unique and automatically cool. http://www.stephenpharvey.com/

Jamie O’Neal and Ty Herndon: “Merry Christmas Baby.” This collaboration on a heartfelt Christmas single is emotionally resonant with a soaring buildup and the honesty of disappointment and longing at Christmas. https://www.jamieoneal.com/

Joey Ferris “Old Time Christmas.” This is a take on the question”Baby, what you want for Christmas?” when now the only things you really want are the things you got for free back then. One more Christmas at grandpa’s house. Nostalgic and moving. https://www.joeyferris.com

Couldn’t Be Happiers “The New Year Song.” Here’s to a New Years’ resolution song! “Hope that you read poetry and do a little home cookin'” make the list. Nice harmonies too. https://couldntbehappiers.bandcamp.com/track/the-new-year-song

Cuchulain “This Time of Year.” Snowball fights. Sweater parties. Yes, this one nails the season. Gosh it’s cold and small talk. “Gosh I hate this time of year.” This is a little tongue-in-cheek and very vital. https://www.cuchulainkelly.com/about-1

The Pinkerton Raid “Christmas Time is Here.” (Peanuts) This song commands attention with its heavy shuffle and the low twisting vocals, very eclectic while it still conveys the necessary images of snowflakes and carols in a very un-Peanuts style. https://www.pinkertonraid.com

The Storm Windows “It’s Christmastime (Live).” Give us peace on earth. This one is hopeful and easy, even though “this planet is a complicated place.” A singalong too. https://thestormwindows.com

Mary Scholz “Almost Christmas Time.” This will treat you to Mary’s vocals that soar high like the snowflakes under the streetlights. Pretty. https://www.maryscholz.com

Jeremy Joyce “My Little Piece of Mind” is a reissue but still going strong with a forward driving rockin’ tune that blows the angst away, completely. https://www.jeremyjoyce.net

Sofia Talvik “Alone for Christmas.” “In a world of colored lights, I am alone tonight” strikes a real emotional chord, and when Sofia’s vocals strike a heady quiver, you’ll feel it. https://sofiatalvik.com

Serabee “Bayou Christmas.” Serabee wrote this after the devastating loss of her drummer Russell Batiste Jr. Rising horns, and everyone’s hopes and wishes are very well articulated in this powerful song, folksy swampy song. https://www.serabeemusic.com

Herbert Walker “We Don’t Talk (Not Even on Christmas)” is a take on a Christmas that isn’t snowy, and it isn’t the ideal, featuring mariachi sounds blended with a Bing Crosby delivery. “I can hear the AC humming because it’s hotter than hell.” https://herbert-walker.com

Few Miles South “Winter Warm.” A nice bluegrass song to kickstart the cold winter and holiday mornings. It’s more of a seasonal song than just a strictly holidays song. https://fewmilessouth.com

The Imaginaries “Run Run Rudolph.” They treat you to a rockin’ Chuck Berry-esque rejuvenation of a classic. Might as well enjoy the season and turn it up! https://www.imaginariesband.com