With all the stress that comes with the end of the semester, sometimes we lose sight of the holiday spirit. Of course you could turn on the radio or go into almost any establishment and hear Christmas music, but the same versions of “Jingle Bells” or “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” can get a bit grating and your holiday cheer could run out faster than a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies.
To stay cheerful through finals and warm through the upcoming flurries, I suggest listening to some alternative Christmas (or just seasonal) music that is far from the repetitious classics but still guaranteed to make you smile and pull out your ridiculous winter sweaters enthusiastically.
No matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year, the transition into winter is always accompanied with cozy clothes, warm drinks and a great soundtrack. “Elf” has become a new classic within Christmas films, and Zooey Deschanel’s smooth, strong voice revives any bland tune. To get cozy as it gets cold, check out Zooey Dechanel and Leon Redbone’s cover of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
Sorry, you’ll have to click on this one yourself because embedding seems to be disabled on every single Elf video on youtube.
For Hanukkah, retire Adam Sandler’s jokes about Jewish celebrities and give Candlelight by The Maccabeats. Yes, that is their name, and they are an all-male a capella group from Yeshiva University. This remix of the club hit Dynamite by Taio Cruz has some truly adorable Jewish boys singing about how they “throw their latkes in the air sometimes, singing ay-o, spin the dradle” while giving a catchy synopsis of the history behind this holiday. Warning: it’ll probably be stuck in your head longer than the candles on your menorah stay lit.
Now for another hip hop take on the holidays, Run D.M.C.’s “Christmas in Hollis” is the perfect 90’s rap song to get you in the spirit. It features a great video and a storyline that promotes being a good samaritan when Santa leaves his wallet while chilling with his reindeer in the park and general holiday cheer. With innocently awesome rhymes like “Decorate the house with lights at night, snow’s on the ground, snow white so bright,” “Hollis” can’t help but get you excited for the season while feeling generally nostalgic for 90’s rap.
Take another visit to previous generations of music with The Ramones singing “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight).” The Ramones playing a Christmas song is just an upbeat, classic punk twist on classic holiday images. It’s both funny and sincere to hear Joey Ramone singing “All the children are tucked in their beds, sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads.” It’s catchy and promotes that seasonal warmth by reinvigorating love, since “Christmas ain’t the time for breaking each other’s hearts.”
Finally, since some of us might be stuck at school until the 21st to finish up finals, a Boston-themed Christmas song will encourage both spirit and pride. Big D & The Kid’s Table sing hilarious and generally relevant Boston references in their reworked “Have Yourself A Wicked Hardcore Christmas.” With the strong Boston accent, Big D sings about the Red Sox’s being awesome and getting drunk in Boston. You’ll love the accent and be inspired to celebrate the holidays.
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