I like the joy and festivities that come with the Christmas and holiday season. For me, this includes participating in Secret Santa or White Elephant and having a Christmas or end-of-year dinner, complete with turkey, roast beef, and garlic mashed potatoes. With that Christmas spirit I have, can also be found in Christmas songs. But it isn’t really Christmas without hearing All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey constantly in the days leading up to December 25. You hear this song everywhere – on the TV, radio, and online, at the mall doing your Christmas shopping, and at Christmas parties and functions too.
There are Christmas pop songs that exist which are not sung by Mariah Carey! Many of my personal favourites are ones recorded from the 1990s – during my early years as a child, my family, especially my aunt and uncle who grew up as adolescents in the mid to late 90s, were always blasting bubble-gum pop singers and boy bands that have now achieved legendary status today. These are the songs that I consider to be my own favourite Christmas carols.
1. My Only Wish (This Year) by Britney Spears
Did you know that the second most popular Christmas pop song is this classic by Britney Spears? This song has only become popular in recent years, and was charted on Billboard’s Holiday Songs chart in 2011 and 2012.
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2. 8 Days of Christmas by Destiny’s Child
A spin-off from 12 Days of Christmas lies this rendition from one of the most successful girl groups in modern pop history. Does the 8 Days in the song title reference Hanukkah, or something else?
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3. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by *NSYNC
I grew up listening to various boy bands, such as *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and New Kids on the Block in my early days as a kid, so this song was a must to include in this list. It is all thanks to *NSYNC’s Christmas album they released that will forever make me a *NSYNC and Justin Timberlake fan.
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4. Last Christmas by Wham!
I credit my dad for introducing me to 80s pop icons too, namely George Michael and British pop duo Wham!. Sadly, 2016 was George Michael’s last Christmas, as he passed away peacefully at the age of 53.
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5. Michael Bublé’s entire Christmas album
I know, this is an album, not a song. However, if I had to pick my top 5 favourite songs on Michael’s Bublé’s Christmas album, they would be, in no particular order: All I Want For Christmas Is You (personally, I prefer Bublé’s version more than the original), Santa Baby, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Blue Christmas, and Cold December Night.
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6. This One’s for the Children by New Kids on the Block
Recorded from the kids, to the children.
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7. Chiquitita by ABBA
Although not an actual Christmas song, my family and I like to play this song during our Christmas dinners every year. Chiquitita is a Spanish term for a woman that means “littlest one”.
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8. Sleigh Ride by TLC
The only way to get cozy and warm this Christmas is by playing timeless R&B classics, and from the girl group that brought you No Scrubs and Waterfalls. T-Boz’s voice is still my favourite thing ever.
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