As the holiday season approaches, so does the time to listen to all your favorite Christmas tunes to get into the cozy Christmas mood. Now I don’t know about you, but my ideal Christmas playlist consists mostly of (if not all) Glee covers. And I’m not ashamed to say it, but some of them hit harder than the originals— emphasis on some. So, for this holiday season, I’ve decided to compile a list of 25 Glee Christmas covers and rank them from worst to best.
I apologize in advance for the slight fangirling that came out of me during the making of this list, and for any potentially controversial takes. Let’s get to ranking!
25. YOU’RE A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH
The concept of Sue dressing up as the Grinch and destroying the glee club’s Christmas decorations— hilarious. The song, however, is very questionable and always a skip.
24. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t be Late)
This episode was very weird, to say the least, which is probably why it’s called “Previously Unaired Christmas,” and this song definitely put the nail in the coffin. The only reason it’s not twenty-fifth on the list is because the voice effect sometimes gets to me and makes it sound cute. However, most of the time I find it annoying.
23. little drummer boy
This song never actually aired on the show, but I thought it was good enough to make it into this list. Artie’s voice sounds very nice (as always), but it does drag on a bit and has prompted quite a few skips from me.
22. Here comes santa claus
Another song from this peculiar episode of Glee that I don’t exactly love, but the fact that Rachel, Santana, and Kurt are dressed as elves and singing to a crowd of ungrateful children makes it hilariously tragic.
21. feliz navidad
This song gets very repetitive about halfway through, but it’s short enough that I forget to skip it and upbeat enough to have me bopping my head.
20. blue christmas
I feel like this might be a controversial take, but I always skip this scene of Rory singing in the episode. It has a good sentiment: the holidays aren’t the happiest of times for everyone. But personally, I prefer to dance to my Christmas music rather than cry to it.
19. we need a little christmas
This song being cut short because of a teacher throwing a shoe at the glee club will forever make me laugh out loud, but it will also make me annoyed because I was enjoying those thirty seconds.
18. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree
Such a fun song to sing while you decorate your Christmas tree, and I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s voice in it. Maybe if Mr. Schue didn’t sing in it, I would like it more.
17. silent night
Another one that didn’t appear in an episode, but that I had to include. Naya Rivera’s voice is so beautiful in this track that I couldn’t not put it on this list. I would simply never forgive myself.
16. the most wonderful day of the year
I don’t have many thoughts on this one other than it’s cute and makes me feel all warm inside. I also think Kurt’s voice is a little annoying on this one and I can’t seem to get past that.
15. o holy night
Okay, this is where the list became harder to make because I love all these songs so much. O Holy Night took the fifteenth spot because yes, Lea Michele’s voice is amazing in it, but it’s not festive enough for me. However, is that going to stop me from screaming my lungs out to it? Absolutely not.
14. christmas wrapping
Ah, the Glee Christmas special episode, arguably the best Christmas episode they have. Brittany and the cheerios make this song look so fun, and it always makes me want to join them and dance around while twirling my little ribbon.
13. santa claus is coming to town
Another song from the beloved Christmas special that’s turned into an upbeat rendition that’s impossible not to dance to. Finn and Puck on the drums and guitar adds that special touch to this classic Christmas tune.
12. santa baby
Sigh, another Santana song that was never included in an episode, but rather in a deleted scene. Though, that won’t stop me from putting it on my list! Naya Rivera’s sultry, buttery voice fits this song perfectly. It’s definitely one of my favorite renditions of it.
11. river
This might come as a surprise since I mentioned I didn’t like sad Christmas songs earlier, but Lea Michele proved me wrong with her rendition of “River,” which is again, another song I scream my lungs out to. Makes me also wish I had a river to skate away on.
10. jingle bell rock
There are so many renditions of this song, but somehow I always come back to the Glee version of it. Sam and Brittany being convinced that the world is going to end before Christmas gives the song the quirkiness it needs.
9. have yourself a merry little christmas
I had a phase where I was obsessed with the Glee version of this song. Melissa Benoist’s voice is so good in this and I won’t lie I tried to cover it myself to see if I sounded like her (spoiler alert: I did not). The song has such a warm and cozy feel to it that makes you want to curl up next to a fireplace and drink hot cocoa.
8. all i want for christmas
Ah, a classic! I have to say this is one of my favorite Christmas songs and Amber Riley definitely did it justice. Did it top the original? Probably not, but let’s be real, can it even be topped?
7. let it snow
Kurt and Blaine Christmas duets, and so they begin. These two’s voices blend together seamlessly, which makes any song they sing automatically good. Their kicking off the Christmas special with this song was so iconic and lively.
6. do they know its christmas?
This is by far one of my favorite group performances in the show. Every character had their moment to shine in this song and they all sounded amazing together. Playing this song puts me in the Christmas spirit instantly.
5. extraordinary merry christmas
No one can top Blaine and Kurt duets, but Rachel and Blaine are a close second. As with this song, their voices complement each other perfectly and each one has their moment to shine. I’ve actually never heard the original version of this song and I intend to keep it that way because the Glee version sounds perfect to me.
4. happy xmas (war is over)
So, I just realized this song was not in the show, which seems crazy to me because it’s SO GOOD. Cory Monteith’s voice sounds so beautiful in this song and it never fails to make me feel comforted.
3. white christmas
Nothing much to say here other than their voices sound amazing together and that I will always choose it over the original.
2. last christmas
This song. I have no words. Actually, I do because I’m about to explain how amazing it is. Rachel Berry’s “Last Christmas” is top-notch, and the fact that it’s a duet with Finn Hudson just makes it all the more amazing. She really brought him to a Christmas tree farm and sang this as an apology for cheating on him. Was the apology successful? Nope, not at all. But the amazingness of the song made up for it.
1. baby it’s cold outside
And last but never least, “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. Another classic that has been outdone by the Glee version (sorry not sorry), and who is it by: Blaine and Kurt of course. The fact that they weren’t even a couple when they performed this just makes it all the better because the chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. Their high and low registers come together to produce this masterpiece of a song and they killed it.
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Well, we’ve made it to the end of this Glee Christmas retelling. I hope it was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write, and I’m sorry if I deeply upset you with my opinions. As a peace offering, here’s a playlist with all the songs mentioned on this list. Hopefully, you don’t skip most of them. Happy streaming!