Presents, colorful lights, and kissing underneath the mistletoe. Those are probably some of the commercial Christmas traditions that come to mind. Once November rolls around, everyone is listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” and is buying peppermint mochas from Starbucks. We think of Christmas for all the holiday cheer, but that kind of celebration isn’t for everyone. Here are five underrated Christmas songs for all the sad girls out there.
“Without You” – Hey Monday
Before country singer Cassadee Pope went solo after winning season 3 of The Voice, she was the frontwoman of the pop-punk band Hey Monday. For anyone who has recently gone through a breakup, “Without You” is the sad girl Christmas anthem for you. Cassadee Pope sings about completing Christmas traditions without her lover, not feeling the same as previous years of celebrating Christmas together.
“December” – Neck Deep
While technically not a Christmas song, “December” is relatable to anyone who feels lonely on Christmas. This ballad tells the story of the aftermath of a breakup with the singer’s lover finding a new lover, while the singer is alone throughout December. For anyone who grew up listening to 2000s emo-pop music, “December” reminds me of Mayday Parade’s “Miserable at Best”. As a bonus, there is one version of “December” with Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and another version with Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba.
“Christmas by the Phone” – Good Charlotte
Breakups are rough, especially when they occur right before Christmas. This is exactly the situation singer Joel Madden sings about, wishing his ex-lover waited until at least New Year’s to break up with him. He hopelessly waits by the phone for his ex-lover to call him on Christmas. While Good Charlotte is best known for their early 2000s hits “The Anthem” and “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous”, this Christmas song needs to be added to every sad girl Christmas playlist.
“Christmas Kinda Sucks” – Peach PRC
With the chorus beginning “So sorry Mariah, Michael, I think Christmas kinda sucks” referring to Mariah Carey and Michael Buble, this song is for anyone who is tired of top 40 Christmas pop songs. Additionally, Peach PRC confesses her feelings about the weirdness of Santa and addresses how Christmas is usually a time when people feel happy. Sounds like an accurate description of the commercial aspects of Christmas to me.
“December Hurts” – RØRY
Alt-Z singer-songwriter RØRY writes some of the most relatable lyrics. From last year’s “UNCOMPLICATED” reminiscing about the simpler times to this year’s inspirational anthem “this is a song not a suicide letter”, RØRY has become one of my favorite underrated singers. Her Christmas song “December Hurts” captures her loneliness on Christmas, sampling lyrics and tunes from popular Christmas songs such as “Deck the Halls”, “Last Christmas”, “Silent Night”, and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. While offering a sense of familiarity with these samples, the song tells an emotional story of family hardship.
Whether you are happy or sad this Christmas, I hope you add these songs to your Christmas playlist.