I love Christmas and I love Christmas music! I love that everyone is singing praises to Jesus everywhere, even if they do not mean to, and I love the festive sounds all around. It feels especially nostalgic when it is snowing those big fluffly flakes on dark, cold evenings.
As soon as Christmas music is permissible (or before), I can be found on a Sunday afternoon between services curled up with tea, listening to Christmas playlists while crocheting. Here are some of my favorite artists and songs to listen to at this time of year. I am a fiend for collecting seasonal music, so I would love to hear yours! Please do share!
*Suggestion for listening: Right click on links to Open a New Tab so that this window remains open. Turn up your speakers, and enjoy!
1. Who doesn't love Pentatonix? Their vocals are amazing, and they blend so well together! Here's a chilling version of Mary Did You Know? which happens to be one of my mother's favorite's of theirs, too.
2 .Okay, so I'm suggest something drastic. I am not a Disney-music person and I don't go for musicals, but I love Vivaldi and I think this mash-up by the Piano Guys is brilliant, regardless. Let it Go / Vivaldi's Winter.
3. I Heard the Bells by Casting Crowns is just beautiful. Need I say more?
4. Lindsey Stirling has some lovely, creative pieces that I really like, and this is one of them. Her unique style is like none other. Here is her version of Carol of the Bells.
5. Keith & Krystin Getty have a tenderly sung piece called How Suddenly a Baby Cries/ Narnian Reel, with a melody that warms the heart. I like a lot of their music, but this one is special and it's nice to hear something different besides the other traditional pieces. Also, it includes a Narnian Reel. Narnia always makes me feel Christmasy.
6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a number of entertaining, excitement-building pieces. I had a difficult time choosing just one to post here and settled on A Mad Russian's Christmas. (But Wizards in Winter is of honorable mention.)
7. Ah, but this one I highly recommend you watch instead of just listen to. For the record, I normally find this song very annoying but this version is worth the laugh. 12 Days of Christmas
8. I am absolutely besotted with Position Music's Christmas melodies. Really. I had the most difficult time just choosing one, and settled on We Three Kings only because it wasn't already on this list. Go listen to all of them, I beseech thee.
9. What is a Christmas playlist without some Manheim Steamroller? Have a listen to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. It was told to me by my mother that she listened to Manheim Steamroller when she was pregnant with me, and whenever I hear this song I am filled with all sorts of memories from my childhood. I am instantly transported in time whenever I hear it.
10. Finally, my very favorite: Thomas Bergersen's Christmas Medley. It is incredible. I highly recommend that you listen to it with good speakers, turned up. Bergersen has unmatched talent composing modern symphonic music that makes you feel like everything is epic. Try listening to any piece of his while sweeping the kitchen and doing the dishes. I dare you. It feels like an impossible mission to conquer. In this case, it makes Christmas feel as triumphant as it should be.
I hope your December is filled with blessings, love and joy as only Christ can fill you up with.
And now, flood me with Christmas music in the comments below!
5. Keith & Krystin Getty have a tenderly sung piece called How Suddenly a Baby Cries/ Narnian Reel, with a melody that warms the heart. I like a lot of their music, but this one is special and it's nice to hear something different besides the other traditional pieces. Also, it includes a Narnian Reel. Narnia always makes me feel Christmasy.
6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a number of entertaining, excitement-building pieces. I had a difficult time choosing just one to post here and settled on A Mad Russian's Christmas. (But Wizards in Winter is of honorable mention.)
7. Ah, but this one I highly recommend you watch instead of just listen to. For the record, I normally find this song very annoying but this version is worth the laugh. 12 Days of Christmas
8. I am absolutely besotted with Position Music's Christmas melodies. Really. I had the most difficult time just choosing one, and settled on We Three Kings only because it wasn't already on this list. Go listen to all of them, I beseech thee.
9. What is a Christmas playlist without some Manheim Steamroller? Have a listen to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. It was told to me by my mother that she listened to Manheim Steamroller when she was pregnant with me, and whenever I hear this song I am filled with all sorts of memories from my childhood. I am instantly transported in time whenever I hear it.
10. Finally, my very favorite: Thomas Bergersen's Christmas Medley. It is incredible. I highly recommend that you listen to it with good speakers, turned up. Bergersen has unmatched talent composing modern symphonic music that makes you feel like everything is epic. Try listening to any piece of his while sweeping the kitchen and doing the dishes. I dare you. It feels like an impossible mission to conquer. In this case, it makes Christmas feel as triumphant as it should be.
I hope your December is filled with blessings, love and joy as only Christ can fill you up with.
And now, flood me with Christmas music in the comments below!
Liz, I'm loving this post! I loved picturing you spending Sunday afternoons crocheting and listening to Christmas music. :) Some of my favorite Christmas albums are Jackie Evancho's "Someday at Christmas", Peter Hollens's "A Hollens Family Christmas", and Celtic Thunder's "Christmas Voices"--and I agree--the Getty's "How Suddenly A Baby Cries" is amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely choices! Jackie Evancho has some beautiful Christmas tunes, and I do really enjoy Peter Hollens, too!
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