I love Christmas music but when the radio stations and shopping centers start bombarding me with it constantly, I tend to get grumpy. There is a lot of bad holiday music out there and nobody wants to hear it on repeat 24/7 for two months. Especially when there are so many good choices out there – why listen to the worst rendition of Baby It’s Cold Outside when there are such good versions?

So a few years ago Dan and I started putting together our own Christmas Mix CDs, seeking out great new tunes to add to our collection little by little and I have to say our 2011 Holiday Mix is pretty fantastic – so fantastic, I decided to share our playlist (with links to purchase most songs) with you so you can enjoy some great tunes this year, too!

Your Welcome.

Our Holiday Mix CD for 2011

• Baby It’s Cold Outside by She & Him (a fun take on the song, they reverse who sings which parts)
• Baby It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin & Martina McBride (hands down, my favorite version of this song)
• Carol of the Bells by Barenaked Ladies
• Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Jack Conte from Pomplamoose (link to YouTube video, there is a link below the video to buy the MP3 at his website)
• Deck the Halls by Pomplamoose (getting these songs on MP3 is a little tricky, you donate money to a book drive and get the album in exchange)
• Do You Hear What I Hear from the Glee Christmas collection, Volume 2
• Elf’s Lament by Barenaked Ladies (Daddy’s favorite)
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Barenaked Ladies
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Kermit the Frog – or THE FROG FROM THE MOVIE, MOMMY!!!
• I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Dean Martin
• Jingle Bells by Pomplamoose (included in the album from the book drive, and you won’t have to hear about Hyundai’s in the album version)
• Jingle Bells by Dean Martin (yes, you need both)
• Let It Snow by Michael Buble
• Little Saint Nick by She & Him (Zooey Deschanel’s band, I love their kind of old fashioned / indie vibe)
• Mary, Did You Know by Clay Aiken (beautiful song, this is a really good version though I’m not normally a big Clay Aiken fan, I love this song)
• Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree by She & Him
• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer by Bing Crosby & Ella Fitzgerald (such a fun version of this classic song)
• Santa Baby by Kylie Minogue – it took me a while to find a version of this song that wasn’t too squeaky little girl and not too dominatrix block your children’s ears.
• Santa Claus Is Coming to Town by Ray Charles
• Silver Bells by She & Him
• Sleigh Ride by She & Him
• Sleigh Ride by Barenaked Ladies (again, you need both versions)
• The Little Drummer Boy by Ray Charles (I love him singing this, it just feels authentic and powerful)
• Up on The Housetop by Pomplamoose (again donate books, get full version without car commercial)
• Winter Wonderland by Dean Martin
• Wizards in the Winter by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

What’s your favorite Christmas / holiday song?