The catchy charm of Christmas music |

Ava Pusztai, Staff Writer |

Every year, we see Mariah Carey’s face and hear her high-pitched belting in the Bath & Body Works as the mall continues to swarm. Of all the Christmas music, she seems to be the most inescapable – but why? What is it about that specific song that signals reindeer and mistletoe?

What makes a Christmas song?

Rolling Stone ranks A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector as the greatest Christmas album. Readers of Rolling Stone also voted for “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono to be the greatest Christmas song of all time. Most of the Christmas music Rolling Stone ranks highly are older albums given their demographic.

As someone who grew up with the crooners of the 50s and 60s being the ultimate mediums of Christmas cheer, voice has a great amount to do with holiday music in my home. My father has an affinity for Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and I enjoy Michael Bublé all year, but his Christmas album does contain something special. My mother enjoys Boney M.’s Christmas album more than anything else which raises the question: How do the disco singers of “Rasputin” and “Daddy Cool” manage to create an ideal Christmas album? How do the singers of “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” write one of the most influential Christmas songs?

For cases such as Wham! and Boney M., voice is not as big of a factor for good Christmas music. Boney M.’s Christmas album is reliant on the sounds they use in their music as opposed to the pitch of their voices.

The album, titled Christmas with Boney M., uses instruments such as bells and synths at a high-pitched rate—sounds that people typically associate with Christmas. Bells specifically are seen as a Christmas sound in reference to the classic “Jingle Bells,” but also the bells seen on depictions of Santa Claus’s sleigh. Christmas with Boney M., also relies on their gospel ability to create a more holiday-like tone. The tempo is faster than most Christmas music but slower than the typical Boney M., song.

“Last Christmas” had a resurgence in the last few years which is fantastic—holiday season or not–“Last Christmas” by Wham! is a beautiful song. Here it is once again, focus on the instruments used which are synth and sleigh bells. The synth is higher which conveys a joyful tone despite the downcast lyrics.

There seem to be three consistent themes in songs considered festive: Jesus, festivity and tradition, and sexuality. Jesus is an understandable theme given the holiday revolves around Him. Even if Christmas is not unique to Christian households, a lot of fantastic Christmas music has Christian themes. “Carol of the Bells” is a great Christmas song even if it does not sound particularly joyful—“Carol of the Bells” spreads Yuletide cheer due to its lyrical aspect and tradition for carolers. Similar tones are present in “Little Drummer Boy,” “Silent Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “Mary’s Boy Child.”

In regard to festive and tradition-oriented Christmas songs, lyrics and sound are what create the holiday atmosphere. Examples of these include most of what is heard on the radio and in the malls at this time of year such as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “White Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “Wonderful Christmastime.”

Most babies are conceived during the holiday season and Christmas is marketed to inspire romance as we see in the hundreds of Hallmark movies not only played but produced every year (32 new releases in 2024, according to Forbes). During the holiday season, jewelry companies such as Tiffany & Co., seem to begin advertising more than normal—inspiring engagements as the perfect gift. Therefore, romance is not an uncommon theme for the holidays as is heard in songs like “Santa Baby,” “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” and of course, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

Christmas is a time for relaxation and family, and traditional holiday tunes often use deep, smooth voices to evoke a festive spirit. To capture the holiday feel, sounds like bells or synths are common in pop music, while horns and organs are prominent in more traditional, religious music.

A song like “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” does not contain any of the elements mentioned aside from the use of bells and the word “Christmas”—so why is it considered the best Christmas song? Possibly because it does not focus on the elements people usually consider to be important to Christmas. It is a song that requires people to look inward and recognize their own gratitude.

And is that not the true meaning of Christmas?

Ava Pusztai is a Staff Writer for The Reflector 2024-2025