I love to sit down in the middle of the floor, turn on some music, and start wrapping all of my Christmas presents. Of course, the Christmas tree lights are on and maybe a couple of scented candles are burning. The mood is set. Ah, but what Christmas songs should be playing? I have my own favorites. Some of them may be yours, as well, or will become your favorites. So, here, in no particular order, are my top 10 Christmas songs to listen to while wrapping Christmas presents:
1. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. This has to be my all-time favorite Christmas carol. It is absolutely timeless, and Nat King Cole was remarkable. There is also a version with his daughter Natalie; although, I still like the original best.
2. O Holy Night by Josh Groban. When I sang in our church choir when I was in high school, this was one of my favorite Christmas carols. I could actually hit the high note, too! (I don't know if there is any significance to the fact that the only time that I could carry a tune was when I was singing in the choir.) Of course, there are several versions of this classic; however, I don't think that you can ever go wrong with Josh Groban.
3. The Little Drummer Boy by Celtic Woman. This is another one of my all-time favorite Christmas carols. If you have not heard the version by Celtic Woman, I highly recommend that you at least visit YouTube and give it a listen. Love it!
4. Silent Night by Sinead O'Connor. There is something almost ethereal about Sinead O'Connor's version of this Christmas carol. Beautiful!
5. Do They Know It is Christmas by Band Aid (Live Aid in London Wembley 1985). You may not realize that there are different versions of this modern-day Christmas carol, each featuring different artists. This 1985 version happens to be my favorite. Just a few of the artists who contributed their talents include: George Michael, Elton John, Sting, Simple Minds, Adam Ant, Roger Daltry, and Bono.
6. Merry Christmas Darling by Karen Carpenter. I always loved The Carpenters, which probably dates me. Karen Carpenter had a phenomenal voice, which makes this Christmas song one that should be a part of any collection.
7. Christmas Eve in Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. There is such an energy and grandeur to this Christmas song that it will take your breath away. What else can I say?
8. Christmas in Dixie by Alabama. I am not a country music fan, but Alabama has a habit of coming out with songs from time to time that just grab me, and this Christmas song is one of them. In fact, I have been known to tear up a bit whenever I listen to it. By the way, you don't have to be a Southerner to like this song.
9. The 12 Pains of Christmas of Christmas from The Steve and Kathy Show. We all need a good laugh during the holidays, which can too often be rather stressful. This parody of The Twelve Days of Christmas always makes me laugh. There have been other parodies, but I think this one is by far the best. By the way, you can find it on YouTube.
10. Carol of the Bells by Mannheim Steamroller. I love anything by Mannheim Steamroller and picking just one song by them was difficult. This one, however, is one of their more popular ones, and you might even hear it being played at Christmas light shows where the lights are set to keep time with the music. I would recommend, however, that you just buy a couple of their CDs and listen to all of their renditions of various Christmas carols.
There you have it. My top 10 Christmas songs to listen to while you are wrapping Christmas presents. You may agree with some of my selections and disagree with others. That's okay, as long as you have a Merry Christmas!
