A couple of weeks ago, we got to experience Christmas in New York City. Fortunately, we got in and out before the omicron variant of COVID-19 really got going there. We took in all the sights of the season like the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center, went up to the observation deck at the Empire State Building, took in the lights in a neighborhood in Brooklyn and a bunch of other tourist stuff. By the way, the Rockettes during the holiday season at Radio City Music Hall is truly worth the money, and I am one of the more cynical people about this stuff. And, we actually scored a pair of tickets for one of my wife’s favorite musicals, Wicked, about one hour before the start of the show. Fortunately, our hotel was right around the corner from the theater. So, yeah, we did the Christmas-time tourist thing, which was cool. In all honesty, we can’t wait to go back during non-COVID times, if we ever have those times again.
Now, we are back in the slow lane of Indiana where less than 50% of the damn population still refuses to get vaccinated, which I do not understand as a microbiologist. But, once again, I digress. You see, Christmas in Indiana is pretty cool, even though we don’t get the snow that we used to. The best part is that some of the things that I have enjoyed over the years have become traditions within my little family. While our boys were growing up, Christmas lights were huge, maybe not on our house, but we did love to ride around town to see how others decorated their homes.
Now, my boys do their own decorating at their homes. One is slowly becoming Clark Griswold at his own home, while the other is doing a more scaled down version. And, even though they used to complain about MY Christmas music, I hear many of those songs being played in their homes. As a matter of fact, my two-year-old grandson had to Facetime me because he had just become obsessed with Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” And another tradition has made it to the third generation.
I used to wonder when I left this world, would anyone remember me? I strove every hard to be a great teacher and coach, someone who would live on in the memories of my former students and athletes. Unfortunately, my body gave out on me, so my professional dreams ended way before I was done. But, I have learned that it will be my weird sense of humor, pop culture obsessions and, yes, music and sports look like they will all survive in my boys and their children. That realization happened last night when we took both boys and their families to walk around an Indianapolis event center to look at their lights and enjoy the yuletide celebration. It was the looks on the older two grandkids that taught me this valuable lesson.
Somehow, these songs on this list is part of my Christmas legacy that my boys have made into their own. And, that means my weirdness is being passed down to their kids. And, that’s just a small portion of our Christmas traditions. Hey guys! Get the NERF guns out!
Now, let’s take this countdown to #101! Peace!
200. John Legend & Kelly Clarkson – “Baby It’s Cold Outside” (2019)
199. Frank Sinatra – “Mistletoe & Holly” (1957)
198. Norah Jones – “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” (2021)
197. Ladyhawke – “All Is Bright (Merry Xmas Everyone)” (2014)
196. George Thorogood & the Destroyers – “Rock & Roll Christmas” (1983)
195. Eels – “Christmas Is Going to the Dogs” (2000)
194. Phoenix – “Alone on Christmas Day” (2015)
193. James Brown – “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” (1968)
192. She & Him – “The Christmas Waltz” (2011)
191. Oasis – “Merry Christmas Everybody” (2010)
190. Bon Jovi – “Backdoor Santa” (1987)
189. The Spook School – “Someone to Spend Christmas With” (2017)
188. Best Coast – “Little Saint Nick” (2019)
187. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – “Little Drummer Boy” (1981)
186. The Dandy Warhols – “Little Drummer Boy” (1998)
185. Merle Haggard – “If We Make It Through December” (1973)
184. Black Joe Lewis – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (2016)
183. Bahamas – “Christmas Highway” (2021)
182. Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton – “You Make It Feel like Christmas” (2017)
181. Lady Gaga & Space Cowboy – “Christmas Tree” (2008)
180. Buck Owens – “Santa Looked a Lot like Daddy” (1965)
179. The Killers – “A Great Big Sled” (2006)
178. Aaron Neville – “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1993)
177. Third Day – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (2006)
176. The Wombats – “Is This Christmas?” (2008)
175. Taylor Dayne – “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (2021)
174. Blossoms – “Christmas Eve (Soul Purposes)” (2020)
173. Lindsay Buckingham – “Holiday Road” (1983)
172. Adrian Younge feat. Voices of Gemma – “The Saddest Christmas Tree” (2017)
171. The Donnas – “Up on the House Top” (2017)
170. Aretha Franklin – “Kissin’ by the Mistletoe” (1962)
169. Straight No Chaser – “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (2008)
168. Kay Starr – “(Everybody’s Waiting For) The Man with the Bag” (1950)
167. Sia – “Snowman” (2017)
166. Bryan Adams – “Christmas Time” (1985)
165. George Ezra – “Come on Home for Christmas” (2021)
164. Lisa Mychols – “Wake Up Christmas” (2017)
163. Alessia Cara – “Make It Up to Christmas” (2020)
162. Boyz II Men – “Silent Night” (1993)
161. Mandy Moore – “How Could This Christmas?” (2020)
160. Lauren Daigle – “The Christmas Song” (2018)
159. Kylie Minogue – “I Wish Everyday Could Be Christmas” (2015)
158. Carrie Underwood – “Favorite Time of the Year” (2020)
157. Blink-182 – “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas” (1997)
156. The Hives feat. Cyndi Lauper – “A Christmas Duel” (2008)
155. Al Green & Annie Lennox – “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” (1988)
154. Band Aid 20 – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (2004)
153. Fountains of Wayne – “I Want an Alien for Christmas” (2005)
152. Alabama – “Christmas in Dixie” (1982)
151. Nat King Cole – “The Christmas Song” (1946, 1953, 1961)
150. Liz Phair – “Ho Ho Ho” (2005)
149. The Raveonettes – “The Christmas Song” (2004)
148. Beach Bunny – “Christmas Caller” (2021)
147. Macy Gray – “This Christmas (Hang All the Mistletoe)” (2001)
146. Leona Lewis – “One More Sleep” (2013)
145. JD McPherson – “Hey Skinny Santa!” (2018)
144. Eartha Kitt – “Santa Baby” (1953)
143. Brian Setzer Orchestra – “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus” (2002)
142. “Weird Al” Yankovic – “The Night Santa Went Crazy” (1996)
141. The Spinners – “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (1972)
140. TLC – “Sleigh Ride” (1992)
139. William Bell – “Every Day Will Be like a Holiday” (1967)
138. Pistol Annie – “Helluva Holiday” (2021)
137. Willie Nelson – “Pretty Paper” (1979)
136. Low – “Just like Christmas” (1999)
135. Elvis Presley – “Blue Christmas” (1957)
134. Third Day – “What Child Is This? (2006)
133. The Supremes – “Children’s Christmas Song” (1965)
132. Clarence Carter – “Backdoor Santa” (1968)
131. Phoebe Bridgers – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2020)
130. Bryan Adams – “Reggae Christmas” (1985)
129. Carrie Underwood – “Stretchy Pants” (2021)
128. Kate Bush – “December Will Be Magic Again” (1983)
127. Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton – “Baby It’s Cold Outside” (2004)
126. Charles Brown – “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1960)
125. Bleached – “Jingle Bells” (2019)
124. Ella Fitzgerald – “Sleigh Ride” (1960)
123. Burl Ives – “Holly Jolly Christmas” (1964)
122. The Empty Hearts – “It’s Christmastime” (2016)
121. Lucy Dacus – “Last Christmas” (2019)
120. Donna Summer – “Winter Melody” (1976)
119. Ramones – “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Anymore)” (1989)
118. Joe Tex – “I’ll Make Everyday Christmas (For My Woman)” (1967)
117. They Might Be Giants – “Santa’s Beard” (1988)
116. Akim & Teddy Vann – “Santa Claus Is a Black Man” (1973)
115. The Royal Guardsman – “Snoopy’s Christmas” (1967)
114. Foo Fighters – “Run Rudolph Run” (2020)
113. Michael Bublé – “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (2003)
112. CeeLo Green feat. Christina Aguilera – “Baby It’s Cold Outside” (2012)
111. Faith Hill – “Where Are You Christmas?” (2000)
110. Leon Bridges – “Purple Snowflakes” (2021)
109. Jonas Brothers – “Like It’s Christmas” (2019)
108. Mabel Scott – “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus” (1948)
107. Marvin Gaye – “I Want to Come Home for Christmas” (1972)
106. Girlhouse – “ugly xmas sweater party” (2020)
105. Adam Sandler – “The Chanukah Song” (1994)
104. Chuck Berry – “Run Rudolph Run” (1958)
103. Albert Hammond Jr. – “The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot” (2017)
102. Aimee Mann – “Christmastime” (2006)
101. Bing Crosby – “White Christmas” (1942, 1947)
Next time, we will break into the Top 100 for this countdown!
If My Records Could Talk 