music
December 16, 2025
‘It became a running joke how much my brothers and I hated it’: the sound of Christmas to me
Beyond Wham! and Elton, Guardian writers from across the generations select the songs that conjure the personal magic and memories of the season
TL;DR
- Cookin' Soul's 'Doom Xmas' reimagines MF Doom's work as Christmas music, becoming an internet cult classic among underground rap fans.
- Mariah Carey's songs are a constant in Olive Pometsey's Christmas memories, linked to significant moments like childhood car trips and decorating the tree.
- The song 'Chante, C'est Noël' from Disneyland Paris's Christmas parade soundtrack is remembered with a mix of hatred and dark humor by Laura Snapes.
- El Vez's cover of 'Feliz Navidad' is preferred by Ben Beaumont-Thomas over the original for its energetic and vibrant performance.
- Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' a two-time Christmas No 1, evokes strong visual memories of a 1970s Christmas tree for Alexis Petridis.
- Lena Horne's 'Jingle All the Way' represents the cheesy yet beloved lounge and easy listening soundtrack of Lloyd Bradley's family Christmases.
- Christina Rossetti and Gustav Holst's 'In the Bleak Midwinter' is a treasured carol for John Fordham, associated with warm family Christmases in the 1950s.
Continue reading the original article